AMSCO 1.4 Developments in the Americas

📍Topic 1.4 Developments in the Americas

📖 AMSCO p.33 - p.39

Main Idea

Key Timeline

Image Courtesy of Riya Patel

Things to Know

Mississippian

• Emerged in 700s or 800s throughout the eastern United States, known as the Mississippian culture.
• Built enormous earthen mounds, with Cahokia in southern Illinois having the largest mound.
• Rigid class structure with a Great Sun ruling each large town.
• Matrilineal Society where social standing was determined by the woman's side of the family.
• Decline and abandonment of Cahokia around 1450, reasons debated—weather extremes and diseases.

Mayan City-States

• Height between 250 and 900 C.E. in southern Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala.
• City-States government, ruled by kings, frequent wars for tribute and captives.
• Innovative thinkers, zero in the number system, complex writing, rubber-making.
• Advanced in astronomy, precise observatories for calendar accuracy.

Aztecs

• Originally hunter-gatherers, migrated to central Mexico in 1200s, founded Tenochtitlan in 1325.
• Conquered surrounding peoples, created an empire from Gulf of Mexico to Pacific Ocean.
• Tribute system for dominance, conquered people paid tribute and performed military service.
• Theocracy with the emperor as the Great Speaker, human sacrifice central to religion.
• Decline in the late 15th century due to low technology, military expansion, and resentment.

Inca

• Founded by Pachacuti in 1438 in Cuzco, Peru, expanded to Ecuador in the north to Chile in the south.
• Split into four provinces with governors, mit’a system for mandatory public service.
• Religion focused on sun god Inti, royal ancestor veneration, human sacrifices for significant events.
• Achievements in mathematics with quipu, sophisticated terrace systems in agriculture.
• Skilled builders of bridges and roads with the Carpa Nan roadway system.
• Decline in 1532 during a civil war of succession and Spanish conquest.

Continuities and Diversity

• Debate on the relationship between Mesoamerican cultures, some argue Olmec influence.
• Olmec features, like the feathered snake-god, seen in Mayan and Aztec religions.
• Ritual sacrifices, pyramids, and ball courts continued in various cultures.
• Some argue for independent development of complex civilizations by different cultures.

Terms to Remember