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Early Civilizations of Latin America DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=NL-B Module 8 Early Civilizations of Latin America Essential Question Which early Latin American civilization was most successful? About the Photo: The Maya built impressive In this module, you will learn about the location, growth, and decline of pyramids in Central America. These ruins are early Latin American societies, including the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, and in Tikal, Guatemala. Inca civilizations. What You Will Learn Explore ONLINE! Lesson 1: The Olmec and Maya . 249 The Big Idea Influenced by Olmec civilization, the Maya developed VIDEOS, including . an advanced civilization that thrived in Mesoamerica from about 250 • Mexico’s Ancient Civilizations until the 900s. • Studying Glyphs Lesson 2: The Aztecs. .257 . The Big Idea The strong Aztec Empire, founded in central Mexico in • The Search for Inca Gold 1325, lasted until the Spanish conquest in 1521. Document-Based Investigations Lesson 3: Andean Civilizations . 263 The Big Idea After many smaller civilizations rose and fell, the Inca Graphic Organizers controlled a huge empire in South America, but it was conquered by the Spanish. Interactive Games Interactive Map: Maya Civilization, c. 900 Image with Hotspots: Tenochtitlán Image Carousel: Inca Arts 246 Module 8 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=NL-B The Maya Maya cities, ruled by local kings, traded items like jade and cacao with each other. The Aztecs The Aztecs were known for warfare as well as for their art. The Inca The Inca built well-crafted stone cities high in the Andes. Early Civilizations of Latin America 247 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=NL-A Reading Social Studies Set a Purpose READING FOCUS When you go on a trip, you have a purpose or a destination in mind before you start. Maps can help you get to your destination. When you read, you should also have a purpose in mind before you start. This purpose keeps you focused and moving toward your goal of understanding. Textbooks often provide “maps” to help you set a purpose for your reading. A textbook’s “map” includes a module’s headings, pictures, and study tips. To determine a purpose for your reading, look over the headings, pictures, and study tips. Then ask yourself a question that can guide you. See how looking over the module’s first page can help you set a purpose. What You Will Learn Notice Headings, Pictures, or Tips Lesson 1: The Olmec and Maya. 249 Here’s a tip on what I should learn The Big Idea Influenced by Olmec civilization, about in this chapter. the Maya developed an advanced civilization that thrived in Mesoamerica from about 250 until the 900s. Lesson 2: The Aztecs . 257. The Big Idea The strong Aztec Empire, founded in central Mexico in 1325, lasted until Ask Questions the Spanish conquest in 1521. What do I want to learn about these Lesson 3: Andean Civilizations. 263 civilizations? The Big Idea After many smaller civilizations rose and fell, the Inca controlled a huge empire in South America, but it was conquered by the Spanish. Set a Purpose I’ve never heard of these civilizations. I wonder what they were like and why they declined. I’ll read to find out. YOU TRY IT! You can also use the method described above to set a purpose for reading the main text in your book. Look at the heading for the following caption. Then write down one or two questions about what you will read. Finally, develop a purpose for reading about Tenochtitlán. State this purpose in one or two sentences. Tenochtitlán The Aztecs turned a swampy, uninhab- ited island into one of the largest and grandest cities in the world. The first Europeans to visit Tenochtitlán were amazed. At the time, the Aztec capital , set a purpose for was about five times bigger than London. As you read this module reading as you begin reading each segment. 248 Module 8 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=NL-B Lesson 1 The Olmec and Maya If YOU lived there . The Big Idea You live in a rural Maya village in Mesoamerica. You and your family farm maize, beans, and other vegetables. Influenced by Olmec civiliza- tion, the Maya developed an One day you go with your father to bring crops to the advanced civilization that king, and you see a big city with large pyramids, plazas, thrived in Mesoamerica from and observatories. You also see people playing a ball about 250 until the 900s. game. You learn that the winners get rewarded with Main Ideas jewels, but the losers are often killed. ■■ The Olmec were the first Would you want to learn to play complex civilization in Meso- the ball game? america and influenced other cultures. ■■ Geography helped shape the The Olmec lives of the early Maya. The region known