EARLY AMERICAN
CIVILIZATIONS
Regions
of
Latin
America
The Caribbean
Central
America
South
America
Mountains
and
Peaks
Sierra
Madres Mts.
Andes Mts.
Amazon
Rainforest
Major Pre-Columbian Civilizations
The Maya
 The Mayan civilization flourished in present-
day Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Belize.
 The people built large cities, each having at
least one stone pyramid.
 Tikal was the largest Mayan city and had five
pyramids.
 The Mayan civilization was a theocracy(ruled
by religious leaders).
Lands of the Mayans
The Yucatan
Peninsula
The Maya
• Atop the pyramids were religious and
governmental centers.
• The Maya became skilled astronomers and
developed a writing system called
hieroglyphics.
Chichen-Itza - Pyramid
Tikal:
Temple of the
Masks
Chichen-Itza - Ball
Court
Mayan Cultivation
of Maize
Chac, God of Rain -->
Mayan Underground
Granaries: Chultunes
Overview of Tikal
(Guatemala)
Temple of the Masks
Tikal - Wall Mask of the
Rain God
Mayan Drinking Cup
for Chocolate
Pakal: The Maya Astronaut
The Maya
 No one knows what caused the decline of the
Maya around A.D. 900 but descendants of the
Maya still live in parts of Mexico and Central
America.
Do Now
 Please answer the following question:
 List three facts about the Mayan empire
The Aztec
 Founded in 1325, Tenochtitlan was the home
of the Aztec and their capital city.
 This city was on an island.
 They filled in Lake Texcoco, to build the
capital.
Lands of the Aztecs
The Aztec
 They were a warrior people and conquered
nearly all their rivals.
 They were a military empire.
 Location- Mexico
Aztec View of Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan: The “Venice” of the Americas
Aztec Chinampa or
Floating Garden:
15ft. to 30ft. wide
Tenochtitlan Chinampas
Aztec Sun Stone -Calendar
The Aztecs Were
Fierce Warriors
Aztecs Sacrifice Neighboring Tribes to
the Sun God
Heart Sacrifice
on an Aztec Temple Pyramid
Sacrificial Statue,
Tenochtitlan
Wall of Skulls, Tenochtitlan
Aztec Gold
Aztec Religion
 They believed in pleasing the gods.
 They sacrificed thousands of prisoners in
religious ceremonies.
Do Now
 List three facts about the Aztecs
The Inca
 Started in the western highlands of South
America around 1200 A.D.
 Colombia to Argentina/Chile.
 Cuzco was the capital city.
The Inca
 Was the largest of the early American
civilizations.
 Empire was more than 3,000 miles long
 Population was more than 9 million people.
Inca Achievements
 Built 10,000 miles of paved roads.
 Rope bridges over rivers and canyons.
 Record-keeping system to track time
between distances.
 ****Terracing the land-built platforms so
that they could plant crops on slopes of
mountains/hills
Lands of the Incas
Cuzco: Ancient Capital of the Inca
(11,000 ft. above sea level)
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Incan Suspension
Bridges
Incan Terrace Farming
Incan Digging Sticks
Maize in Incan Pottery
& Gold Work
Over 100 Different Types
of Potatoes Cultivated
by the Incans
Produce from a Typical
Incan
Market
Incan Mummies
Inca Gold & Silver
Religion
 Worshiped the sun as a god.
Project
 You will pick one of the following:
Aztec, Mayas, Incas
 Then please complete the following:
 Create a powerpoint that “sells” your culture
to other nations as being the BEST
-Include- your achievements, leaders, how good
is your military, beliefs in gods etc. (use pictures)
Show why YOU ARE THE BEST!!!
Opening
 Put the following answers in your




NOTEBOOK!!!!!
1) Name the biggest city the Mayan had?
2) What countries were the Mayan located in?
3) How many pyramids did each city MUST
have?
4) What is a theocracy?
Classwork
 Please complete the following:
 Reading Guide pages 149-155
 Textbook page 447 Geography Skillbuilder
page 449 #1 and Skillbuilder
page458 #1 and Skillbuilder
page 461 Geogrpahy Skillbuilder
page 463 #1 and Skillbuilder
Pictures
 On your sheet of paper you must draw two
pictures. One on each side.
 The pictures MUST be about what you have
learned about the Maya and Aztec.
 WHAT TO DRAW:
-You can draw their location(what
countries), the dates of their civ., their
beliefs(pyramids), their cities, etc
Use your creativity!!!!!!!