Mesoamerica and Maya Civilization Overview

Mesoamerica

• The term Mesoamerica was coined by Paul Kirchkoff
• It means “middle America”
• Mesoamerica has five periods: Archaic, Pre-classic/Formative, Classic, Epiclassic, and Postclassic
• It encompasses the entire area of Central America from Southern Mexico up to the border of South America
• It was rich in culture and knowledge prior to the arrival of European colonizers

Maya Civilization

• The Maya civilization lasted for approximately 2000 years
• Known for their works in astronomy
• Believed to be the first people to produce rubber products
• Encompassed Mexico in the 8th—9th century
• Had an understanding of the celestial bodies which was advanced for their time
• Developed the concept of zero (0) and the positional value
• They used two calendars:
  • Solar calendar: 365 days/18 months/20 days each, with 5 extra days at the end
  • Lunar calendar: Based on the movement of Venus, also known as the Sacred Calendar or Ritual Calendar
• Known for:
  • Their works in astronomy
  • Two complicated calendar systems
  • Their writing system, known as Mayan hieroglyphics, which contained more than 800 characters

Inca Civilization

• Flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE
• Cuzco was their capital city, meaning ‘dried-up lakebed’
• The largest empire in America and the world at their time
• Famed for their architecture and inventions, including:
  • Roads paved with stones
  • Stone buildings
  • Irrigation system
  • Calendar with 12 months
  • The first suspension bridge
  • Quipo, a system of knotted ropes to keep records
  • Inca textiles

Aztec Civilization

• Emerged beginning in the 1200s
• Flourished in Central Mexico from 1345-1521 CE
• Dominated their neighboring states
• Like the Maya, they used a sacred calendar and a 365-day agricultural calendar
• The Aztec writing system was based on glyphs, symbols that stand for sound and words
• Settled on an island called Lake Texcoco (1325)
  • Their capital and largest city was called “Tenochtitlan”
• Substantial contributions to science, technology, and society:
  • Mandatory education
  • Chocolates
  • Antipasmodic medication
  • Chinampa, a form of Aztec technology for agricultural farming
  • Aztec Calendar
  • The invention of the canoe