Americas 8000 BCE – 600 CE

Unit 1 Section 5

The Western Hemisphere• Human beings had migrated to the Western

Hemisphere from Asia by 13,000 BCE and would remain isolated from the rest of the world for thousands of years

• This isolation & the geographic characteristics of the Western Hemisphere resulted in different patterns of development among it early civilizations compared with those of the Eastern Hemisphere

• The political & social structures of the Olmec & Chavin societies, however were similar to their counterparts in early Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and the Indus Valley

• These early American civilizations established a foundation for the classical age of the Maya, Aztecs and the Inca

Domestication• By 3,000 BCE people in Mesoamerica (Mexico and

northern Central America) had developed an agricultural system based on maize, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and potatoes

• Similarly, by 1500 BCE people of South America relied on manioc as the base of their agriculture

• While settling of farming societies may have begun later in the Americas, the domestication of dogs, which helped hunters find prey, likely began prior to the Neolithic age.

• Beyond dogs, people of the Americas domesticated:– Llamas– Guinea pigs– Turkeys

Nomadic Practices• Because there was a smaller number of species

available for domestication & the absence of a true beast of burden (except the llama) may explain some of the developmental differences in the Americas

• Hunter-gatherer lifestyle suited much of the territory such as the Native Peoples of the Great Plains which hunted Bison, or the people of the Pacific Northwest that relied upon fishing for sustenance

Olmec• Flourished in Mesoamerica between 1200 and 400 BCE –

influencing much of modern-day Mexico• Mesoamerica was never unified politically, but the civilizations

did have similar political and social characteristics– This is likely due to trade and cultural exchanges

• As agricultural production & efficiency increased, specialization allowed for the rise of religious and political figures

• They gained status from their role in religious and political rituals & this status was used to organize the labor of the people

http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteachers#p/search/0/lDNyVmh3qwc

- Watch with Olmecs video sheet

Social Structure• Olmec urban centers included large-

scale religious & civic buildings• Irrigation and canal projects were also

prominent features• Historians speculate that the Olmec

were led by a king who had religious and secular duties

• The large stone heads that have been excavated could be these kings, athletes or warriors (we are not sure)

• The Olmec had elaborate religious rituals dedicated to their many deities most of whom had a male and female nature

Contributions• Olmec developed a writing system that influenced

the Maya and a calendar based on astronomical observations

• They were probably the originators of a ritual ball game that became a fixture in Mesoamerican societies

• Although the Olmec never physically dominated their neighbors, their cultural influence can be seen in a wide area and in succeeding civilizations – this is known as being a Mother Culture

Chavin• In South America, the Chavin prospered

between 900 and 250 BCE• The society was built on the foundation of

coastal societies, which relied on seafood to sustain their early cities, while the people of the foothills relied upon corn and other foods

• Chavin emerged in part because of their strategic location between the coast and the Andes Mountains

• They also preserved many of the cultural and economic characteristics of their predecessors, including irrigation networks, ceremonial plazas, and pyramids

Food & Labor• Chavin growth was enabled by their location along

trade routes and the increase in food production which came with the introduction of maize from Mesoamerica

• As the society grew, the Chavin developed a reciprocal labor system that constructed the irrigation networks, roads and bridges

• The details of the system are not known but the example would be adopted by later civilizations including the Inca

Chavin success & collapse• Crucial to Chavin success & development was the

domestication of the llama– Provided meat– Provided wool– Means of transportation that increased the efficiency and

effectiveness of trade• Chavin artifacts, like those of the Olmecs, were dispersed over

a wide area and suggest cultural and economic influence rather than political control of neighbors

• It is thought that regional wars disrupted this economic and cultural exchange, weakened the ruling class, and led to the collapse of the Chavin society

• Despite the collapse, Chavin architecture, urban planning & culture would influence people of the Andes for centuries