# data[].attributes.body
Their location was on the Yucatan Peninsula. It was the size of Colorado or Great Britain. It had poor, infertile soil, and no large rivers. They built terraces to trap silt from small rivers. They were able to grow many things. This includes corn, beans, squash, and more. Instead of having one big empire, the Mayas organized themselves into small city-states. The largest one was Tikal, which had about 40,000 people.

# data[].attributes.body
The Aztecs (also known as the Mexica people) came from Northern Mexico to find a place to live. All of the desirable places were inhabited, so they settled in a small island in the middle of a lake. To build up food production the Aztecs created small floating islands of soil held by willow trees to grow food. In 1428, the Aztecs formed a triple alliance with two neighboring cities, they then conquered other cities. By 1500, the Aztecs had conquered the majority of Mesoamerica. They had at least 11 million people under their rule and at least 200,000 people in the capital of Tenochtitlan.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.entities[].name
Maya Discovery History Science Channel Documentary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Maya civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization developed by the Maya peoples, noted for the Maya hieroglyphic script, the only known fully developed writing system of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. The Maya civilization developed in an area that encompasses southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador.

# data[].attributes.body
The Mayans had many achievements. One being developing an elaborate and sophisticated writing system. This writing included pictographs and symbols. Mayan priests were very advanced in cosmology and mathematics. They invented 3 different calendars. One was a 365-day solar year calendar that was used for agricultural cycles. The second one was a 260-day ritual calendar that was used for daily activities. The third one was called the Long Count Calendar, and it recorded the large-scale passage of time. They calculated a solar year as 365.242 days, which is only 17 seconds shorter than what modern day astronomers have calculated. They also introduced the concept of zero.

# data[].attributes.body
- The Aztecs created the largest and most powerful empires in Mesoamerica.
- They built the capital city Tenochtitlan on the water so they were skilled engineers.
- They also created floating islands to farm on, which they called Chinampas
- Tenochtitlan was one of the biggest cities of the time with an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people.
- They had their own number system and a calendar.
- They had knowledge of medicine and could perform surgeries on people. They also knew the human anatomy very well (for religious sacrifice).
- They were the first to provide education for both male and female children.

# data[].attributes.body
There is very little evidence of monarchies in early Maya cities, but  the Classic period saw the rise of one king. His name was Janaab' Pakal l, or Pakal the Great. He ruled the late-city of Palenque. He became king at the age of 12, and ruled for 70 years. It is said that Pakal the Great descended from Muwaan Mat, also known as Lady Sak K'uk. Women were occasionally rulers of Palenque, including Lady Yohl Ik'nal and Lady Sak K'uk. Lady K'abal of Waka was given the moniker of kaloomte, meaning "supreme warlord". K'uk' Bahlam l was the founder of Palenque, and ruled it for only 4 years. In Copán, K’inich Yax K’uk Mo was ruler and founder in 426 CE. The founder of Classic Tikal was Yax Ehb Xook.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1502, Montezuma II surpassed his uncle  Ahuitzotl and became ruler of the Aztecs. The civilization had reached its greatest lengths, stretching all the way to Honduras and Nicaragua. But it was weakened by the resentment of some tribes within the empire. Montezuma II was the 9th ruler of the Aztecs and he was also the last. He was known for his pride and he was very religious. When Montezuma II died and Hernan Cortes was still in Tenochtitlan, Cuauhtemoc became emperor. When the city fell to the Spanish, famine and disease spread. Cuauhtemoc fled and was the last emperor of the Aztecs. Convinced that Cuauhtemoc was hiding gold, Cortes tortured and imprisoned him for 3 years. He then hanged Cuauhtemoc on an expedition to Honduras.
(the image below is of Montezuma)

# data[].attributes.body
One of the many Inca achievement are being a great engineer. They built a system of roads and bridges across the roughest terrains of the Andes. They had one of the most most advanced central economics, the Incas were able to secure ultimate manual labor.  They built more than 14,000 miles of paved road that connected cusco and  capital, to all corners of the empire. They create the quipus, its colorful strings and each string tells a story this helps them remember stuff. Time was a big deal for religious purpose so they created a calendar they called time markers or time maker. Incas were advanced on knowing how to create medicine. They accomplishes so many things because they were so smart and creative with just using their surroundings.

# data[].attributes.body
Mayan religion was characterized by the worship of nature gods, including gods of sun, rain, and corn. Other things they found to be important includes having priests, astronomy and astrology, rituals of human sacrifice, and the building of complex pyramidical temples. Their religion was mainly polytheistic. Some of their main gods include Itzamná; Kukulcán (Quetzalcóatl), Bolon Tzacab, and Chac. Some religious texts include books of Chilam Balam, Popol Vuh, and more. The Mayans adopted a game from the Olmecs. The object was to put a rubber ball through high ring without using your hands. Sometimes high-ranking captives were forced to play for their lives. The losers were sacrificed to the gods, and their heads were displayed on racks alongside some ball courts.

