Name: ___________________________________________________________________Period: __________ Date: __________
Mesoamerica
Standard: Demonstrate an understanding of the development of societies in Central and South America.
Essential Question: How did the societies in Central and South America develop?
Explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec and Incan empires.
Rise
Olmec
Mayan
Aztec
Inca
Fall
CIVILIZATION
Olmec
Mayan
CIVILIZATION
Aztec
Strength Leading to Power
 1200-400 BC
 rainfall swelled rivers and flooded
rivers provided fertile land for
farming
 used their resources to build thriving
communities
 practice of building scattered
ceremonial centers found its highest
cultural expression in Maya
civilization
 All subsequent Mesoamerican
cultures derive from Olmecs
 Great Pyramid proves to have
enough food to provide for a large
labor force
 United Culture
 Loyalty to the King
 Wealthy and prosperous culture
 Production of more food feeds a
larger population
Weakness Leading to Decline
 No one really know
 outside invasions may have
caused destruction
 may have destroyed their own
monuments upon the death of
their rulers
Strength Leading to Power
 United Culture
 Loyalty to the emperor
 Adds land, power, and prisoners for
religious sacrifice
Weakness Leading to Decline
 Many physical and human
resources funneled into religious
activities
 Need for prisoners changes
warfare style to less deadly and
less aggressive
 Tribute states are rebellious and
need to be controlled
 Many physical and human
resources funneled into religious
activities
 Abandoned their cultural and
ceremonial centers, and
civilization collapsed
 Frequent warfare occurs between
kingdoms
 Invaders attracted to great
centers
 domestic revolts of subject
peoples
 disease
 Population growth creates need
for more land
 overpopulation from crop failure
 mis-governing of large lands by
kings
 still Mayan’s today living in the
Yukatan peninsula
Inca
 United culture
 Loyalty to the Emperor
 Connected entire empire and aided
control
 Care for entire population during
good and bad times
 Many physical and human
resources funneled into religious
activities
 Enemy could also use roads to
move troops
 People struggle to care for
themselves with the elimination
of the welfare state