Ancient American Civilizations


Need to know key facts about the following cultures:
(include: religion, social-political structure, agriculture, geography, cultural acheivements, economy/trade)
Olmec

  1. Study the PowerPoints in Unit 6 folder “Ancient Americas”

    • Study your Maps – Ancient Americas

    • Some key terms and concepts to know:

    Olmec: “mother civilization of Mezo America”
    Norte Chico: Which culture never used pottery
    What types of buildings and other structures did Each of these cultures create, construct? (roads, canals, causeways, aqueducts)
    What were basic features of religion and religious practices throughout the Americas? (Polythesim, Sacrificial Practices)
    What were major cultural developments and traditions? (use of glyphs (writing), quipu, ornaments and artwork)

    Mayan Calendars: Developed a complex system involving three interlocking cycles:

    1. Tzolkin: The ritual calendar (260260 days).

    2. Haab: The solar calendar (365365 days).

    3. Long Count: Used for tracking vast spans of time (thousands of years).

      human sacrifice= both Mayan and Aztec
      Capitol and important cities: Cuzco, Chicken Itza, Tenochtitlan, and Machu Picchu
      Conquistadores: Cortez and Pizzaro - who did they conquer and when? (Pizzaro conquered inca, Cortez conquered Aztec)
      Aztec: were warlike
      Norte Chico: were peaceful (no signs of conflict)
      Aztec chinampas
      How did ancient Inca work with stone so well? – see Ghosts of Machu Picchu (used small rocks to chip down the blocks to the right size)
      Skull surgery: ancient Inca
      Why did Mayan likely die off as a civilization? (land couldnt support large population anymore, drought, warfare causing destroyed infastructure (also caused people to leave), failing leadership/kings, overpopulation)
      Inti – the Inca Sun god
      Huitzilopochtli– Aztec main god

1. Olmec: The "Mother Civilization"

  • Geography: Located in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico (modern-day Veracruz and Tabasco).

  • Achievements: Known for carving colossal stone heads and developing the first writing system in the Americas (glyphs). They were the first to use rubber and invented the Mesoamerican ballgame.

  • Religion: Practiced shamanism and worshipped a jaguar deity. Ritual bloodletting was common.

  • Economy: Based on trade in obsidian, jade, and pottery throughout Mesoamerica.
    Inca

2. Norte Chico (Caral-Supe)

  • Geography: Located on the north-central coast of Peru; it is the oldest known civilization in the Americas (3500–1800 BCE).

  • Unique Features: Notable for the complete lack of pottery (pre-ceramic culture) and lack of visual art.

  • Social-Political: Likely a peaceful society; archaeological sites show no evidence of defensive walls or mass conflict.

  • Achievements: Utilized Quipu (knotted strings) for record-keeping and established a complex trade network between the coast and the inland mountains for cotton and fish.

3. Chavín

  • Geography: Situated in the Andean highlands of Peru (900–200 BCE).

  • Religion: Acted as a "mother culture" for the Andes. The Chavín de Huántar temple served as a major pilgrimage site. Their religion featured animal imagery like jaguars, crocodiles, and snakes.

  • Engineering: Built advanced underground drainage systems that may have used water flow to create acoustics resembling a roaring jaguar during religious rites.

4. Mayan Civilization

  • Geography: Centered in the Yucatán Peninsula and Central America (rainforests and lowlands).

  • Agriculture: Used "slash-and-burn" techniques and raised fields in swampy areas.

  • Cultural Achievements: Developed a full writing system (glyphs) and advanced mathematics, including the concept of zero (00).

  • Religion: Practiced human sacrifice to appease gods and ensure rainfall. Major cities include Chichen Itza and Tikal.

  • Decline: Likely due to a combination of environmental exhaustion, drought, and incessant warfare between city-states around 900 CE.


5. Aztec Empire

  • Geography: Established in the Valley of Mexico on the island city of Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City).

  • Agriculture: Engineered Chinampas (floating gardens) to grow food on Lake Texcoco.

  • Social Structure: A highly warlike and hierarchical society focused on tribute from conquered tribes.

  • Religion: Main god was Huitzilopochtli (god of the sun and war). They practiced large-scale human sacrifice to ensure the sun would rise each day.

  • Conquest: Overthrown by Hernán Cortés and the Spanish conquistadores in

  • 1521, aided by smallpox and local allies.

6. Inca Empire

  • Geography: Largest empire in pre-Columbian America, stretching along the Andes from Ecuador to Chile. Capital was Cuzco.

  • Architecture & Engineering:

    • Mastered dry-stone masonry (fitting stones together without mortar so tightly a knife blade cannot fit between; seen at Machu Picchu).

    • Built a massive road system (Qhapaq Ñan) spanning over 25,000 miles.

  • Agriculture: Used stone-walled terrace farming to grow potatoes and maize on steep mountain slopes.

  • Religion: Worshipped Inti (the Sun God). The emperor (Sapa Inca) was considered a descendant of Inti.

  • Advancements: Practiced successful skull surgery (trepanation) to treat head wounds.

  • Conquest: Defeated by Francisco Pizarro in 1533.