American History-American History-Pre ColumbianPre ColumbianAmerindiansAmerindiansFirst arrival migration of peoples across the First arrival migration of peoples across the Bering St. 15,000-30,000 yrs agoBering St. 15,000-30,000 yrs agoGroup of hunter gathering nomadsGroup of hunter gathering nomads

Development of Development of Permanent SocietiesPermanent Societies

First development of farming approx. 8,000 yrs. First development of farming approx. 8,000 yrs. AgoAgo

Great societies develop in America without Great societies develop in America without contact from old worldcontact from old world

Myth of Amerindian:Myth of Amerindian: Great advanced societies in modern day Great advanced societies in modern day

Mexico, Guatamala and along the AndesMexico, Guatamala and along the Andes Also in N.America along Miss. River valley and Also in N.America along Miss. River valley and

along Eastern seaboardalong Eastern seaboard

Olmecs and MesoAmerica Intensive agriculture with corn, beans ,

squash Stone carvings and monuments Widespread trading network and had

rudimentary written language Will be ancestors and of course influence

Mayas and Aztecs

Mayas Centered on Yucatan Peninsula in modern

Guatamala Height of Maya influence during first millenium

A.D. up to 3 million Most are farmers but there are large urban areas

such as Tikal which has up toward 50,000 people and was the size of Manhatten

Maya religion is polytheistic with several pyramids for human sacrifice

Mayan interpretations Unknown people until 1800’s as they are not around when

Europeans arrive First finds of huge stone temples and remains of urban areas

many assume must be from? “Great cultivation and refinement”

Recognition that Maya were advanced….had great astronomical knowledge and mathematical ability

Maya used to be viewed as peaceful, priestly group who glorified knowledge and science and tragically their empire ended for no apparent reason

Bloody warlike people a la the Aztecs with many sacrifices

Mayan Achievements Great urban areas Central pyramids with temples, palaces and housing for thousands Ball courts where loses are rewarded with sacrifice Advanced writing system 1/5 in world but most are burned during

Spanish times 1945 as German libraries burn key book found and picked up by

Russian officer which has Maya hieroglyphs….eventually he and his wife work to decipher Maya language

Calendar and astronomy…knowledge so precise scientists today at a loss

Maya calendar has beginning point of world thousands of yrs ago and an ending date

Empire lasts from about 200-900 A.D. but declines for unknown reasons

Tenochtitlan

• Center of Aztec world on an island connected by many bridges

• Consolidate control over region throughout much of modern Mexico as they are noted as great warriors

• Aztecs arrive in twelth century and become dominant group by 1400’s

• Several million under sway with one god Huitzilopochtli….still not centralized state completely

• Huge population center with several thousands and temples and pyramids and canals and extensive trading networks

• Authoritarian state creates ill will amongst the conquered according to Spanish accounts

Tenochtitlan

• One of largest cities of world with over 200,000 inhabitants

• Most of lake eventually drained• Pre columbian city interlaced with canals and

bridges……Great ex. Of city planning• Fresh water with aquaducts• Major roads in cities supposedly wide enough

for 10 horses• Specialized markets • Public buildings, temples and schools• Many Spaniards mention city as greatest most

efficient they have ever seen

Aztec World

• Borrowed heavily from earlier societies in region

• Farm extensively of three sisters of crops• Use obsidian to cut precisely• Huge city and great wealth described with awe

by Spaniards • Massive pyramid devoted to Sun God where

human sacrifices occur with paintings and sculptures

• World destroyed with arrival of Spanish in 1519

Aztec Society

• Hereditary nobility sons schooled by the state to become priests, military or govt.

• Divided into nobility, slaves, ind. Servants and commoners

• Rigid stratification of classes• Almost half of pop in Valley live in urban areas

so many work in stonecutting, commerce or weaving

• Polytheistic society with lots of human sacrifice to appease Gods….gruesome with hearts ripped out for the Gods

S.AmericaS.America

Older urban areas known of than in Older urban areas known of than in MesoAmericaMesoAmerica

Difficult environmentDifficult environment Several empires or peoples settle and Several empires or peoples settle and

urbanize and develop before Incas perfect iturbanize and develop before Incas perfect it Incas come in early 1000’s to control regionIncas come in early 1000’s to control region

Farming and Society Farming and Society Dealing with elementsDealing with elements Great stone foundations still stand todayGreat stone foundations still stand today Huge bridges and terraced farming growing corn and beans and cocoa Huge bridges and terraced farming growing corn and beans and cocoa

plants and tomatoes and potatoesplants and tomatoes and potatoes Society built for war as universal male conscription for huge well Society built for war as universal male conscription for huge well

trained armytrained army Kept records with Quipu by knotting strings of diff. colors and lengths Kept records with Quipu by knotting strings of diff. colors and lengths Machu Picchu undiscovered Inca ruins for hundreds of years after Machu Picchu undiscovered Inca ruins for hundreds of years after

Spanish arrivalSpanish arrival Many buildings, a playing field, aqueducts, terracesMany buildings, a playing field, aqueducts, terraces All forced to marry, state controls land, mining and trade are All forced to marry, state controls land, mining and trade are

nationalized, huge warehouses of food for famine timesnationalized, huge warehouses of food for famine times Incas conquered in 1530’s by SpanishIncas conquered in 1530’s by Spanish

North AmericaNorth AmericaLonger period of hunter-gathering societiesLonger period of hunter-gathering societiesAnasazi in West or cliff dwellers have large groups Anasazi in West or cliff dwellers have large groups of people in settled areasof people in settled areasEastern Woodland Indians adopt permanent Eastern Woodland Indians adopt permanent villages along the rivers of East Coast….grow villages along the rivers of East Coast….grow corns and other crops and hunt and fishcorns and other crops and hunt and fishNo domesticated animals or written language or No domesticated animals or written language or iron tools but in Virginia as in other places in iron tools but in Virginia as in other places in Eastern Woodlands high level of advanced Eastern Woodlands high level of advanced governments developgovernments developPowhatan Indians throughout our regionPowhatan Indians throughout our region

PowhatansPowhatans

Government with 30 or so tribes Government with 30 or so tribes loosely linked together with one loosely linked together with one overall chiefoverall chief

Tributes paid to leader who is in Tributes paid to leader who is in contact via canoes and riverscontact via canoes and rivers

Polytheistic religionPolytheistic religion

Stone and bone toolsStone and bone tools

Gender roles definedGender roles defined

Mississippi Valley IndiansMississippi Valley Indians

From first millenium A.D. up until From first millenium A.D. up until about 1200 Cahokia serves as about 1200 Cahokia serves as central spot of society for long while central spot of society for long while

Great farming abilityGreat farming ability

Administrative center with upwards Administrative center with upwards of 20,000 peopleof 20,000 people

Contacts far and wideContacts far and wide