Name ________________________________
Ancient University
You have been assigned to represent one of the four largest South American empires
(Aztec, Maya, Inca, Olmec). Imagine your empire is a college competing against the other
three empires for applicants. Find a way to advertise your “school” to future students.
Some possible advertising options are: facebook page, postcard, design a T-Shirt,
school Twitter, campus map, class brochures, flyers for campus events, school slogans,
student testimonies, university logos, posters, signs or even a song. These are just
suggestions BE CREATIVE.
Each form of advertising must have historical information relating to your
respective University!!! (Example: if you designed an Inca University T-Shirt
depicting them as the Sun Gods then you must explain the historical significance.
Answer: Because they believed their rulers were descendants of their Sun God. The Inca
were polytheistic and believed that the sun was a vital part of society. The Incan name
for their sun god was Inti and was believed to be one of the most important deities of
their society.
You should create at least 4 forms of advertising. Each piece of advertisement needs to be
colorful and neat and have at least three sentences of historical info.
Check List for each form of Advertising: ______Colorful and Neat
_______3 sentences of info historical information
Some areas to consider:
 Economy
 Religion
 Arts
 Date (Established)
 Any technological advancements
 Location (present day, climate, geography)
 Population (Alumni)
 Architecture (campus/housing)
Here are some basic facts to get you started.
Olmec
1200-200 BC
 Jungles of southern Mexico
 City-states ruled by a chief
 Large stone carvings
 “Slash and burn” agriculture
 Large trade network throughout Mesoamerica
 Polytheistic (nature gods)
 worship of Jaguar
 Earth mounds indicate buildings
 Access to raw materials (iron ore, stones, salt, tar, clay, wood, rubber)
 Rivers (floods created rich farmland)
Maya
250 BC-900 AD
 Independent, urban city-states
 Theocracy (ruled by god-king)
 Dynasties (Fraternity/Sorority)
 No uniform currency (cacao, or chocolate beans, often used)
 Slash-and-burn agriculture and terraced agriculture
 polytheistic
 Gods were good and evil
 Some human sacrifice practiced to keep the world in balance
Aztec
1200-1521 AD
 Central Mexico, Valley of Mexico
 Many resources
 Fertile soil
 Emperor ruled with absolute power
 Power based on military conquest
 Local rulers governed their own regions
 Extensive trade
 Agriculture on floating gardens
 Polytheistic
 Over 1,000 gods
 Elaborate religious festivals including song, dance, and drama
 Massive scale of human sacrifice to sun god (slaves, criminals, & conquered people)
Inca
1438-1535 AD
 Valley of Cusco, South America
 Andes Mountains
 Believed ruler was a descendant of the sun god
 Allowed conquered people to keep own customs if loyal but demanded tribute
(labor)
 People cared for in good & bad times & gave work to the state in return (like
socialism)
 Extensive road network linked all conquered territories to capital city, Cuzco
 Terraced agriculture
 Ayllu (extended family group) basis of society (Fraternity/Sorority)
 Different social groups were marked by patterns on their clothing
 Ayllus were grouped by 10, and headed by a chief
 Polytheism

Small number of key nature spirits