potlatch
Northwest coast tribes of north america in a ceremonial event in which families displayed their rank and prosperity by giving food, drink, and gifts to the community.
Hohokam
Successful farmers of the southwest (central Arizona); used irrigation to produce harvests of corn, beans, and squash; use of pottery instead of baskets, as well as certain religious rituals showed contact with southern Mesoamerican people
Anasazi
Native American group that lived in the Four Corners region (where Utah, arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico meet) of the U.S. and built impressive cliff dwellings.
pueblos
A village of large apartment-like buildings made of clay and stone, built by the Anasazi and later peoples of the American Southwest.
Pueblo Bonito
Largest Anasazi pueblo; begun around A.D. 900; name means "Beautiful Village"; construction required a high degree of social organization and inventiveness; Anasazi relied on human labor to build; mudlike mortar was used to construct the walls up to five
Mississippian
The last mound builder culture that lasted between AD 800-1500s. These people created thriving villages based on farming and trade. Located in a crossroads region between east and west. The leading city was Cahokia which had about 30,000 people. They had
Iroquois
A term which designates a confederacy of 5 tribes originally inhabiting the northern part of New York state, consisting of the SENECA, CAYUGA, ONEIDA, ONONDAGA and MOHAWK.
Iroquois women
Iroquois society was matrilineal. This means that all Iroquois traced their descent through their female ancestors. Clans of the mother controlled property, held ceremonies, and determined official titles.
totems
A natural object with which an individual, clan, or group identifies itself. The totem was used as a symbol of the unity of a group or clan. Images of ancestors or animals often carved onto tall poles by native american tribes of the pacific northwest.
Tikal
A spectacular Maya city which was a major center in northern Guatemala (South American).
Maya Cities
Each of them were an independent city-state, ruled by a god-king and serving as a center for religious ceremonies and trade. Maya cities had giant pyramids, temples, palaces and elaborate stone carvings dedicated to the gods and to important rules. Also b
Maya Religion
Shaped Maya life. They believed in many gods, good, bad and both. They prayed and made offerings of food, flowers and incense. They also cut their bodies an offed their own blood. They even carried out human sacrifice, usually of captured enemies.
Cenote
A deep sinkhole lake at Chichen Itza where the Maya threw captives along with gold, jade and other offerings. They believed that human sacrifice pleased the gods and kept the world in balance.
Math and Religion
Maya religious beliefs led to the development of the calendar, mathematics, and astronomy. Their astronomers and mathematicians calculated the year at 365.2420 days. Only .0002 of a day short of the figure generally accepted today!
glyphs
Maya writing consisted of 800 of these. Hieroglyphic symbols, stood for whole words, and others represented syllables. The most advanced writing system in the ancient Americas.
codex
A type of bark-paper book that the Maya kept written records in
Popol Vuh
The most famous of the Maya books that recounts the Highland Maya's version of the story of creation.
Maya Decline
1.Many physical and human resources funneled into religious activities.
2. Warfare disrupted trade and produced economic hardship.
3. Population growth and over-farming may have damaged the environment, and led to food shortages, famine, and disease.
valley of mexico
central Mexico; ideal because it had fertile soil, many shallow lakes; became site of Aztec empire; first civilizations to develop here were the Teotihuacan and Toletec
Quetzalcoatl
The Feathered Serpent - A god for many ancient Mexican civilizations Legend had it that the god crossed the sea on a raft of snakes. He would return one day, bringing a new reign of light and peace.
obsidian
Green or black volcanic glass found in the Valley of Mexico and used to make razor-sharp weapons. A valuable trade item.
The Aztec Empire
The Aztecs, or Mexica, were a small group of people who migrated into the Valley of Mexico from the north, establishing Tenochtitl�n as their capital around 1400 B.C.
This economy was supported by various craft specialists and surplus agricultural product
Triple Alliance
the alliance between the Aztecs and two other city- states: Texcoco and Tlacopan. The alliance was formed in 1428. It soon became the leading power and eventually gained control over the neighboring city- states. By the early sixteenth century, the allian
Aztec Society
class structure - emperor, nobles (military leaders, government officials and priests), peasants, (traders, artisans, warriors), slaves.
Tenochtitlan
Wealthy capital of the Aztec empire. This city had a population of between 200,000 and 400,000 in the early 1500s making it larger than London or any other European capital of the time.
Aztec Religion
Worshipped the sun; gold was considered the "sweat of the sun". Practiced human sacrifice to make sure the sun would rise. Each year, thousands of victims were led to the altar atop the Great Temple, where priests carved out their hearts using obsidian kn
Huitzilopochtli
The Aztecs believed that this chief god (Sun god) required human blood for survival.
Montezuma II
Was crowned emperor in 1502. Under him, the Aztecs began to weaken. He demanded even more tribute and human sacrifice from his people, causing many provinces (of the Triple Alliance) to protest; a period of resentment and rebellion followed.
Aztec decline
1. Many physical and human resources funneled into religious activities
2. Need for prisoners changes warfare style to less deadly and less aggressive.
3. Tribute states are rebellious and need t obe controlled.
Spanish arrival
These fair-skinned, bearded strangers from across the sea brought to mind the legend of the return of the god Quetzalcoatl..
Aztec Calendar
2 calendars:
-365 day calendar (daily life)
-260 day calendar (sacred life)
The Inca Empire
-Largest empire
-Lived in the valleys of the andes mountains
-Capital is Cuzco
-Live on mountain
- Rainforest inhabited by different group of people
-Had least amount of Human Sacrafice
Incan ruler
Descended from the sun god, Inti, only men from one of 11 noble lineages believed to be descentants of the sun god could be selected as Incan leaders.
Pachacuti
His name means 'World Transformer" or "Earthshaker" - most powerful ruler in Inca history - became emperor about 1438 - period of greatest expansion, also rebuilt Inca capital at Cuzco - responsible for government reforms like sending government officials
ayllu
the extended family group that undertook tasks too big for a single family. The Incan social system is based on it. The tasks performed included building irrigation canals or cutting agricultural terraces into steep hillsides, and stored food and other su
mita
in the Incan empire, the requirement that all able-bodied subjects work for the state a certain number of days each year.
Incan government
a form of Socialism (emphasized on equal service and government providing assistance to all)
quipu
system of knotted strings utilized by the Incas in place of a writing system; could contain numerical and other types of information for censuses and financial records.
Inca religion
had rituals, had priests, people throughout the empire were allowed to worship local gods, but the sun god, Inti, was the most important. Believed kings were related to the sun god. Mummies of dead kings were kept in cuzco and worshipped. Had temples. Sac
Inti
Sun god of the Incas who believed he was the parent and they were children of the sun.
Inca decline
1. Many physical and human resources funneled into religious activities.
2. Enemy could also use the 14,000 miles of roads to move troops.
3. People struggled to care for themselves with the elimination of the welfare state.