History Presentation

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What were the most significant characteristics of Olmec and other pre-Aztec Central American societies?

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Pre-Aztec Central American societies

There were many pre-Aztec people/societies that existed in Central America such as:

Olmec (c 1750-400 BCE)

Maya (c 200-850 CE)

Mixtec & Zapotec Toltec (c 900-1250 CE)

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Agricultural-based Economy

c 15000-13000 BCE Small hunting and gathering tribes migrated to North America.

Within a few thousand years people had spread to the southern-most tip of South America.

c 8000 BCE Food became scarce due to climate change and over-hunting, forcing people to either fish and hunt smaller game or take up agriculture.

c 2000 BCE The bulk of the Mesoamerican economy rested on the cultivation of basic crops.

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Agricultural-based Economy

Basic produce cultivated by pre-Aztec Mesoamericans included:

Maize Chili peppers Squash Beans Avocados Tomatoes Gourds Possibly fruit trees


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Olmec Agriculture

One of the first cultivation techniques used by the Olmec people was milpa or slash-and-burn

Allowed farmers to grow enough produce to sustain large communities

Required large amounts of land

Exhausted the soil quickly leaving it infertile within 2-3 years

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Milpa / Slash-and-Burn

Olmec Agriculture

Small manmade islands constructed around lakes and marshland

Provided constant supply of fresh water and soil to crops

Waterways allowed convenient transportation of produce by boat to and from market places

Irrigation and drainage of lakes also reduced the impact of flooding on crops and cities


Chinampas / Floating Gardens

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Mayan Agriculture

Many of the Maya lived in poorly drained areas

Manmade terraces allowed effective drainage

Terraces also collected sediment from the many rivers that flowed through the area

Trapped sediment from rivers and other waterways maintained soil fertility


Terraces

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Mayan Agriculture

In addition to the basic crops grown by most Mesoamericans, the Maya and some others also cultivated cacao and cotton

Cacao was considered a precious commodity and was sometimes even used as currency

Cotton was woven into valuable items of clothing

Both of these enhanced the strength of agricultural-based trade in Mesoamerica


Additional Produce

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Scientific Agriculture

In addition to the chinampas and terraces, civilisations such as the Olmec and Maya began to use science in order to more effectively cultivate crops. This was done by applying accurate knowledge of the seasons in order to devise effective yearly planting cycles.


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City-States and the Centrality of Religion

Sustainable agriculture lead to further population growth triggering

the development of large cities and

city-states centralised by

religion

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Olmec Cities

The three main Olmec cities

San Lorenzo (c 1200-800 BCE) La Venta (c 800-400 BCE) Tres Zapotes (c 400-100 BCE)

Were not true city-states but they were run religiously and centred around main religious pyramids and temples just as later city-states were


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Teotihuacán

Teotihuacán (c 200 BCE – 800 CE) was one of the largest and most successful city-states to have ever existed

At its peak it was estimated to have had a population of around 125, 000 – 250, 000 and to have covered over twelve square miles of land


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As it was a city-state its citizens were not only elites but those of the middle and sometimes lower classes

Its main focal points were two massive religious structures: the Pyramid of the Sun & the Pyramid of the Moon

The construction of the city was largely directed by priests and overseen by professional architects and sculptors

Teotihuacán contained a main thoroughfare – the Avenue of the Dead – many alleyways, a large marketplace, numerous temples and residential buildings


Teotihuacán

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Teotihuacán

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Pyramid of the Sun

Pyramid of the Moon

Marketplace

Temples and residential blocks

Main thoroughfare

Hierarchical order, social classes and gendered labour division

Strict hierarchical structure and social classes were established in order to manage large city-states such as Teotihuacán

As with most civilisations there were upper, middle and lower classes

Within these classes there was clear-cut labour division between men and women

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Upper Classes / Elites

The upper classes in Mesoamerican city-states were known as elites

They consisted mainly of kings, ruling families and hereditary nobles, as well as ‘political’ merchants who originated largely from the nobles and ruling families

Elites generally held the most power, owned the most land and were wealthier and healthier than most people of other classes


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Middle Class The middle class consisted of

priests, warriors, architects, sculptors and specialised artisans

Priests were highly educated and ruled the middle classes

Professional architects and sculptors oversaw the construction of buildings and monuments

Specialised artisans created valuable items of clothing, pottery and jewellery for the upper classes


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Lower Class

The lower class consisted mainly of farmers, peasants and slaves

These were the people who supplied food and other produce for the city and its economy as well as the bulk of labour required to construct buildings and maintain farmland


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Division of Labour

Within the classes, among the lower and middle classes in particular, there existed gendered labour division

Households often had separate work areas where women would prepare food and sometimes make pottery and where men would craft weapons and hunting equipment

This clearly suggests that the role of women in Mesoamerica at the time was to cook for and look after their families while the men were hunters or warriors


Smith, ME & Masson, MA, The ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica: a reader, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 2000, p. 36.

Mathematics, Astronomy & Writing

One of the most defining characteristics of pre-Aztec Mesoamerican culture was the intense study and advanced application of mathematics and astronomy

These two subjects were studied mostly by highly educated priests and mainly for religious and divining purposes


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Many have suspected that the Maya were responsible for the first concept and representation of zero, however, there was evidence of its use by the Olmecs before them

Zero was significant as it allowed the use of large numbers and made it possible to work with difficult calculations

The Olmecs also devised the beginnings of a writing system as well as an astrologically based calendar


Mathematics, Astronomy & WritingThe Olmecs

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While the Maya were not the first to study Maths and Astronomy, they certainly did improve upon it

The Maya created a system of writing that was more advanced that that used by the Aztecs

They also created an extremely accurate calendar that was even more precise than any calendar system used by Europeans at the time


Mathematics, Astronomy & WritingThe Maya

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The Mayan writing system was one of, if not, the most advanced writing systems used in Mesoamerica in pre-Aztec and Aztec times

This was due to the fact that its hieroglyphs were both ideographic and phonetic

Mayan hieroglyphs also became more phonetic over time


Mathematics, Astronomy & WritingThe Maya – Mayan Writing

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Mayan calendar was one of the most accurate calendars in existence until about the 17th century CE

Based on a 365 day solar year and a 260 day ritual year which were repeated and renewed in fifty-two year cycles


Mathematics, Astronomy & WritingThe Maya – Mayan Calendar

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Neolithic Technology Despite advanced knowledge of

math, astronomy and written language, pre-Aztec technology was relatively neolithic

The wheel was used in things like pottery but not used in any methods of transport or agriculture

Some metals were utilised but only decoratively and not in any practical way e.g. to make weapons or tools

Most tools and weapons at the time were either made of obsidian and other types of stone and sometimes animal bone


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Mesoamerican Engineering

Neolithic tools and transport without the wheel did not seem to stop Mesoamericans from achieving amazing feats of engineering

They managed to transport huge blocks of stone and other materials across water on rafts

They then manoeuvred these objects into position using clever engineering devices in order to build solid stone structures up to 230ft high

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What were the most significant characteristics of Olmec and other pre-

Aztec Central American societies?

Scientific agriculture and an agriculturally-based economy

Large religiously centralised cities and city-states Strict social stratification and gendered labour division Advanced use of mathematics, astronomy and written

language The use of neolithic technology and the creation of

engineering marvels

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History Presentation

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Transcript of History Presentation