Study Notes: The First Americans (Olmec to Eastern Woodlands)

Origins and Early Settlement of the Americas

• Native stories say they've always been here, but many scholars think people came from Asia across a land bridge called Beringia, between $9{,}000 ext{ and } 15{,}000$ years ago.

• When the ice melted, Beringia was covered by water (Bering Strait), so later people used boats.

• DNA evidence (Y chromosome) supports this Asia-to-America migration.

• These early people moved south, creating many different cultures.

• Some think people also traveled along the coast by water.

• Around $10{,}000$ years ago, people started farming, growing plants and raising animals, alongside hunting and gathering.

• Farming helped populations grow and led to permanent towns, especially in Central America (Mesoamerica).

• This farming change helped complex societies grow worldwide.

The Olmec: The Mother Culture of Mesoamerica

• The Olmec lived on Mexico's Gulf Coast from about $1200{,} ext{-}400 ext{ BCE}$.

• They believed in many gods, some with both male and female traits, and performed blood sacrifices.

• Maize (corn) was grown by $5000 ext{ BCE}$ and was their main food.

• They made a calendar to predict events like eclipses, which priests used for farming.

• The Olmec had the first writing system in the Western Hemisphere, seen on temples.

• They traded items like obsidian and chocolate (cacao beans), which helped a rich class form.

• The Olmec culture heavily influenced later Maya and Aztec groups.

• They are known for giant head sculptures, the Pyramid at La Venta, and water systems (aqueducts).

• Their decline is unclear, but their cities were taken over by the jungle, yet their ideas lived on.

The Maya: Calendar, Writing, and Urban Centers

• After the Olmec, Teotihuacan, a major city near modern Mexico City, became important.

• Teotihuacan had over $1 imes 10^5$ people around $500 ext{ CE}$, $30 ext{ miles}$ northeast of today's Mexico City.

• It had many apartment buildings, over $100$ temples, and huge pyramids like the Sun ($ext{about } 200 ext{ ft}$) and Moon ($ext{about } 150 ext{ ft}$) Pyramids.

• Human sacrifices were part of their religion.

• Teotihuacan was also a big trading place.

• The Maya, living from about $2000 ext{ BCE}$ to $900 ext{ CE}$ (in parts of Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala), created advanced calendars, a written language, and math to keep records.

• Their big cities like Copán, Tikal, and Chichén Itzá had temples, pyramids, and places to watch stars.

• Large Maya cities declined around $900 ext{ CE}$, likely due to dry weather and bad soil.

• The Maya wrote using glyphs (symbols). Many of their books were burned by the Spanish in $1562$, so few are left.

The Aztec: Tenochtitlán, Society, and Rituals

• When Cortés came to Mexico in the $1520s$, he found Tenochtitlán, a magnificent city built on an island in Lake Texcoco.

• The Aztec (Mexica) founded Tenochtitlán in $1325 ext{ CE}$ after moving from a legendary place called Aztlán.

• By $1519$, Tenochtitlán had over $2 imes 10^5$ people, likely more than many cities in Europe at the time.

• It was a well-planned, clean city with specific areas, trash pickup, markets, two fresh water pipes, and many public buildings and temples.

• Conquered tribes had to provide enslaved people for labor to build the city and its three roads to the main land.

• They used "chinampas" (floating gardens) to make fertile land in the lake, watered by lake water; you can still see these today.

• Their religion had many gods for nature (sky, farming, etc.).

• A ruling class of warriors and priests did daily human sacrifices to keep the sun moving and ensure good harvests.

• This system relied on work and payments from conquered people to support the powerful leaders.

The Inca: Empire, Roads, and Records

• The Inca Empire stretched about $2{,}500 ext{ miles}$ along the Pacific coast and Andes mountains, from modern Colombia to Chile.

• They built cities high in the mountains (up to $14{,}000 ext{ ft}$) and had a great system of roads.

• They didn't use wheels, but built stepped roads for people and animals. "Chasquis" (runners) sent messages quickly.

• The Inca had no traditional writing. They used "quipu" (knotted colored strings) for records and counting.

• Their ruler had complete power. Farmers paid taxes by doing labor for the state ("mita") and helped with public projects.

• Food was stored for times of hunger, and the ruler gave laws and safety for labor.

• They grew crops like corn, beans, squash, quinoa, and potatoes, using leveled fields on steep slopes.

• The sun god Inti was most important; gold was seen as the "sweat" of the sun.

• Human sacrifice was rare, only for very serious emergencies.

• Machu Picchu, found again in $1911$, was built around $1450 ext{ CE}$ for religious events. It's about $50 ext{ miles}$ northwest of Cusco at $8{,}000 ext{ ft}$ high and became a UNESCO site in $1983$.

Native Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands and the Pueblo Southwest

• In the Eastern Woodlands, Native groups were smaller and more spread out, not like the big empires.

