Journal 1/9

Think like an archeologist; you have

just discovered this artifact. What might it

tell you about the culture of the people

who left it behind?

Ancient Civilizations of the Americas

Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Inca

Olmec

• Earliest; known as the ________ _________

• We know__________ about them

• Colossal heads:• Olmecs________

other civs. through ___________

Maya Brochure

• Fill each space with info regarding:– Culture• Language• Art• Religion• Government

– Technology– Accomplishments

The Maya

• Did not live:• City-States fight for

_______________ & ___________

• The city-states are connected through ________________

Structure of the City-State

Maya Civilization Declines

• Archeologists are: A few theories are:

1) Warfare:2) Over farming:

• Maya did not disappear. – Lived in small _________

villages until:– Many live in __________

today

Journal 1/14

Answer these questions when you finish reading the article:

1.Why is it important to decipher hieroglyphics?2.What can hieroglyphics tell historians/archeologists about the people who created them?

Aztec: The Sun People• Tenochtitlan is the:the

______Huitzilopochtli tells the Aztec to settle where they find:

• Aztec build chinampas or_______ ________ b/c:

• The modern day city of _________ ______ is were Tenochtitlan was

A unified empire• Unlike the _______, the

Aztec:• Hierarchy is similar to

feudalism– _______at top; his job

is:– _______are respected– _______are very

important b/c:– Most people were

_________

Teotihuacan: A holy city• Not built by the

________but considered an:

b/c they believed the world was created there.

• The Pyramids of the ______&______ were built here

Journal: POP QUIZ!1. Tenochtitlan was the:2. The Aztec lived in a unified empire or

disjointed city-states?3. Tenochtitlan is now the city of:4. What did Huitzilopochtli tell the Aztec to look

for?5. What are Chinampas? Why were they used?6. Why were priests important to the Aztec?7. What is Teotihuacan?

People of South America:People of South America:The IncaThe Inca

Inca Rulers: Son of the Sun• The ruler, called ____

____, :– Held absolute_______– Claimed to be_______– Was the empire’s:– ‘owned’ all the _____

• Coya was:– Ruled:– Carried out:

The Structure of the Empire• No personal property b/c:• Villages were run by ayllu

or: who enforced laws.

• Sapa Inca could call upon young men to:

• Farmers worked their own land for: but then worked land for:

Uniting the Empire• System of ______– Very intricate– All roads passed

through Cuzco:– Could not be used by:

• Quechua– _________of the Inca– Made conquered ppls:

• Religion– Made conquered ppls:– Inti is: