Unit 2 – Early Civilizations of America

SWBAT: analyze the existence, culture, and civilizations of early people of the Americas before the arrival of Europeans: A)Mesoamerican cultures: Olmec, Maya, AztecB)South American cultures: IncaC)North American cultures: Tribes of the Northeast US, Tribes of the Southeast US, Tribes of the Northwest US, Tribes of the Southwest US , Tribes of the Midwest – culturesGLEs: 2.3A /DOK: 2-4/ Content Standards SS 6&7/ Process Standards 1.4, 1.9, 2.7

Day 1- The OlmecSWBAT: analyze the existence, culture, and civilization

of the OlmecGLE’s: 2.3A --- DOK 2Vocabulary: Migrate: To move from one region to anotherSociety: A group of people with common interests,

customs, and ways of lifeCivilization: Complex societies in which people share

important characteristics such as language, religion, art, dress, and political structure

Bering StraitAround 35,000 Years Ago

Why Develop Civilizations?

•Help meet peoples needs – easier to work together than apart* Make groups more powerful* Advance human kind

Ingredients for a Civilization• Settlements: cities or towns• Food production – enough to sustain a given population (so some inhabitants can do other things than grow food)• Large enough population so that groups may specialize in activities (such as creation of buildings, art, practice warfare or etc.•Must have a bureaucracy capable of running the community

Types of Societies• Sedentary: created permanent towns or villages• Semisedentary: built towns or villages, but moved

them every few years in search of migrating animals and new land for farming

• Nonsedentary: did not construct permanent villages or towns but created small, temporary camps that could be moved easily in search of large game, fish, and edible plants

Based on what you know so far….. How do you think societies arrived in Mesoamerica – (or modern day Mexico – Nicaragua)

Characteristics of SocietiesNONSEDENTARNONSEDENTARYY

•Hunters-gatherers, wandered from Hunters-gatherers, wandered from

Place to placePlace to place•No permanent settlements or farmsNo permanent settlements or farms• No political leaders, laws, or taxesNo political leaders, laws, or taxes

SEMISEDENTARSEMISEDENTARYY

•Combination of farming and huntingCombination of farming and hunting•Small village; people moved frequently to Small village; people moved frequently to follow food supplyfollow food supply•Some political leadership to enforce laws and Some political leadership to enforce laws and taxestaxes•Populations number in 100 and 1,000Populations number in 100 and 1,000

SEDENTARYSEDENTARY •Large scale farming was basis of lifeLarge scale farming was basis of life•Permanent cities with roads, markets, Permanent cities with roads, markets, and many dwellingsand many dwellings•Populations number in the millionsPopulations number in the millions•Political leaders create laws and Political leaders create laws and enforce taxesenforce taxes

Mesoamerica

Meso = Middle

Olmec “Rubber People”1200BC – 400 BC

1st Known Great Civilization of the AmericasHeart of the Mesoamerican population

Art

- Thought to be sculptures of religious, political, or sports figures- Made of Basalt rock from quarries – up to 80 miles away from Olmec territory

Calendar - Writing

* Most accurate calendar known to date – used 360 days a year

• First known civilization to use the 0

• 1st Civilization in the Western Hemisphere to use writing – hieroglyphics

Epic Olmec

ReligionPolytheism

• The jaguar-monster, fire god, or maize god A god with a maize symbol on his head A bird god The jaguar-baby A being with a human-feline face A figure representing Xipe Totec The Plumed Serpent A death god A bearded figure God X

Religion Continued

•Shamanism : All things have and animal spirit’

•Built huge centers

•Dark ceremonies of sacrifice

Jaguar-the various gods centered around the

jaguar

Characteristics of the Society

Hierarchy -- Priests and political figures at the top

Imported jade and basalt Exported ceramic works

of artElite could specialize –

astronomy, art, mathElaborate farming system

with irrigation systems

Decline of the Olmec

Olmecs ultimately destroyed their ceremonial centers at both San Lorenzo and La Venta and then deserted the

sites Statues were broken and buried, monuments defaced,

and capitals burned No one knows why,

Some speculate reasons involving civil conflicts or doubts about the effectiveness or legitimacy of the ruling classes By about 400 B.C., Olmec society had fallen on hard times

and other societies soon eclipsed it

Overview – Wrap UPBrainPOP | Social Studies

Overview Quiz – 4 Corners1. What can you conclude about Mesoamerica from its name?A. It’s political structure B. The types of Languages Spoke thereC. It’s location D. Culture2. Where would you go if wanted to visit ancient Olmec ruins?

A. Peru B. Guatemala C. Texas D. South America3. The Olmec civilization practiced ….

A. Monotheism B. Polytheism C. Atheism D. Christianity4. The Olmec calendar had how many days?

A. 360 days B. 365 days C. 361 days D. 3205. One theory of how early civilizations arrived in North America is….A. Early Europeans crossed a frozen Bering Strait in search of food and shelterB. Early African societies migrated north from South AmericaC. Christopher Columbus sailed from Portugal to settle a new landD. Early African Americans wondered north

References

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/meso/cultures/olmec.htmlhttp://www.essortment.com/all/olmecnativeind_rehp.htmhttp://www.buzzle.com/editorials/12-1-2005-82836.asphttp://meta-religion.com/World_Religions/Ancient_religions/

Central_america/olmecs_religion.htm

http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw13olmecmaya.htm http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:OkNuThOn1qsJ:ocean.otr.usm.edu/~w416373/HIS%2520101%2520web%2520site/Lsn%25206%2520Maya%2520and%2520Inca.ppt+olmec+-+Hierarchy&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

References Cont.

http://www.criscenzo.com/jaguarsun/maya.html

http://www.middletownk12.org/leads/files/The%20Maya%201.pdf