World History Chapter 9 - Less 2/3

Front 1

Mesoamerica

what does the name mean?

Back 1

the region of the Americas where the 1st civilizations appeared

- the region from Mexico to Honduras

-name means "middle America"

Front 2

OLMEC

Back 2

the 1st people in America that built a civilization -"MOTHER CULTURE"

- in the jungles of Southern Mexico and along the coast of the Gulf of Mx

Front 3

describe OLMEC society

Back 3

- built a lot of large stone monuments - basalt stone heads

- lots of trading thruout Mesoamerica - very prosperous (hardwoods, plant dyes, feathers and exotic birds)

-worshipped a jaguar spirit (ferocity)

-distinctive and enduring cultural tradition

Front 4

San Lorenzo

La Venta

Back 4

the 1st community established by the OLMECs - along the gulf of MX - 1200BC - had large monuments and pyramids

La Venta - another city that rose around 900 BC

-both of these are large archological sites

Front 5

what helped the olmec people prosper? what improved their economy?

Back 5

trading - traded iron, stones, etc

Front 6

zapotec

Back 6

- another group of people that built civilization SW of where the OLMECs had established their civilization - in Mexico - in a place called OaXAca

Front 7

OAxaca Valley

Back 7

where the zapotec people lived in Mexico -2nd american civilization

Front 8

zapotec culture

Back 8

-also built stone sculptures and temples, plazas, cermemonial centers

- developed early forms of writing and calendar system - 1st seen in America

-elite ruler class

Front 9

Monte Alban

Back 9

- the 1st real urban center in the Americas
- built by the zapotec people
- built on a mountain top at the center of Oaxaca Valley
-nice view for the city. Very impressive city - giant plaza, pyramids, palaces - all of stone
-had ball court -played
-observatories
-peak population 25,000 people

Front 10

why were both the Zapotec and the Olmec civilizations important to the Americas?

Back 10

b/c they influenced the cultures that followed:
- the Olmec influenced the Mayans a lot (number system)
- OLMEC's jaguar also used later on in art
- city style, ceremonies also copied
ZAPOTEC left behind: writing sys, calendar,
- were knowns as the 1st city builders, with grand ceremonial places and residences - cities copied later on

Front 11

why did the Olmec civilization collapse?

Back 11

- not sure
- scholars believe San Lorenzo was destroyed-
- maybe outside invaders came

Front 12

IMPORTANT ZAPOTEC CONTRIBUTIONS

Back 12

1) calendar
2) writing
3) city building -

Front 13

who is known as "mother culture" of America

Back 13

the OLMECs

Front 14

what factors made the OAXACA valley good for civilization

Back 14

- open area of valley with fertile soil good for agriculture
- mild climate
- good amount of rainfall

Front 15

where did the early S. America civilizations develop?

Back 15

in the northern part of the rugged Andes Mountains, in Peru

Front 16

Where are the Andes Mountains? how high are they?

Back 16

along the Western edge of SA, from Colombia (on the N) to Chile on the South

-Andes - 2nd highest mountain set in world after Himalayans
- has several peaks >20k feet

Front 17

what difficulties were experienced by the civilizations that developed along the Andes Mtns?

Back 17

- very harsh environment
- steep rocky mountains
-poor soil
- severe climate: hot/dry in the day and freezing at night
-desert along the Pacific coast
- travel very difficult

Front 18

With all the difficulties associated with the environment along the Andes mountains, how/where civilizations developed?

Back 18

- there were some rivers that went from the mountains down to the Pac Ocean, through the dessert. Here is where people settled.
- Villages established along the Pacific Coast

Front 19

how did the first people eat?

Back 19

-1st they were hunters/gatherers - relied on seafood and small game for food
-Later they began to farm

Front 20

what was the 1st real influential civilization of SA? and where was it established?

Back 20

Chavin - established in the mountains as opposed to the coast
- named after a major ruin Chavin de Huantar in Peru

Front 21

Characteristics of Chavin Culture

Back 21

1) very religious
2)did a lot of art - stone carving, pottery, textiles (alpaca wool garments)
3)principal motifs in their art - human, feline (dog) and crocodile or serpentine figures

Front 22

who is believed to be the "mother culture" of SA?

