Mesoamerica by Summer Sanders

Religion

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 16:35:38 UTC

The Olmecs believed in three tiers of existence: the physical realm they inhabitied, an underworld and a sky realm, home of most the gods. Their world was bound together by the four cardinal points and natural boundaries

Trade

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 16:47:40 UTC

The Olmecs traded with other surrounding civilizations, in order to get supplies not native to their homeland. Things such as cacao, feathers, crocodile and jaguar skins, salt, obsidian, basalt, and rare stones. Trading with traded with the Mokaya people, the Tlatilco culture, the Chalcatzingo culture, and the Nahua groups.

Agriculture

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 16:55:24 UTC

Most agriculture took place outside of the villages in fields cleared using slash-and-burn techniques. The Olmec grew crops such as maize, beans, squash, manioc, sweet potatoes, and cotton. They built aqueducts to transport water into their cities and irrigate their fields.

Religion

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 17:02:17 UTC

The Maya had a polytheistic religion, which means they worshipped many gods, including Itzam Na the (Creator God), Kinich Ahau (Sun God), Ah Puch (one of several death gods), and Buluc Chabtan (War God). They practiced animism, which is the belief that all things, including inanimate objects, had a soul. Blood was viewed as a potent source of nourishment for the Maya deities, and the sacrifice of a living creature was a powerful blood offering.

Engineering

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 17:06:25 UTC

The Maya at Tikal were masters of observation in many fields. As the engineers of the water management system monitored the seasonal patterns and amounts of rainfall, they accordingly created the system of water retention with large and small water basins. They were also gifted designers and architects who built grand structures including royal residences, galactic observatories, sanctuary pyramids, straight roads, and canals.

Agriculture

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 17:11:23 UTC

Farming was difficult in the Maya region. There were dense forests, little surface water such as rivers and lakes, and the soil was poor. They used basic stone tools and flint axes to clear vines. It was impossible to cut down an enormous tree so they would ring the tree with fire. Weeds were usually hoed with a flint knife soon after they germinated. The Mayans most commonly used a hoe for farming.

Achievements

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 17:14:08 UTC

The Aztec civilization is known for being the last of the great Mesoamerican cultures before the Europeans arrived. They built impressive temple-pyramids, used sophisticated techniques of agriculture, their eagle warriors built a great empire, and they made human sacrifices to their gods. They were Fearless warriors and pragmatic builders. Also, the most extensively documented of all Amerindian civilizations at the time of European contact in the 16th century.

Human sacrifice.

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 18:08:39 UTC

Human sacrifice was intended to pay back the debt that was formed when the gods let blood from themselves to create the world. The Aztecs believed that if they didn't sustain the sun with blood, the world would come to an end. It was kind of like feeding the gods.

Roles of Aztec Women

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 18:54:42 UTC

Women had a number of other professions in Aztec civilization, including priest, doctor, sorcerer. Women were often recognized in their civilization as professional weavers and crafters. Images in Aztec codices, ceramics and sculptures display the elaborate and colorful designs of Aztec weavers.

Religion

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 20:27:31 UTC

Mesoamerican religion is a complex syncretism of indigenous beliefs and the Christianity of early Roman Catholic missionaries. A hierarchy of indigenous supernatural beings (some benign, others not) have been reinterpreted as Christian deities and saints. The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican culture that developed in central Mexico from 1300 to 1521. They had a polytheistic religion, and believed in over 200 different gods and goddesses

Trade

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 20:30:35 UTC

Trade was important to early Mesoamerican civilizations for the same reason it is important to all civilizations throughout history. Specifically, resources tend to be scattered about. One region tends to lack what another region has, and therefore trade is often the only way to survive and thrive. Aztec merchants were called pochteca and they traveled all over Mesoamerica, carrying their goods on their backs. They walked through the empire and beyond, buying and selling luxury goods like turquoise, quetzal feathers, cacao, obsidian, and jade.

Agriculture

summersanders654 — 2024-02-06 20:35:31 UTC

People learned to choose fertile soils and river water to irrigate crops in the dry environment. Mesoamerica had steamy rainforests that covered some of this region and in some parts there were volcanoes. This made the soil very fertile.Prominent crops in Mesoamerica eventually included avocados, cacao, chili peppers, cotton, common beans, lima beans, corn, manioc, and tomatoes.