Pre-Columbian Civilizations in the Americas

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Pre-Columbian Civilizations In the Americas
Original PPT by Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace
Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY
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Early Human Migrations
Beringia
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Early North Americans

• Pacific NW
• Used the ocean for survival
• Southwest
• Used irrigation for agriculture
• Mound Builders
• Built burial mounds
• Mississippian
• Used the rivers as highwaystrade

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Early Middle American Cultures

• Olmec
• S. Mexico, near Gulf
• San Lorenzo and La Venta
• Stone carved heads
• Zapotec
• S. Mexico in Oaxaca Valley
• Monte Alban
• Pyramids

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Early South American Cultures

• Chavin
• mother culture of S. America arts, religion
• Nazca
• Irrigation, Nazca lines, headhunters
• Moche
• Pottery, jewelry

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Sculpture from the Americas
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Major Pre-Columbian Civilizations
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The Mayans
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Location
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Cities

• Tikal
• Chichen Itza
• Copan

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Chichen-Itza - Pyramid
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Chichen-Itza - Observatory
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Tikal Temple of the Masks
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Tikal - Main Court
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Tikal Jungle View at Sunset
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Tikal - Wall Mask of the Rain God
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Religion

• Polytheistic
• Each day was a living god
• Led to development of
• Calendar, numbers, astronomy
• Solar calendar and religious calendar
• Some human/blood sacrifice

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Government

• Individual city states
• Kings worshipped as gods
• Family dynasties

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Achievements

• Trade within empire
• Sophisticated farming
• Temples and pyramids
• Religious and solar calendars
• Math system based on 20
• Written language
• Game pok-a-tok

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Mayan Underground Granaries Chultunes
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Ball Court for Pok-a-tok
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Pok-a-tok
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Mayan Cultivation of Maize
Chac, God of Rain --gt
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Mayan Glyphs
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Mayan Drinking Cup for Chocolate
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Mayan books Popol Vuh
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Mayan Glyphs
sky king house child
city
Mayan Mathematics
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Decline

• 800s cities were abandoned
• Toltecs invaded from the north
• ?? Warfare disrupted trade
• ?? Overpopulation and over-farming
• Food shortages, famine, disease

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The Aztecs
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Lands of the Aztecs
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Location

• Central Mexico
• Tenochtitlan major city
• Island in Lake Texcoco
• Present-day Mexico City

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Tenochtitlan The Venice of the Americas
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Aztec View of Tenochtitlan
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Ruins of the City Center, Tenochtitlan
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Religion

• Polytheistic
• Worshipped Quetzalcoatl
• a Toltec god
• Feathered serpent myth of return
• Human sacrifices for Huitzilopochtli
• Prisoners of war, slaves, criminals, etc.

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QuetzalcoatlThe God of Wisdom Learning
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Aztecs Sacrifice Neighboring Tribes to the Sun God
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Heart Sacrificeon an Aztec Temple Pyramid
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Sacrificial Statue, Tenochtitlan
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Wall of Skulls, Tenochtitlan
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Government

• Emperor had total power theocracy
• Military leaders, priests, govt officials made
  up the nobility
• Gained and land through military conquest

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The Aztecs WereFierce Warriors
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Achievements

• Trade within empire
• Planned city Tenochtitlan
• Sophisticated farming chinampas
• Temples and pyramids
• Religious and solar calendars
• Written language

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Aztec Chinampa or Floating Garden15ft. to 30ft.
wide
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Tenochtitlan - Chinampas
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Aztec Writing
Aztec Math
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Aztec Sun Stone -- Calendar
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Aztec Sun Motifs
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Aztec Codex (15c Manuscript)
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Aztec Gold
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Decline

• Rebellions from within the empire
• Arrival of Europeans

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The Incas
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Lands of the Incas
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Location

• South America
• Andes Mtns and valleys
• Much larger than Maya, Aztec
• Cuzco capital city
• Also Machu Picchu

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Cuzco Ancient Capital of the Inca(11,000 ft.
above sea level)
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Machu Picchu
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Machu Picchu
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Religion

• Polytheistic nature spirits
• Sacrifice of llamas mummification of the dead

Inti, Sun god
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Llamas in the Andes
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Incan Mummies
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Government

• Emperor had total power theocracy
• United by common language Quechua
• Govt had total control of economy, farms, trade
• Made improvements through peoples mita (required
  labor)

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Pachacuti, Inca ruler
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Achievements

• Large size of empire
• Extensive road system
• Govt runners chasquis
• Day and night calendars
• Terrace farming
• Record keeping quipu
• No written language

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Incan Suspension Bridges
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The Quipu An Incan Database
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Incan Terrace Farming
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Incan Digging Sticks
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Maize in Incan Pottery Gold Work
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Incan Ceramic Jars
Peanut
Squash
Potato
Cacao God
Cacao Pod
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Inca Gold Silver
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Decline

• Civil war b/w brothers after their father died
• Arrival of Europeans