• The Pueblos, in North America's Southwest, lived in permanent, multi-story towns made of stone and mud. Key groups were Mogollon, Hohokam, and Anasazi.

• Mogollon (about $150 ext{ BCE}$ to $1450 ext{ CE}$) made black-on-white pottery with designs.

• Hohokam (from about $600 ext{ CE}$) built complex canal systems to water the desert, supporting many people, and made red pottery and turquoise jewelry.

• Anasazi (until about $1300 ext{ CE}$) lived in cliff homes, using ladders for defense.

• Cahokia, in the Mississippi River Valley, was perhaps the biggest Native American city in North America. Around $1100 ext{ CE}$, it was a five-square-mile city with over $10{,}000$ people and about $120$ earth mounds, a major center for politics and trade. It declined after $1300 ext{ CE}$.

• The Hopewell Culture (Ohio River Valley) was strongest from the $1^{st} ext{ century CE}$ to about $400 ext{ CE}$, living in small villages and trading widely. They made detailed crafts and large burial mounds that showed social levels.

• Many Eastern Woodlands tribes (like Iroquois) were matriarchal, meaning women had important roles.

• Europeans changed Native American gender roles and land ideas.

• Native people generally didn't believe in owning land privately, unlike Europeans who saw land as personal wealth. This difference caused much conflict.

Connections, Implications, and Overall Themes

• Early cultures like the Olmec set the stage for later Maya and Aztec groups, who also traded and shared religious ideas.

• There was huge diversity: from big empires (Aztec, Inca) to smaller, regional cultures (Eastern Woodlands, Southwest).

• These cultures showed great smarts, from farming advances (corn, irrigation, floating gardens, terraces) to complex roads (Inca) and advanced calendars and writing (Maya).

• Environment, like dry spells and bad soil, affected how civilizations rose and fell (e.g., Maya and Cahokia).

• Europeans brought terrible results: diseases, conquest, and the destruction of Native cultures (like burning books and new land ideas).

• The impact of these civilizations lives on, seen in UNESCO sites (like Machu Picchu, named in $1983$) and new discoveries.

Key Figures, Sites, and Terms (Reference Points)

• Beringia and Bering Strait: A land mass then water passage connecting Asia and North America. DNA shows a link.

• Maize domestication: Around $5000 ext{ BCE}$, corn started being grown.

• Olmec: Gulf Coast people. Known for rain and maize gods, feathered serpent, huge head sculptures, La Venta pyramid, water pipes, cacao trade, and first writing.

• Teotihuacan: Has the Sun ($ext{about } 200 ext{ ft}$) and Moon ($ext{about } 150 ext{ ft}$) Pyramids, Feathered Serpent Temple, city planning, and trade.

• Maya: Advanced calendars and writing (glyphs). Major cities: Copán, Tikal, Chichen Itza. Declined around $900 ext{ CE}$ due to drought. Many books burned in $1562$.

• Aztec: Built Tenochtitlán on Lake Texcoco, founded $1325 ext{ CE}$. By $1519$, had over $200{,}000$ people. Used "chinampas" (floating gardens) and obsidian knives for sacrifices.

• Inca: Empire had $2{,}500 ext{ miles}$ of roads (no wheels), "chasquis" (runners), and "quipu" (knotted strings for records). Taxes paid by "mita" (labor). Worshipped sun god Inti; gold was his "sweat." Machu Picchu built $1450 ext{ CE}$, abandoned ~$1550 ext{ CE}$, UNESCO $1983$.

• Eastern Woodlands and Pueblos: Groups include Mogollon, Hohokam, Anasazi (Pueblo people until $1300 ext{ CE}$). Cahokia was a major mound city around $1100 ext{ CE}$. Hopewell culture active from $1^{st} ext{ century CE}$ to $400 ext{ CE}$. Many Eastern Woodlands groups like Iroquois were matriarchal. Land ownership was a main conflict with Europeans.

Notable Dates Recap (for quick REF)

• $9{,}000 ext{ to }15{,}000$ years ago: people came to Americas via Beringia.

• $10{,}000$ years ago: farming began in Americas.

• $5000 ext{ BCE}$: maize (corn) grown.

• $1200{,} ext{ BCE}$ to $400{,} ext{ BCE}$: Olmec civilization.

• Teotihuacan population over $100{,}000$ around $500 ext{ CE}$.

• Pyramid of the Sun ($200 ext{ ft}$) and Pyramid of the Moon ($150 ext{ ft}$) heights.

• Tenochtitlán founded $1325 ext{ CE}$; Cortés arrived $1519 ext{ CE}$.

• Bishop Diego de Landa burned Maya books $1562$.

• Inca empire $2{,}500 ext{ miles}$; Machu Picchu built $1450 ext{ CE}$, left around ~$1550 ext{ CE}$; listed by UNESCO $1983$.

- Cahokia peaked around $1100 ext{ CE}$; declined after $1300 ext{ CE}$.