SSWH8The student will demonstrate an understanding of the development of societies in Central and South America.

MESOAMERICA:

• Made up of Mexico & Central America

• Settled near coastal areas

• Moved from hunter-gatherers to domesticating animals & plants

OLMEC MAYA AZTEC INCALOCATION

GOVERNMENT

ECONOMY

RELIGION

ART

OLMEC CIVILIZATION:RISE:

Earliest American civilization; “Mother culture”

Located: along Gulf Coast of Mexico

Little is known

Powerful priest & noble class

Art: carved stone

Engaged in trade

Religion: polytheistic (based on nature/animals)

FALL:

Not sure of decline

Huge depopulation occurred

Possibly due to changes in the environment that did not allow farmers to continue living there

MAYAN CIVILIZATION:RISE:

Located: Yucatan Peninsula

Political Organization Made up of independent city-states Each city had its own king

Economic Organization City-states connected through

trade

Religious Organization Polytheistic Human Sacrifice

Social Organization Majority farmers Slaves

POWs

Intellectual Organization Writing

Hieroglyphics Ball Game Calendar Astronomy and Mathematics

MAYAN DECLINE:• 900 AD:

Abandoned many of their cities

• Possible warfare, overpopulation, or exhaustion of the soil are some theories

MAYAN BALL GAME:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pF03BXxUSY

AZTEC CIVILIZATION:RISE:

Located: Valley of Mexico

Capital: Tenochtitlan; today, Mexico City

Religion: polytheistic

Human sacrifice very important

One single ruler; nobles & priests important

Mostly farmers Chinampas: floating gardens for

growing food

FALL:

Conquered many people, led to discontent & rebellion

Sided with the Spanish

War raged between Spanish & Aztecs, smallpox infected Aztecs; huge decrease in population

INCAN CIVILIZATION:RISE: Located: South America in the

Andes Mountains

Capital: Cuzco

Stretched from Ecuador to Chile

One ruler; nobles ruled different areas

Mostly famers; terraces

Metalwork & weaving

Religion: polytheisitc

Trade not important

Quipa: collection of colored strings knotted to represent numbers (record keeping)

Road networks connected empire

Brain surgery

INCAN DECLINE:• Emperor died• Civil war broke

out over next successor

• Weakened empire right as Spanish invaders arrived

MACHU PICCHU:

MACHU PICCHU:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaMI0bMwq_Q&list=PL067BE11F799B3F4B