30,000 years ago, Native Americans came to America. There were hundreds of Native American cultures! To name a few tribes in America, there were the Pomo, Ute, Paiute, Shoshone, Chumash, Seminole, Massachuset, Inuit, Alcut, and Tlingit.
Aztecs
When the Aztecs first came to America, they were looking for a promised sign of an eagle sitting on a prickly pear cactus, eating a snake. They journeyed through deserts and steep mountains. When they found their new home, which was in a swamp, they named it Tenochtitlan, which means the place of the Prickly Pear Cactus.The Aztecs were nicknamed "Dog People" because of their barbarian ways. They got that name from the larger tribes in the area. The swamp and their floating gardens helped with farming. Chinampas (floating gardens) were built around their central city. These gardens allowed 1,000,000 people to live in the capital.
NOTE:
A floating garden is a narrow strip of land about 300 feet long and was 15 to 30 feet wide. They were surrounded by canals. They were kept in place by a system of roots and trees that were planted along the borders.
When Aztec boys were ten years old, they went to school to learn Aztec religion and History. Aztec commoners were required to pay taxes or tributes to the Aztec government and nobles controlled all other social classes. Slaves were the ones that carried goods for 250 miles so that merchants could sell them.
The Aztecs believed in sacrificing people because they though that they were the people who were destined to obey the god, which was the sun. To them, it was an obligation to help the community. They would willingly sacrifice themselves because it was honorable and they were promised a life with the god. Sometimes they sacrificed enemy warriors. 10,000 people were sacrificed when the Temple of the Sun was dedicated.
Ahuitzotl Sacrifice Hernando Cortés
NOTE:
A floating garden is a narrow strip of land about 300 feet long and was 15 to 30 feet wide. They were surrounded by canals. They were kept in place by a system of roots and trees that were planted along the borders.
When Aztec boys were ten years old, they went to school to learn Aztec religion and History. Aztec commoners were required to pay taxes or tributes to the Aztec government and nobles controlled all other social classes. Slaves were the ones that carried goods for 250 miles so that merchants could sell them.
The Aztecs believed in sacrificing people because they though that they were the people who were destined to obey the god, which was the sun. To them, it was an obligation to help the community. They would willingly sacrifice themselves because it was honorable and they were promised a life with the god. Sometimes they sacrificed enemy warriors. 10,000 people were sacrificed when the Temple of the Sun was dedicated.
Ahuitzotl Sacrifice Hernando Cortés
Ahuitzotl was one of the greatest rulers of the Aztec Empire. In the empire, there was a population of 25 million people (under Moctezuma). There were eight social classes of the Aztec Empire. They were: kings, nobles, priests, warriors, merchants, artisans, farmers, and slaves. It was located in Guatemala, Mexico. The population of the empire in Guatemala was about 10 million.
Hernando Cortés was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. Though Cortés was beginning to take over, the Aztecs did not immediately destroy the Spanish because they thought that Cortés was a god. The reason for that is that they thought he represented salvation. He communicated with the Aztecs by using his girlfriend, Malinche as a translator. The Spanish killed Moctezuma, who was an Aztec leader. When the Spanish left, the Aztecs lost 80% of their population to small pox.
The capital of Mexico, Mexico City is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan. Using a system of pumps and pipes, the Spanish sent the water from the swamps east to the Gulf of Mexico to drain the swamp. Though the swamp was drained, floating gardens still remain in the southern end of Mexico City. The people there still use them to cultivate their crops.
Hernando Cortés was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. Though Cortés was beginning to take over, the Aztecs did not immediately destroy the Spanish because they thought that Cortés was a god. The reason for that is that they thought he represented salvation. He communicated with the Aztecs by using his girlfriend, Malinche as a translator. The Spanish killed Moctezuma, who was an Aztec leader. When the Spanish left, the Aztecs lost 80% of their population to small pox.
The capital of Mexico, Mexico City is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan. Using a system of pumps and pipes, the Spanish sent the water from the swamps east to the Gulf of Mexico to drain the swamp. Though the swamp was drained, floating gardens still remain in the southern end of Mexico City. The people there still use them to cultivate their crops.
Mayans
The Mayan Empire was located in Guatemala and they came to power around the sixth century A.D. They were a group that excelled in pottery, hieroglyph writing, mathematics, and many more things. They lived in three areas: the Yucatan Peninsula, the Peten district of northern Guatemala, and Belize.
