Early Societies of Mesoamerica PDF

EARLY SOCIETIES OF MESOAMERICA EARLY PRE-HISTORY Migration to Mesoamerica Siberia to Alaska, 40,000 years ago Agriculture, 7500 B.C.E. Early agriculture in Mesoamerica Valley of Mexico was first center of agriculture Beans, chili peppers, avocados, squashes, gourds cultivat...

EARLY SOCIETIES OF MESOAMERICA EARLY PRE-HISTORY Migration to Mesoamerica Siberia to Alaska, 40,000 years ago Agriculture, 7500 B.C.E. Early agriculture in Mesoamerica Valley of Mexico was first center of agriculture Beans, chili peppers, avocados, squashes, gourds cultivated Agricultural villages appeared after 3000 B.C.E. No large animals, no wheeled vehicles  THE OLMECS Olmecs: The "rubber people" coast of Mexico Gulf, 1200 B.C.E. The other two later centers: La Venta and Tres Zapotes Olmec society Authoritarian in nature Colossal human heads - possibly likenesses of rulers Rulers' power as shown in construction of huge pyramids Trade in jade and obsidian Decline and fall of Olmec society Most likely, civil conflict ruined their society By 400 B.C.E., other societies eclipsed the Olmecs Influence of Olmec traditions Maize, ceremonial centers were common to later societies Other legacies: Calendar, rituals of human sacrifice, ballgame OLMEC ART EARLY GEOGRAPHY  THE MAYA The Maya Earliest heir of the Olmecs, lived in highlands of Guatemala Teotihuacan became dominant during the 4th century C.E. After the 4th century, society flourished in lowlands Besides maize, also cultivated cotton and cacao Maya warfare Victorious warriors won enormous prestige War captives became slaves or sacrificial victims to gods Maya decline Began in 800 C.E., the Mayas (except in Chichén Itzá) deserted their cities Causes of decline remain unclear  MAYAN SOCIETY Maya society Kings, priests, and hereditary nobility at the top Merchants were from the ruling class, served also as ambassadors Professional architects and artisans were important Peasants and slaves were majority of population The Maya calendar Maya priests understood planetary cycles and could predict eclipses Besides the solar year, also had a ritual year of 260 days and 20 months Combined attributes of two calendars determined the fortune of activities Maya writing Maya scribes used writing extensively Only four books survived the destruction by Spanish conquerors  MAYAN RELIGION Religious thought Popol Vuh, a Maya creation myth Gods created humans out of maize and water Gods maintained agricultural cycles Gods placated Exchanged for honors and sacrifices Bloodletting rituals The most important rituals, to honor the gods for rains Sacrificing captives let to many wars for victims Also voluntary bloodshedding MAYAN TRADE  TEOTIHUACAN The city of Teotihuacan Built in the highlands of Mexico Colossal pyramids Between 400 and 600 C.E., the city had 200,000 inhabitants Teotihuacan society Rulers and priests dominated society Two-thirds of the city inhabitants worked in fields during daytime Artisans were famous for their obsidian tools and orange pottery Professional merchants traded extensively throughout Mesoamerica Cultural traditions Inherited Olmecs' culture Honored an earth god and a rain god Decline of Teotihuacan Military pressure from other peoples since 500 C.E. Began to decline 650 C.E.; Invaders sacked city, mid-8th century TEOTIHUACAN THE CITY  EARLY ANDEAN SOCIETY Early migration By 12,000 B.C.E. hunter-gathers reached South America By 8000 B.C.E. began to experiment with agriculture Complex societies appeared in central Andean region 1000 B.C.E. Geography hindered communication between Andeans and Mesoamericans as well as within the Andean region Early agriculture in South America Main crops: beans, peanuts, sweet potatoes, cotton Fishing supplemented agricultural harvests By 1800 B.C.E., produced pottery, Temples and pyramids appeared  CHAVIN AND MOCHE The Chavín Cult Very popular around 900 to 800 B.C.E. Vanished completely by about 300 B.C.E. Cult was probably related to introduction of maize Cult left large temple complexes and elaborate art works Complexity of Andean society Techniques of producing cotton textiles and fishing nets Discovered gold, silver, and copper metallurgy Cities began to appear shortly after Chavíncult Early Andeans did not make use of writing Mochica (300-700 C.E.) Mochica ceramics: lives of different social classes Mochica did not integrate the whole Andean region ANDEAN GEOGRAPHY  TOLTECS AND TULA Toltecs Collapse of Teotihuacan in central Mexico, 9th and early 10th century Toltecs migrated to central Mexico about the 8th century Established large state, powerful army from mid-10th to mid-12th century Tula Capital city of Toltecs, center of weaving, pottery, and obsidian work Maintained close relations with societies of the Gulf coast and the Maya Toltec decline Civil strife at Tula, beginning in 1125 Nomadic incursion of 1175 By the end of the 12th century, no longer dominating Mesoamerica Quetzalcoatl Originally a human prince of Tula, dedicated to his people Tricked, driven from power Gradually became a hero, god