# data[].attributes.body
The Aztecs honored their soldiers greatly. The soldiers who came back were given nice clothes, and there was a council of the most successful warriors were the ones who chose the next ruler. Most people who weren't soldiers were people who worked on the land, or were slaves/domestic servants. Aztecs played a ball game that they got from the Olmec's and they also kept the same calendar. They believed that the gods set the world in motion through religious sacrifice, and they believed that human sacrifice would stop the world from destruction. They sacrificed prisoners of war to the god of war Huitzilopotchtli. They would cut open the person's chest and remove the still beating heart from their body. They would then put the heart into a ceremonial basin. There were also elite boys who would dedicate themselves to poetry, the highest art.
(god of war Huitzilopotchtil vvv)

# data[].attributes.body
The incas were first located in the Andes region during the 12th century A.D and slowly started to built a big kingdom through the military strength and emperors. The  Incas state has 12 million inhabitants from more than 100 different ethnic groups at its peak. According to some of their origin myths they were created by the sun god, Inti, who sent his son Manco Capac to Earth through the middle of three caves in the village of Paccari Tampu.

# data[].attributes.body
the Inca leader was  Pachacuti-Cusi Yupanqui, his name means "earth shaker". He was the one who created a small Inca kingdom into the famous empire. Known for creating macha pitcchu also for his many greatest achievements. Pachacuti extended across western South America from Quito in the north to Santiago in the south, making it the largest empire ever seen in the Americas. Inca kept list of their leaders  such as Thupa Inca Yupanqui (reign c. 1471-93 CE), and Wayna Qhapaq (the last pre-Hispanic ruler, reign c. 1493-1525 CE). The Incas called their rulers "Sapa", which meant "The Only One" and also "Apu", which meant "Divinity".

# data[].attributes.body
Every member was obliged to contribute with his labor as tribute and in exchange they received food, clothing, housing, education and health care security. The Inca economy did not use money as an exchange unit or markets to trade. However they did trade with other tribes outside their boundaries. Every unit of production was carefully planned and distributed where it was needed.  The Incas believed that the God Viracocha created the earth, stars, and all living things.They believed that he created the moon and the sun by plucking them from an island in Lake Titicaca. Inti, the god of sun was another important god. the Incas society was based on there social class, once they are born in a class its hard to get out of it.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1519, Hernan Cortes, the leader of some Spanish conquistadors, came to Tenochtitlan and were greeted by Montezuma II. He then captured Montezuma on November 14. In June, 1520, The Spanish that were living in Tenochtitlan were starving, and many of the Mexica's were plotting and attacking them. The people were enraged even more when Montezuma told them to stop attacking the Spanish. They threw stones and spears at him. Historians are unable to tell exactly how he died. Some say that he died of his wounds after his citizens attacked him. Others say that he survived his wounds but was killed when the Spanish realized he wasn't useful anymore. After Montezuma died, Cortes realized he couldn't regain control over the city. Many Aztecs were dying from diseases brought from Spain over to Tenochtitlan. So Cortes and his men tried to escape over night. A few months later the Spanish came and conquered the city for good.

# data[].attributes.headline
1) When Europeans arrived, they called these natives “savages.” Provide support to counter this Eurocentric view.

# data[].attributes.subject
1) When Europeans arrived, they called these natives “savages.” Provide support to counter this Eurocentric view.

# data[].attributes.body
The definition of savage is "a member of a people regarded as primitive and uncivilized". The natives were able to use the resources they had to build a civilization and survive. The Europeans only thought of the natives in this way because they were "different". The Europeans and the natives lived very different lives, because they both had to do whatever they could to survive.

# data[].attributes.headline
2) How do countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Peru celebrate their indigenous peoples past? (You may have to research a bit more for this)

# data[].attributes.subject
2) How do countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Peru celebrate their indigenous peoples past? (You may have to research a bit more for this)

# data[].attributes.body
In Mexico, they celebrate the Aztec leader with a festival. This festival includes dancing and playing instruments. The festival took place in Ixcateopan, Mexico to celebrate   Cuauhtemoc, the last Aztec leader. The festival takes place out the church that houses Cuauhtemoc's remains. Dancers burn candles and incense in his honor. In Peru, they have the Inti Raymi Festival. This is a feast of the Sun God and Mother Earth, which are the main gods of the Inca civilization. This festival is the most luxurious, large, and colorful celebration that is performed in Cusco.  In Guatemala, a lot of Mayan descendants are still living there today. They still celebrate the Mayan New Year through the Wayeb ceremonies.