Discussing the pre-existing cultures (pre-Columbus) and effects of Spanish settlement in South America and Mexico

1. Karin Ostermann

6. Major Pre-ColumbianMajor Pre-Columbian
CivilizationsCivilizations
Aztecs
Mayas
Incas

9. Early History
Most researchers
believed the first people
in South America
entered from the North
12,000 years ago.
The first settlers were
hunter-gatherers.
Farming began there
5,000 years ago.

10. 1500 B.C.E. – 1546 C.E.

11. Wheredid theancient Maya
live?
The Maya were concentrated on and around the
Yucatan Peninsula in central America.

12. 1. Location:
 Northern part
of Central
America, the
Yucatan
Peninsula
(Present day
Mexico and
Guatemala)

13. What did they do:
 writing and number systems
 use of zero
 accurate 365 day calendar
 art- flat topped pyramid,
palaces, and temples

14. Mayan GlyphsMayan Glyphs
MayanMayan
MathematicsMathematics
sky king house child citysky king house child city

15. The Maya created a set of numerals
Also developed a 365-day calendar

16. MayanMayan
DrinkingDrinking
Cup forCup for
ChocolateChocolate

17. WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM???
 warfare between neighbouring
tribes
 overpopulation  over-farming
 heavy taxes may have caused
peasant revolts

18. Mayatoday
…more than 2 million Maya people live in Guatemala
and southern Mexico today.

20. The Incas
The Inca founded South
America’s greatest early
civilization.
The Inca Empire stretched
from Ecuador to Chile.
They built paved roads,
suspension bridges, stone
buildings and terraced fields.
They were taken over by
Francisco Pizarro and the
Spanish in the 1530’s.

24. Uniting theEmpire
The Inca built a massive road network through
mountains and across rivers and gorges.

35. Incan Ceramic JarsIncan Ceramic Jars
PeanutPeanut PotatoPotato SquashSquash
Cacao GodCacao God Cacao PodCacao Pod

36. Inca Gold & SilverInca Gold & Silver

39. Fall of theInca
BUT ultimately, it was Spanish conquistadors led
by Francisco Pizarro that brought about the fall
of the Inca Empire.

42. 1200 CE – 1521 CE

44. Location:
 Central Valley of Mexico
 Tenochtitlan was the capital (now Mexico City)

46. Tenochtitlan: The “Venice”Tenochtitlan: The “Venice”
of the Americasof the Americas

49. Heart SacrificeHeart Sacrifice
on an Aztec Templeon an Aztec Temple
PyramidPyramid

50. Wall of Skulls,Wall of Skulls,
TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

51. Aztec MathAztec Math
Aztec WritingAztec Writing

52. Aztec GoldAztec Gold

53. Aztec Sun Stone --Aztec Sun Stone --
CalendarCalendar

56. What happened to theAztecs?
Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes
conquered Tenochtitlan and defeated the Aztecs
in 1521.

68. 1526

73. Spanish Settlement
in South America
The Spanish settle the
west side of the Continent
where the Inca had been.
1494 - The Portuguese
come and take the east
side.
disease leave only a
fraction of the Indians
there alive.
The Spanish spread from
Peru to Bolivia to Chile
and Paraguay and
Argentina.

74. What do the Spanish take?
The Spanish
begin latifundias
which were large
land estates.
The Spanish force
the Indians to
work for them.

75. Portuguese - 1494
The Portuguese begin
settlements along the east side
of South America.
They begin plantations to grow
brazilwood and sugarcane.
After the Indians die because of
disease, many plantation
owners brought African slaves
to work.
The Portuguese settlements
move inward and lead to
mineral discoveries and the
development of Sao Paolo and
Rio de Janiero.

82. Colonial Era and Independence
Most South
American
countries gained
their
independence
between 1810
and 1830.