in struggle with evil deities  EARLY AZTECS The Mexica Known as Aztecs, arrived in central Mexico about mid-13th century Rough-tough people, wandering, fighting for a century in central Mexico Settled at Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City) about 1345 Plentiful food supplies and chinampas by Lake Texcoco The Aztec empire Military campaigns against neighboring societies, mid-15th century Conquered and colonized Oaxaco in southwestern Mexico Made alliance with Texcoco and Tlacopan Empire ruled 12 million people and most of Mesoamerica Tribute and trade Tribute obligations were very oppressive Empire had no bureaucracy or administration Allies did not have standing army Tribute of 489 subject territories flowed into Tenochtitlan AZTEC WORLD  MEXICA SOCIETY Warriors Military elite at top of rigid social hierarchy Mostly from the Mexica aristocracy Enjoyed great wealth, honor, and privileges Mexica women No public role, but enjoyed high honor as mothers of warriors Honor of bearing children was equal to that of capturing enemies in battle Priests Ranked among the Mexica elite; specialized in calendrical and ritual lore Advisers to Mexica rulers, occasionally, became supreme rulers themselves Cultivators and slaves Cultivators worked on chinampas (small plots of reclaimed land) Often worked on aristocrats‘ land Paid tribute and provided labor service for public works Large number of slaves, worked as domestic servants Craftsmen and merchants Skilled craftsmen enjoyed some prestige Tenuous position of merchants: Supplied exotic goods and military intelligence Under suspicion as greedy profiteers  MEXICA RELIGION Mexica gods Tezcatlipoca: giver/taker of life, patron deity of warriors Quetzalcóatl: supporter of arts, crafts, and agriculture Ritual bloodletting: common to all Mesoamericans Huitzilopochtli: the war god Human sacrifice encouraged by devotion to Huitzilopochtli Large temple at the center of Tenochtitlan Hundreds of thousands sacrificed to this war god Rivalry between Huitzilpochtli, Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl protector of humans, tricked by some gods Driven into exile with promise to return SOCIETIES OF THE NORTH Pueblo and Navajo societies Two large settled societies in the contemporary American southwest By about 700 C.E., began to build stone and adobe buildings Iroquois peoples Agricultural society in the woodlands east of the Mississippi River Five Iroquois nations emerged from Swasco society, 1400 C.E. Women were in charge of Iroquois villages and longhouses Mound-building peoples Built earthen mounds throughout eastern North America Mounds used for ceremonies, rituals, dwelling, burial sites Showed influence of contacts with Mesoamericans, Mayans Cahokia The largest mound at Cahokia, Illinois 15-38,000 people lived in Cahokia society, c. 12th century Burial sites reveal existence of social classes and trade INDIGENOUS AMERICAN CULTURAL REGIONS GEOGRAPHIC MAP  COMING OF THE INCA After Chavin and Moche Several regional states dominated Andean South America All built upon previous accomplishments, civilizations Chucuito Chucuito dominated highlands around Lake Titicaca Cultivation of potatoes, herding llamas and alpacas Traded with lower valleys, chewed coca leaves Chimu Powerful kingdom in lowlands of Peru before mid-15th century Irrigation networks, cultivation of maize and sweet potatoes Capital city at Chanchan, massive brick buildings  THE INCA The Inca empire Ruler Pachacuti launched campaigns against neighbors, 1438 Built a huge empire stretching 4000 kilometers from north to south Ruled the empire with military and administrative elite Inca bureaucrats relied on quipu Mnemonic aid made of an array of small cords to keep track of information Cuzco Capital of the Inca: had 300,000 people in the late 15th century Inca roads Two major roads linked the south and north Runners carried messages across empire Paved with stone, shaded by trees Supported centralized government, facilitated spread of Quechua  THE INCA WORLD  INCA SOCIETY Trade No large merchant class Incas bartered agricultural surplus locally Not much specialization The chief ruler Chief ruler was viewed as descended from the sun In theory, the god-king owned everything on earth After death, mummified rulers became intermediaries with gods Aristocrats and priests Aristocrats enjoyed fine food, embroidered clothes, and wore ear spools Priests led celibate and ascetic lives, very influential figures Peasants Delivered portion of their products to bureaucrats Besides supporting ruling classes, revenue also used for famine relief Provided heavy labor (mita) for public works Society ruled as a socialist type centralized state  INCA RELIGION Inca gods: Inti and Viracocha Venerated sun god called Inti Considered some other natural forces divine Also honored the creator god, Viracocha Sacrifices of animals, agricultural products, not humans Moral thought Concept of sin: violation of established order Concept of after-death punishment and reward Rituals of absolving sins through confession, penance