Last society of Unit 2!

How did people get to the Americas before civilizations even emerged?Ice Age: Nomads & animals migrated across the land bridge (Beringia) between Asia and Alaska (30,000 years ago)

They followed animal herds south towards North and South America

Agricultural revolution: Nomads domesticated plants/animals--> settled civilizations

Other theoriesOther theories

People came by boat (artifacts have been found in central/south America that are older than artifacts in the northern area)

So the two theories differ in where the first people landed! Were the oldest settlements in United States/Canada region or more towards

Mexico?

What geographic conditions of Mesoamerica made it possible for development?

Mesoamerica stretches from central Mexico into Central America.

MesoAmerican Geography

Geographic Features

• Access to Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico

• Some mountainous terrain

• Lush jungles • Some lakes/small rivers

How the features helped with development

• Trade by sea (between settlements)

• Some protection• Jungles provide

resrouces(but hard to live there

• Limited farming possible

Evaluate: Were the first societies in the Americas truly complex/advanced

civilizations?

• Complete the reading to find out!

The Olmecs: The first major civilization of the Americas

1500 B.C. – 500 B.C.

Olmec means “Mother culture”

Which implies what?

As we go through each slide, be able to answer: How does each picture show an

element of an advanced civilization?

Major Olmec Cities

La Venta’s Urban Plan

La VentaLa Venta• La Venta was inhabited by the Olmecs from

1200 BCE until 400 BCE after which the site was abandoned.

• It was an important center for religious rituals.

La Venta’s Ceremonial Significance

• The city contained tombs of Olmec leaders.

• It also had numerous altars and carvings that have religious significance.

• The carved altar and jade figurines both show religious ceremonies in action.

Olmec Ritual Symbols

The 5 Points of Olmec Religion• 1) There was a cosmos shared by gods and

men.

• 2) There were many gods who interacted with mortals (polytheism).

• 3) There was a shaman class of people.

• 4) Specific rituals had to be performed.

• 5) The rituals had to take place at sacred sites in Olmec cities.

Tres Zapotes-Another Olmec Capital

The Giant Heads of Tres Zapotes

• The heads probably depict powerful Olmec Rulers.

• The largest ones weigh up to 40-50 tons. The small ones weigh 6 tons. They were c. 9 feet tall.

• They range in dates from 1,500-400 BCE.There is a replica at the Natural History Museum !

CustomsCustoms• Most Olmecs did NOT live in cities, which were for

religious ceremonies.

• The lived in agricultural villages as farmers & hunters.

Agricultural PracticesAgricultural Practices

• 2 Main Methods: – 1) plant on river banks after flooding. (raised

farming)– 2) slash and burn: cut trees and vegetation,

burn them, and let the ashes replenish the soil.

Olmec Writing? The Cascajal Block

• The block has 62 symbols and dates back to circa 1,100-900 BCE.

• It has not been deciphered.• If the Olmecs did not have an alphabet, they definitely

had pictograms with deciphered meanings.

The Olmecs have the World’s first Ballgame! • Players move a ball across a court by bouncing it off their hips!• No other body part could touch the ball• The goal was to get the ball in the other team’s end zone to score a

point!• The first ball game originated in Mesoamerica because there was

rubber. Some people think Olmecs also translates to “rubber people!”

• Rubber balls were also used to transport heavy stones for building• They were strong enough to pull monuments that weighed 20 tons

over 60 miles!• Uniforms were decorated with animal mascots• The players were hoping to channel their chosen animal’s spirit• The ball game was played in ballcourt• Ballcourts were built in cities near chiefs and maintained by wealthy

patrons• There were1300 known ballcourts in Mesoamerica• The ballgames were communal events for feasting, and religious

celebration • Later Mesoamerican civilizations would sacrifice the losers to the gods!