Beginnings of Civilization: The Americas

1
Beginnings of CivilizationThe Americas
2
The Americas

• Early migrations
• The Ice Age
• Further Migrations

3
The Americas

• Mesoamerica
• Central Mexico to Honduras and El Salvador
• Development of Agriculture

4
The Americas

• Olmecs
• Rubber People
• Rise of Olmecs

5
The Americas
6
The Americas

• Olmecs
• Culture
• Disappeared by 400 BCE

7
The Americas

• The Maya
• Boundaries
• Development of Agriculture

8
The Americas

• The Maya
• Advanced Society
• Political system

9
The Americas

• The Maya
• Social Structure
• Kings at the top
• Priestly class maintained calendar
• Nobility controlled the land
• Artisans and architects were part of specialized
  economy
• Peasants and slaves grew the food and provided
  labor

10
The Americas

• The Maya
• Culture
• Calendar crucial to Maya culture
• Mathematics

11
The Americas

• The Maya
• Writing
• Religion

12
The Americas

• Teotihuacan
• Successor to the Olmecs
• City of Teotihuacan settled 500 BCE

13
The Americas

• Teotihuacan
• Society
• Priests ran society (theocracy)
• Artisans and merchant class
• But no warriors or military system
• Resembled the Maya

14
The Americas

• South America
• Humans settled in South America by 12,000 BCE
• Development of Agriculture

15
The Americas

• The Chavin Cult
• Named for modern town, Chavin de Huantar, in Peru
• Permanent settlement
• Chavin Cult

16
The Americas

• Mochica
• Early state in the Andes
• Built irrigation system to support agriculture

17

• Map of Andean states