Meso-American Civilizations

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Meso-American Civilizations

• Central American Civilizations
• Olmec - 1500BCE-200CE
• Maya 200-1200CE
• Aztecs 1350-1530

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Quick Review of Course

• Cycle of Civilization ODPD Origin,
  Development, Peak, Decline
• Paleolithic nomadic hunter gatherer
• Neolithic civilization, agricultural
  revolution, cities
• 4 River Valley Civilizations
• China
• India
• Africa
• Middle East

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• China 8000 bce 600 ce
• SZQH
• Europe
• MMGHRR
• Middle East
• SBAP
• India
• IAMG
• Africa Egypt
• South America Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Inca

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South America

• Many older Civilizations across South America are
  united by the Inca
• Inca 1350 - 1530

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MesoAmerican Civilization OriginsOlmec 1500 BCE
200 CE
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Geography

• Yukatan Penninsula
• located on the hot, humid coasts of the Gulf of
  Mexico
• surrounded by rain forests, grasslands, and swamps

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Olmec Politics

• Called Cult of the Jaguar
• City state government that united for religious
  celebrations under the authority of a
  Priest/shaman
• Dirt and clay pyramids used for political power
  and religious ceremonies

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Colossal Heads
Colossal Head 10 Basalt San Lorenzo
http//isis.csuhayward.edu/dbsw/anthropology/mille
r/3250/03olmec/aolmec2.htmlPHOTO20GALLERY
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Economic Life

• most were farmers
• Social Class
• based on power and wealth
• priests and government (theocracy) were the most
  powerful
• merchants and craftspeople were next
• farmers were the lowest
• Most city states had their own language and
  customs

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Olmec Religion Polytheist nature worship

• shaman ruled, claimed to shape-change, control
  nature (rain, sun, crops), fly, killing enemies
  from a distance, and bear off-spring even though
  they are men.
• Jaguars seen as magical animals and shamen
  claimed to shape shift into them
• foundation of later Maya civilization.

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Shaman as jaguar carrying his spirit
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Riding Crocodiles in the Spirit world
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Social Life Typical of Agricultural Society

• Men
• plowed and planted fields
• tended to the crops
• hunted and fished
• Women/Older girls
• housekeeping chores
• making clothes
• supplying the home with firewood and water
• caring for younger children
• Children
• learned about farming and housekeeping chores

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Intellectual Life

• Maize Domesticated 3000BCE
• Major staplecrop in Mesoamerica
• Also domesticated cotton, cacao, feathers, pelts,
  woods, rubber

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Intellectual life

• developed a number system, calendar, and a form
  of writing

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Olmec Art Jade Sculpture(plus giant heads and
pyramids)
Olmec Figure
Jade Axe
Were-Jaguar
http//isis.csuhayward.edu/dbsw/anthropology/mille
r/3250/03olmec/aolmec2.htmlPHOTO20GALLERY
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Olmec Influence on the Mayans

• Maize
• Ceremonial centers with temple pyramids
• Calendar based on the Olmec one
• Ball games
• Rituals involving human sacrifice

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• Olmec, La Venta, cone pyramid