chapter 14 and 15 history notes

8/13/2019 Chapter 14 and 15 History Notes

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Chapter 14: The Early Americas

By Prerana Kiran

Period 2World History


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Key Terms

1. Mesoamerica:a region that includes the southern partof what is now Mexico and parts of Northern Central

America

2. Pacal:He lived from about 603 AD to 683 AD. He was

a Mayan king who had a temple built in the cityPalenque to record his achievements as a ruler.

3. Obsidian:A sharp, glasslike volcanic rock

4. Observatories:buildings used to study astronomy, like

in ancient Mayan civilization

5. Maize:corn

6. Popol Vuh:This is a book containing Mayan legends

and history.


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Section 1: Geography and Early

Cultures

Geography of the Americas

North America: high mts, desert plateaus, grassy

plains, and forests

Southern North America: Mesoamerica

Steamy rainforests, volcanoes, fertile mts, valleys,

rivers, and warm climate make it good for farming

South America: Andes mountains=west coast,narrow desert there, fishing in Pacific Ocean, East

= Amazon river and Amazon Rainforest


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The First People Arrive

Came to N. America by Beringia land bridge fromAsia

May have come earlier, by sea, along western coast

Were hunter-gatherers, hunted herds of bison andmammoths, and ate fruits, nuts, and wild grains

Settled in coasts and fished and gathered food. Beganto experiment with seeds.

Farming and Settlement

Started farming, became sedentary

First Farming Settlements

In Mesoamerica, 3500 BC = domesticated maize, thenbeans and squash. Pop. Grew, and society advanced,became towns and cities.


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Olmecs

First urban civilization, had large towns in 1200 BC. Religious,

govt. centers, plazas, sculptures, stone heads of rulers and gods,

and pyramids. Had writing, calendar, trading along pacific

Ended around 400 BC, influenced other Mesoamerican peoples

Farming and the Growth of other civilizations

Mesoamericans grow maize, and S Americans grow potatoes By 2000 BC, S As grow corn, potatoes, and beans

S A = 1stAndes- Chavin Culture from 9-200BC

City=religious and trade; had woven textiles, stone monuments, and people

and animal shape potter

N A = maize farming (SW USA), it is dry, so people chose fertile

soils and irrigation. Corn becomes staple food

Caused more food, steady pop. growth., and civilizations because

more people settle in cities.


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Section 2The Maya

Geography Affects the Early Maya

Mesoamerican lowlands in 1000 BC

Cleared land for crops

Grew corn, etc. Animals for food, and trees for building

Use vines, wood and mud to build houses

Small villages traded cloth and obsidian, whichcaused more support for populations, and villagesgrew. The Mayans started to build cities by AD200s


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Maya Classic Age

Reached height btwn AD 250 and 900, called theclassic age; was religious

Spread to Yucatan Peninsula and had 40+ cities of

5,00050,000 people per city Trade

Highlands traded with the lowlands, so had resourcesfrom all over

Lowlands = cotton, rubber, cacao (food of gods andrulers, used as money)

Highlands = jade, obsidian.


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Cities

Cities had pyramids, temples, and palace, some whichhonored Maya kings.

Example: A Palenque temple honored Pacal's achievementsduring his reign, and most were decorative

Plazas for gatherings, and canals for water. Farmers madeterraces to grow crops

Ball court = stone arenas; bounced heavy ball thru hoop withheads, shoulders, and hips ONLY. Winners got jewels, loserswere killed, from Olmecs

City-states; no empire

Warfare

Battled for land (Tikal and Calakmul); power shifted a lot

Bloody; used knives, spears, and clubs; prisonerssacrificed to gods; cities are destroyed, helped end

Mayans


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Mayan Civilization Declines

Stopped in 900s AD; stopped building, peoplemoved to countryside.

1. Increased warfare

2. Not enough foodcompetition btwn citiesdestroyed crops

3. Kings demanded people, so they rebelled

4. Climatedry period for 150 years All of these factors combined probably led to

the decline of the Mayan Classic Age


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Section 3Maya Life and Society

Roles In Mayan Society

Upper Class

Rulers: related to gods, so center of ceremonies, led

battles, richest, luxury

Priests: born into role, led religious ceremonies,

educated, used math and astronomy to plan

Pro Warriors: fought other cities, headdresses, jewelry,

Jaguar caped, red and black body-dye

Merchants: trade, transport of goods, controlled

economy


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Lower Classes

Most Mayans are part of Lower Class Girls cook, yarn, weave; women care for children

Men make tools, hunted, farmed, had gardens,

everyone helped farm Paid rulers with some crops, cloth, salt, and built

buildings

Served in army in war, became slave if captured

Slaves: lowest, orphans, children of slaves, andpeople in debt can become slaves; served upperclasses by being servants and farming

Both classes helped each other


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Religion

Had many gods

Most important = creator, took many forms.

