GSE SSWH8 A&B PAGES 484-535 U6 THE ORIENT II 3500 BCE agricultural villages based on the cultivation of corn, beans, & squash emerge in Central America 1200 BCE urban centers & the Olmec culture emerge in modern Mexico Sophisticated urban planning, the creation of monumental artwork, & the construction of monumental architecture indicate a strong central government able to mobilize the labor of the population over time 250 CE Maya Civilization emerges on the Yucatan Peninsula Mayan culture was compromised of 40 independent city-states from Southern Mexico to Honduras Much of Mayan culture was adapted from the Olmec The Maya had a complex culture with advancements in art, architecture & mathematics 800 CE Mayan Civilization begins to decline Historians debate what caused the decline like volcanic activity, warfare, disease, overpopulation, or soil exhaustion 900 CE Mayan cities have been abandoned

250 BCE- 600 CE Teotihuacan flourishes in the Valley of Mexico At its peak the city had over 200,000 inhabitants Crops were cultivated in flooded fields using the chinampa system The city controlled a large portion of central Mexico during its peak 600 CE most of the Teotihuacan is destroyed for unknown reasons 800-1100 CE The Toltec Civilization flourishes in central Mexico The Toltec were originally nomadic people who migrated into the Valley of Mexico The civilization was influenced by the Olmec, Maya & Teotihuacan The Toltec were militaristic & practiced human sacrifice The Toltec capital was Tula, & at its peak the Toltec conroled much of central Mexico

800- 1100 CE Toltec Culture dominates the Valley of Mexico The Aztecs migrated into the Valley of Mexico, struggling to integrate into the urban agricultural societies surrounding Lake Texcoco As the Aztecs grew twin capitals, Tenochtitlan & Tlatelolco, developed on a small island in Lake Texcoco An alliance with two powerful city-states located on the shores of the lake sparked the process of building a vast empire

The Aztec religion required regular human sacrifice, most victims being prisoners of war The need for sacrifice led to constant “flower wars” where the Aztecs would capture other warriors for the priests of Tenochtitlan to sacrifice The Aztec believed their rule was legitimized with successful conquest Social promotion was possible for by securing captives in battle The Aztecs grew wealthy by collecting tributes of maize, beans, cotton cloth, jade, gold & sacrificial victims 1502 CE Montezuma II becomes the emperor of the Aztecs Aztec tribute demands began to create resentment & instability 1519 CE Hernán Cortés arrives on the coast of Mexico with 600 conquistadors Cortés met La Malinche (Dona Maria), a native woman who served as his translator She spoke of vast wealth of the Aztec & unrest among Aztec subjects Cortés established alliances with native armies as he marched toward the Valley of Mexico 1521 CE Cortés enters Tenochtitlan claiming to come in peace

Montezuma welcomed Cortés with a suspicion that he was the god Quetzalcoatl The Spanish took Montezuma hostage & began looting the palace The Aztecs were able to drive the Spanish from the city for a short time Small Pox decimated the population of the Valley, allowing the Spanish & native allies to re-take Tenochtitlan Aug 1521 CE The Aztec Empire has collapses Early 1400s CE the Inca were one of several military powers in the southern highlands of Peru 1430 CE Wiraqocha Inka consolidated his power, established a hereditary monarchy & established a capital at Cuzco The Incan Empire soon expanded across the Andes Mountains Upon an emperor’s death, political power would pass to the most able son, while the wealth would pass to the rest of the family This system of split inheritance required each emperor to acquire wealth through conquest 1525 CE The Incan Empire is bound together by a professional army, a complex bureaucracy & a tribute system that used labor as a tax 1520s CE Smallpox arrives in the region before Spanish contact The Emperor died of Smallpox, leading to a civil war When the war ended, Atahulpa became emperor 1530 CE Francisco Pizarro arrives in South America with 180 Spanish Conquistadors Pizarro captured & killed Atahulpa causing even greater political instability 1533 CE The Spanish capture Cuzco 1536 CE The Spanish defeat the last Incan rebellion, ending the empire