Back 22

the Chavin people - they laid the foundation for later cultures in SA

Front 23

2 other civilizations that appeared in Los Andes in SA after the Chavin culture died?

Back 23

1) the Nazca culture -
2) the Moche culure

Front 24

achievements of the Nazca civilization

Back 24

1)developed extensive irrigation systems that allowed them to farm - BIG help for such dry lands
2)beautiful pottery and textiles
3) Nazca Lines - over 1000 HUGE drawings laid on the desert ground of animals, plants, geometric shapes and humans. Drawings better seen from planes

Front 25

what were the Nazca lines for?

Back 25

not sure - but there are some theories:
1)drawings created to please the sky gods
2)lines indicated where water entered the plains
3) drawings map underground aquifiers -most recent theory
4) some scholars think they are linked to a water cult religion

Front 26

how did the Moche people survive? what did they eat?

Back 26

they also built irrigation systems to take advantage of the rivers that flowed from the mountains. They had lots of crops: corn, beans, potatoes, etc - great diet with lots of variety - lots of fish from the Pac ocean

Front 27

Where the Moche people poor or wealthy? how do you know?

Back 27

wealthy - large tombs have been uncovered
- lots of jewelry has been found
- brilliant ceramic artists
- their pottery provided a lot of info about everyday life (no writing)

Front 28

what achievements did all 3 early SA cultures share? (the chavin, the Nazca and the Moche)

Back 28

- all very artistic - lots of pottery, textiles, carvings
- they all learned to survive the very harsh conditions of the Andes Mountains

Front 29

when did the first inhabitants reach Mesoamerica?

How did they reach America?

how far did they reach?

Back 29

-during the Ice Age, at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch, -during 40000 to 10,000 BC
-came from Asia

- they crossed over Beringea when the sea levels where lower (before all the glaciers melted)
-reached all the way to Tierra de Fuego and Southern Chile

Front 30

describe how these 1st people who came to America lived during the Pleistocene Era?

Back 30

-tools made out of stone -"stone tool technology"
-hunters/gatherers - used stone tools to hunt huge mammoths
-called "mammoth hunting CLOVIS culture"

Front 31

what happened at the end of the Plesitocene Era to the Paleoinmdian people? (9000BC) Postpleistone time

Back 31

-the environment drastically changed as the ice melted and flooding ocurred. The Beringea bridge was covered.
- mammoths and other species became extint
-vegetation changed
-people had to find another way to live-
end of mammoths-> lead to reliance on plants for food--->domestication of food plants--->start of farming

Front 32

what is Domestication?

when did it happen in Mesoamerica?

Back 32

-when wild plants are adapted to be grown in crops
- significant advance in history - eventually led to village lifestyle (civilization)
-start of agriculture - had lots of crops (maize, beans, squash, etc)

- during 8000 to 2000 BC - Archaic Period

Front 33

most important crop in Mesoamerica. why?
what did they do to make it more nutritious?

Back 33

maize b/c high nutritional content and there weren't many animals domesticated at the time (only turkeys and dogs were available)
-diet: maize and beans
- they soaked them in water with lime to increase their aminoacids

Front 34

huacas

Back 34

-ancient adobe structures made out of mud
-made by the Moche people in Peru
-used to bury people with precious stones and artifacts
- since the 1500s looters have invaded these and stolen artifacts from them

Front 35

huaquero

Back 35

grave robbers

Front 36

did the moche people have a writing system?

Back 36

no - everything we know about them has come from pottery and artifacts

Front 37

why did the Moche build pyramids?

Back 37

the Moche did not design their pyramids and platforms as mausoleums, but to serve as religious enclaves and administrative centers. Only at a ruler’s passing was a chamber carved out to accommodate his body—almost as an afterthought.

Front 38

who built the platform at Chipan?

Back 38

the Moches

Front 39

where did each of the early civilizations live?

Back 39

1)OLMECS - San Lorenzo and La Venta (Mexico)
2)Zapotecs - OAXACA Valley (Mexico)
3)Chavin - Northern mountains of Peru
4)Nazca - southern coast of Peru
5)Moche - northern coastof Peru

Front 40

order of civilizations

Back 40

1) OLMECS
2) ZAPOTECS
3)CHAVIN
4)NAZCA
5)MOCHE

Front 41

main characteristics and Accomplishments of Each civilization

Back 41

- see printed chart