as Mesoamerica stretches from the central part ■■ During the Classic Age, the of Mexico south to include the northern part of Central America. Maya built great cities linked It was in this region that a people called the Olmec (OHL-mek) by trade. developed the first complex civilization in Mesoamerica. ■■ Maya culture included a strict A civilization is an organized society within a specific area. social structure, a religion with Civilizations often include large cities in which different social many gods, and achievements classes of people live. Writing, formal education, art, and in science and the arts. architecture are often features of civilizations. In civilizations, ■■ The decline of Maya civilization governments are made up of leaders or family groups. The began in the 900s. governments make decisions that help the civilization develop. These characteristics improve people’s quality of life. Key Terms and Places Around 1200 BC, the Olmec settled in the lowlands along civilization maize the Gulf of Mexico in what are today the southern Mexico Palenque states of Veracruz and Tabasco. This region’s climate is hot observatories and humid. Abundant rainfall and rich, fertile soil made this a perfect area for the Olmec to grow maize, or corn. Olmec also grew beans, squash, peppers, and avocados. In some places, the Olmec could harvest crops twice a year. Olmec Life and Achievements Most Olmec lived in small villages, but some lived in larger towns. These towns were religious and government centers with temples and plazas. Impressive sculptures and buildings and planned-out settle- ments show that the Olmec were a complex civilization with a class structure. The ruling class ordered the large building projects that the Olmec completed. Early Civilizations of Latin America 249 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=NL-B The Olmec used basalt to create huge stone sculptures of heads. This rock was not from the area and had to be transported, probably by raft or by rolling the stone along logs, as shown here. The Olmec built the first pyramids in the Americas. They also made sculptures of huge stone heads. Each head probably represented a differ- ent Olmec ruler. Other sculptures, such as jaguars, probably represented Olmec gods. The Olmec created one of the first writing systems in the Americas. Unfortunately, historians and archaeologists don’t know how to read their writing, so what they wrote remains a mystery. Other innovations devel- oped by the Olmec include a calendar and a ball game using a rubber ball. Harvesting latex and making rubber were technological advances made by the Olmec. Similar elements of culture were later used by other Meso- american civilizations. Olmec Trade and Influence The Olmec civilization also had a large trad- ing network. Villages traded with each other and with other peoples far- ther away. Through trade, the Olmec got valuable goods, such as the stones they used for building and sculpture. This interaction with nearby people also spread Olmec culture. Reading Check Olmec civilization ended around 400 BC. By then, trade had spread Summarize Olmec influence across Mesoamerica. Later peoples were able to build on What characteristics made the Olmec a their achievements. Some also followed Olmec traditions. One group influ- civilization? enced by the Olmec was the Maya. Geography and the Early Maya Around 1000 BC the Maya began settling in the lowlands of what is now northern Guatemala. Thick tropical forests covered most of the land, but the people cleared areas to farm. They grew a variety of crops, includ- ing beans, squash, avocados, and maize. The forests provided valuable resources, too. Forest animals such as deer, rabbits, and monkeys were sources of food. In addition, trees and other forest plants made good building materials. For example, some Maya used wooden poles and vines, along with mud, to build their houses. 250 Module 8 DO NOT EDIT--Changes must be made through “File info” CorrectionKey=NL-B Reading Check The early Maya lived in small, isolated villages. Eventually, though, Find Main Ideas these villages started trading with one another and with other groups in How did the early Maya make use of their Mesoamerica. As trade increased, the villages grew. By about AD 200, the physical environment? Maya had begun to build large cities in Mesoamerica. The Classic Age The Maya civilization reached its height between about AD 250 and 900. This time in Maya history is known as the Classic Age. During this time, Maya territory grew to include more than 40 large cities. Each had its own government and its own king. No single ruler united the many cities into one empire. Sometimes the different cities fought with each other for con- trol of land and resources.
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