US History 8/31 Review time lines and 6th grade terms Look at Primary and Secondary sources How do we use these sources. When Reading can we Identify he Authors purpose. Distinguish between Facts and Opinions Identify Evidence Identify Credibility 9/1/2015 The First Americans How did the first Americans get here? There are several theories. The Land Bridge Theory Between 10,000 and 100,000 years ago, much of the world was covered by Ice and Glaciers. Glaciers are thick sheets of ice, which move, very slowly. During this time, when things froze, the ocean levels dropped which expose shallow areas. These shallow areas became dry land. One of these areas stretched between Siberia and Alaska. Scientists believe that people used this landbridge to come to North America about 20 to 30 thousand years ago, probably following game to hunt. Other Theories Some scientists believe that early Americans may have come across the artic waters by boat, or canoes. They believe that these people followed the pacific coast south down into Central and South American. This is know as the Coastal Theory. Learning to Farm, the game changer in human history. The first humans were hunter. They were nomadic. Nomadic means that they moved very often in search of wandering game. When an area began to lack animals to kill and eat they packed up and went in search of more to hunt. Because of this their shelters were simple. Often they could be transported with them or natural shelters like caves were used. Hence the Cavemen. The land bridge theory suggest that these hunters followed large animals like the mammoth into North America. It was only natural for them to progress south toward the equator, because it was warmer. Over time the larger animals began to disappear. This did not happen overnight and it was a gradual change. During this change humans began to find other food in the form of plants and other smaller animals. While they still hunted now they also were gathering to supplement their diets. They now were know as Hunter gatherers. When small game ran out or seasons changed, which made it hard to find plant food, they would migrate to a new area. So even though their diet had changed they were still nomadic. They would leave their shelters, or pack them up, and move in search of food. They knew that wherever they stayed was just temporary. In the story of early Americans, it is known that a group of hunter gatherers in Mexico discovered agriculture about 8,000 years ago. They began growing food like squash and lima beans. This was the game changer. Now families did not have to keep moving. They could plant and grow a stable food source which could last them throughout the year. In areas that were dry they began to develop methods of Irrigation. Irrigation is a method to water crops by channeling water from rivers or streams. Along with growing crops they also began to raise animals. This is known as domestication. Early American civilizations began to domesticate cattle, pigs, and llamas. Once people began to have surplus food supplies they began to trade with one another. This led to farming communities growing into cities with markets where people would gather and trade. These communities grew in population and began to spawn religions and government. Small cities led to the development of civilizations. 9/2/2015 Civilization is an advanced culture in which people have developed cities, science, and industries. Characteristics of Civilization Historians, anthropologists, and other scholars have identified several core characteristics of civilization. Some of the most commonly suggested characteristics include urban centers, agricultural manipulation and storage, irrigation, written language, standards of measurements, craftsmanship technology, social stratification, state government, a common religion and/or ideological outlook, and a shared culture. Let's quickly go through these terms just to make sure we understand how they contribute to civilization. Urban centers, of course, would include cities or villages throughout the territory occupied by a civilization. Agricultural manipulation and storage is important because it allows people to ensure their future livelihood, rather than just scrounge for food on a day-by-day basis. Irrigation allows for the growth of crops, and in some cases, clean drinking water and even plumbing. A written language unites a people, and allows them to communicate ideas with one another. A common system of measurements means that two people understand the same quantity of an object, distance, etc... Craftsmanship technology allows for the building of complex structures, tools, and art. Social stratification is a fancy way of saying different classes of people - you know, rulers, laborers, slaves, etc... State government refers to a common legal system of political authority. Religion and ideology refer to what a people group believes about God, gods, and/or the way the world works. Perhaps most importantly, culture refers to the way of life among a particular group of people. One of the most important theorists of civilization was V. Gordon Childe, who lived from 1892 to 1957. Many of the characteristics listed above were theorized by him. Not everyone agrees with his ideas, however. Other scholars have proposed other sets of criteria. For example, some have suggested forms of taxation or tribute are characteristic of civilization. Others argue military forces, education systems, and monumental architecture should be included. So you see, not everyone totally agrees on every single point. The bottom line, however, is that civilization exerts control over nature. 9/3/2015 Meso American Culture Mayans- height of power was between 250 and 900 A.D. Spanish Conquest in the 1500’s completed a Mayan genocide. They had very large organized cities in Central American and Mexico. Mayans developed art, written language, system of government, social stratification, agriculture, calendars, mathematics, and sports. They began to leave their cities in 900 A.D. probably due to disease and overpopulation. Aztecs Came into power when the Mayan civilization began to dwindle. Had a huge Capital city called Tenochtitlan which was a floating city and contained 200,000 people. This was probably the largest city in the world at the time. Aztec culture was dominated by religion. There were large temples in their town centers. They believed that prosperity was directly related to their gods being pleased. They practiced human sacrifice as a way to please their gods. If the weather was bad guess what……. During the 1400’s Aztec armies brought half of Mexico under their control. They were harsh rulers but very effective in keeping the people under control. This is something you will notice all throughout history. People under their rule paid taxes. This eventually led to their downfall, greed defeated them, when they needed to be united. Again, the Spanish Conquest put an end to their race. Incas During the 1400’s the largest Empire on earth was found in South America. The Incan empire stretched down the coast of South America along the Andes into the Amazon rain forest. The Incan capital was Cuzco. It was linked to other smaller towns by roads which still exist today. The Incans were great architects who built walls to hold soil in their fields, canals to carry water, and bridges over deep canyons.