Social Review of Ancient Civilizations PDF

The ancient history of North America dates back to the last Ice Age when sea levels were significantly lower and seawater was stored as ice on land. This exposed more land, revealing a land bridge known as "Beringia" between Alaska in North America and Russia in Asia. Early peoples crossed this brid...

The ancient history of North America dates back to the last Ice Age when sea levels were significantly lower and seawater was stored as ice on land. This exposed more land, revealing a land bridge known as "Beringia" between Alaska in North America and Russia in Asia. Early peoples crossed this bridge into America and eventually traveled through the continent, reaching South America. However, limited information exists about these first arrivals in the Americas, with artefacts such as the Great Serpent Mound—a raised hill shaped like a snake—providing some insight. Turning to the Mayans, they were located in Central America and their religion played a significant role in their culture. The Mayans worshipped many gods that represented natural phenomena and life events, such as the sun, disease, and harvests. Their worship practices were tailored to individual lives, focusing on specific gods important to them. One notable legacy of the Mayans includes the famous temple of Chichen Itza, and they also engaged in a recreational activity known as Pok-Ta-Pok, a ball game that could have life-and-death stakes for its players. They developed a written language of glyphs which can be translated, offering valuable insight into their civilization, and some contemporary groups still maintain Mayan traditions today. Moving on to the Aztecs, their civilization was influenced by the Toltecs and shared similarities with both the Aztecs and Mayans, particularly in their capital city of Tula. A key deity for the Aztecs was Quetzacoatl, the feathered serpent. Their capital, Tenochtitlan, was strategically located in Lake Texcoco and its foundation myth involved an eagle, a snake, and a cactus as an omen. The Aztec culture was heavily characterized by warfare and human sacrifices, which were conducted to appease the gods amidst calamities like disease, drought, or poor harvests, amounting to thousands of sacrifices annually. Ultimately, the Aztecs faced conquest by the Spanish. Lastly, the Inca civilization primarily resided in Peru within the Andes mountains, with Cuzco as their capital city. Their leader, Pachakuti, unified various villages and tribes into a cohesive kingdom and claimed royal lineage from the Sun God. The Incas achieved significant architectural feats, with Machu Picchu being one of the most notable sites as it is situated atop a mountain. Societal rules enforced honesty, diligence, and integrity—as they valued not lying, being lazy, or stealing. Their agricultural techniques were adapted to the mountainous terrain, creating terraces for planting and potentially utilizing hydroponics. However, the Spanish conquest brought devastation to the Inca population with the introduction of smallpox. To teach these topics, it is important to understand the significance of the multiple gods in Mayan culture, the reasons behind the human sacrifices in Aztec culture, and the key Inca societal rules and their adaptations to the environment.