Sun, moon g, maize

Kings communicate with Gods

Helpful or harmful, so please then by givingblood from tongue/skin, @ births, weddings,

and funerals. Sometimes = extra blood, somade human sacrifices (war prisoners), priestsoffer their hearts to gods at temples


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Achievements Made many advances in various fields

Art and Architecture Jade/gold jewelry, gods/kings carvings in cities Cities = no metal tools or wheels! Used obsidian to cut limestone

blocks, then rolled them with logs, lifting them with ropes. Wow!

Science and Math

In observatories, studied stars and found out 1 yr = 365 days,learned moon cycles and eclipses

Developed calendars (religious for events, farming for others;

matched seasonal changes). More accurate than Europe! WOW!

Number Systems with 0, and used it to record important dates Writing and Oral Traditions

Like hieroglyphics; symbols = objects and sounds; records on

rulers achievements. In stone tablets and on bark-paper books

Stories & poetry = orally. After Spanish = Popol Vuh, with much

Mayan Info and legends


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Chapter 15-

The Aztec and Inca Empires

By Prerana Kiran

Period 26/10/2013


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Section 1The Aztec Empire

The Aztecs build an Empire The Aztecs were north Mexican farmers who moved south in

the 1100s, only left with a swampy island in Lake Texoco.They became good fighters and conquered their neighbors.

War, Tribute, and Trade War:conquered towns and made alliances to build the empire, which

helped them conquer areas around the lake in the 1420s

Tribute:conquered people had to pay tribute to ruler in cotton, gold,or food

Trade Network: merchants, craftsmen, and farmers met at markets.The merchants near the capital were spies, and reported tensions inthe empire to the rulers

All of this made the empire rich; by the 1500s, the Aztecswere the most powerful in Mesoamerica.


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- Tenochtitlan

Capital of empire, but was geo. challenged Travel was difficult, so they made causeways, raised

roads on water/wet ground, to connect the island tothe shore

Made of rocks and dirt

Undrinkable waters, so made clean aqueducts

Chinampaswere floating gardens made of soil on rafts

Tenochtitlan had temples, markets, streets, and apalace

It was a large city of about 200,000 people, but it

was destroyed by Europeans


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Cortes conquers the Americas

Spanish explorers and conquistadors arrive in

1400s to find gold, spread religion, and explore

Cortes and Moctezuma

Hernan Cortesled group to Mexico in 1519

Aztec Emperor moctezuma IIthought he was god

Quetzalcoatl, b/c he looked like him

Sent him gifts, so Cortes captured him; aztecs drove spanishout, and Moctezuma was killed

Cortes came back in 1521 w/ Indian Allies and conquered

Tenochtitlan


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Cause of Aztec defeat

Alliances

Malintizin was interpreter and helpedCortes make alliances with people whodisliked rule under Aztecs

Allies gave them supplies, info, and

warriors

Weapons and horses

Better weapons = armor, swords, andcannons: horses terrified Aztecs

Geography

Blocked causeways, bridges, andwaterways so they died of starvation

Disease

Spanish brought deadly disease(smallpox) that Aztecs were unimmuneto so they died

- Gave Spanish a great advantage, and

weakened the Aztecs


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Section 2- Aztec Life and Society Aztec Society

Calpulligroups = families sharing land, schools and

temple, along with elected leader to king

Kings and Nobles:

Most important, ruled empire, palace with gardens, zoo, andaviary; 3000 servants

In charge of law, tribute, warfare

Tax collectors and Judges = Nobles:helped king

Father to son, went to schools Priests and Warriors

Priests: kept calendars, decided planting and ceremonies, passed

down history and culture, religious ceremonies, sacrifice

Warriors: Fought other lands for tribute, land, and sacrifice


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Merchants and Artisans

Middle class

Merchants: collected Mesoamerican goods fromall over and sold them at markets. They controlled

trade and became rich. They used the $ to sendsons to school and for houses/

Artisans: made many goods like jewelry andheaddresses and got rich. Most lived in

Tenochtitlan. Others lived outside and madecommon goods, so they were in the lower class.Other tribes = sent crafts for tribute


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Farmers and slaves

Lower class, but could study or become

warriors

Farmers: most people, grew maize, beans, etc.

they didnt own land and were poor, because

had to give much tribute. Outside = simple

huts and clothes

Slaves: from battle, in debt. Sold to higher

class. Bad people sacrificed to gods.


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Aztec Religion

Gods rule life: powers found in nature

and great people.

Pleased them with sacrifice => most to wargod Huitzilopochtli and rain god Tlaloc.

Without them, no crops

Ceremonies on Tenosgreat temple: priests cut

their body to give blood. Sacrificed enemy

warriors blood and hearts, as much as 10,000

people.


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Science, Art, and Language

Scientific Achievements

Built on others by learning from them, since they

had tribute and trade. Eg: chinampas

Astronomy => made calendar similar to mayans,

told when to have ceremonies, battles, and farming

guidelines.

Many uses of plants (100 = medicines) Artistic Traditions

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