Chapter 7 Lesson 2

1
Chapter 7 Lesson 2

• Life in the Americas

2
The Maya

• 1839 Archaeologists discovered the ancient city
  of the Maya.
• The Maya were the ancestors of millions of
  Central Americans today.

3
Maya Communities

• AD 300 The Maya built a complex culture in
  Mexico and C. Am.
• Swamps and sinkholes gave access to water.
• The Maya cleared forests, planted corn and built
  cities.
• The Maya built over 50 city-states.

4
What Was Maya Society Like?

• Each city-state had a king descended from the
  sun-god.
• Maya city-states had a strict class system.
  Nobles priests then farmers, artisans
  hunters.
• Maya believed that the Gods controlled
  everything. Offered sacrifices.
• Maya fought battles and took land and captives.
• Ruling woman served as queens and royal woman
  married into other royal families, built
  alliances.

5
Maya Achievements

• The priests felt the Gods revealed their plans
  through the sun, moon and stars.
• Developed a calendar and could predict eclipses
• 260 day religious calendar and a 365 day calendar
  for seasons and agriculture.
• Developed a counting system based on 20, used 0
• 900 Maya culture collapsed, may have been warfare
  or overuse of soil.

6
The Aztec

• Aztec came to power in Mesoamerica in the 1300s.
• The Aztec were hunters and warriors.

7
Rise of the Aztec

• Aztec searched for a home promised to them. Aztec
  sun god Quetzalcoatl.
• 1325 settled in Lake Texcoco.
• The priests declared a great city be built.
  Tenochtitlan was built on an island.
• The Aztec relied on Emperors selected by a
  council.
• Montezuma was a powerful leader that expanded the
  empire.

8
Aztec Life

• Emperors followed by 4 classes, nobles,
  commoners, unskilled workers slaves.
• Boys were trained to be warriors.
• Priests offered sacrifice, worked to preserve
  religion, history and lit.
• Also used a 260 day religious calendar and a 365
  day calendar for everyday use.
• Aztec farmed using irrigation and fertilizer.