Early Latin American Civilizations

1
Early Latin American Civilizations

• Maya, Aztec, Inca

2
The Maya established between 2000 BC - 250 AD,
reached height between 250 900 AD
3
Where were the Maya?

• The Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and other
  countries such as Guatemala, Belize, Honduras,
  and El Salvador

4
(No Transcript)
5
What did the Maya do?

• Among the most advanced peoples in the early
  Americas
• Skilled architects and engineers (pyramids)
• Writing system (hieroglyphs)
• Astronomy predicted solar eclipses used an
  agricultural calendar (365 days for seasonal
  planting)
• Math accounting system using the number zero.
• Ballgame

6
(No Transcript)
7
(No Transcript)
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
What did the Maya believe?

• Polytheistic religion closely tied to agriculture
• Human sacrifices

17
(No Transcript)
18
(No Transcript)
19
(No Transcript)
20
(No Transcript)
21
How did the Maya fall?

• Disease
• Drought
• Over farmed the land
• Warfare
• Lost faith in kings
• Peasant revolt

22
The Aztecs
23
Where were the Aztecs?

• Central Mexico
• Main city Tenochtitlan

24
(No Transcript)
25
What did the Aztecs do?

• Architecture
• Learned metalworking, weaving, and produced fine
  art.
• Used calendars and mathematics
• Military society where warriors earned prestige
  and power

26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
What did the Aztecs believe?

• Worshipped Quetzalcoatl
• Offered human sacrifices to keep the sun god
  strong.

32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
How did the Aztecs fall?

• Hernan Cortes and the Spanish Conquistadors

35
(No Transcript)
36
The Inca
37
Where were the Incas?

• Andes Mountains of South America
• Capital city of Cuzco

38
(No Transcript)
39
What did the Inca do?

• Ruled vast empire of many peoples
• Built fortresses, irrigation systems and roads.
• Set up an education system to teach nobles the
  official language, Quechua.
• Did not have a system of writing.
• Used quipu, a series of knots on strings, to keep
  records

40
(No Transcript)
41
(No Transcript)
42
(No Transcript)
43
What did the Inca believe?

• Inti Sun god
• Owned all land
• It was their duty to conquer and unite all the
  land for Inti
• Smaller-scale sacrifice
• Machu Picchu

44
(No Transcript)
45
(No Transcript)
46
(No Transcript)
47
(No Transcript)
48
(No Transcript)
49
How did the Inca fall?

• Francisco Pizarro

50
(No Transcript)
51
(No Transcript)
52
(No Transcript)