The Mayans built pyramids in Guatemala and Belize. The altar in Belize was used to sacrifice humans in the past and is still used to sacrifice animals today. The Mayan calendar did not show the end of the world but a change that will happen. They predicted that it would happen in December 21, 2012.
The Mayans also sacrificed people to their gods. They did it by picking a victim and tortured him/her. An example of that it that they would break their ribs, displace their jaw, or even cut off their hands before they killed him/her. They did that because they wanted to make them cry before sacrificing them. The victim was usually a 14 or 15 year old girl.
Mayan Pyramids Sacrifice
The Mayans built pyramids in Guatemala and Belize. The altar in Belize was used to sacrifice humans in the past and is still used to sacrifice animals today. The Mayan calendar did not show the end of the world but a change that will happen. They predicted that it would happen in December 21, 2012.
The Mayans also sacrificed people to their gods. They did it by picking a victim and tortured him/her. An example of that it that they would break their ribs, displace their jaw, or even cut off their hands before they killed him/her. They did that because they wanted to make them cry before sacrificing them. The victim was usually a 14 or 15 year old girl.
Mayan Pyramids Sacrifice
Incas
The Incas built a huge empire in South America. It covered Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Colombia. They lived in the Andes Mountain range, which gave them nickname, "Sky People".They chose to live there because they wanted to connect with their gods and have protection from their enemies.
The Incas built bridges and roads for their empire because it made traveling easier for everyone. In less than a century, they built over 14,000 miles of road. Some sections of the road were about 15 feet wide and others were steep. Suspension bridges were built using cables made of woven reed to over gorges in the mountains. When the empire expanded, the Incas built more bridges to connect the entire empire, making it easier to get from one point in the empire to another. Along with the bridges, they made levels in the mountains to enable the irrigation of crops. Their crops were grown on terraces which were cut into hillsides form the valleys into the slopes. This system carries around a million hectares through Peru. to make the canals, the Incas mixed juice from a cactus with clay to make a waterproof lining for the canal. Channels connected canals using stones to prevent the water from having a damaging effect. Water from the stream would then go through the wall into a stone trench.
The Incas also sacrificed people to their gods. Sometimes they would even sacrifice children by taking them to the top of the mountain to freeze to death. Before this they fed and took very good care of the children. They did it willingly and it wasn't as brutal as other sacrifices. The majority of sacrifices were animals such as llamas or guinea pigs.
Pizarro was a Catholic Spaniard who looked up to Cortés, who had successfully conquered the Aztecs. He was looking for Inca gold. Pizarro went to the Incas and they lot him in their kingdom and provided shelter for him. The Incas didn't know that Pizarro would do much damage. Pizarro told an Indian to tell the king that he'd be their friend and brother, making the Incas trust the Spanish. Pizarro kidnapped the Inca king and demanded high quantities of gold from the Incas. He said that the king would be released if the king converts to the Catholic religion. When he was being baptized, Pizarro killed him.
The Incas built bridges and roads for their empire because it made traveling easier for everyone. In less than a century, they built over 14,000 miles of road. Some sections of the road were about 15 feet wide and others were steep. Suspension bridges were built using cables made of woven reed to over gorges in the mountains. When the empire expanded, the Incas built more bridges to connect the entire empire, making it easier to get from one point in the empire to another. Along with the bridges, they made levels in the mountains to enable the irrigation of crops. Their crops were grown on terraces which were cut into hillsides form the valleys into the slopes. This system carries around a million hectares through Peru. to make the canals, the Incas mixed juice from a cactus with clay to make a waterproof lining for the canal. Channels connected canals using stones to prevent the water from having a damaging effect. Water from the stream would then go through the wall into a stone trench.
The Incas also sacrificed people to their gods. Sometimes they would even sacrifice children by taking them to the top of the mountain to freeze to death. Before this they fed and took very good care of the children. They did it willingly and it wasn't as brutal as other sacrifices. The majority of sacrifices were animals such as llamas or guinea pigs.
Pizarro was a Catholic Spaniard who looked up to Cortés, who had successfully conquered the Aztecs. He was looking for Inca gold. Pizarro went to the Incas and they lot him in their kingdom and provided shelter for him. The Incas didn't know that Pizarro would do much damage. Pizarro told an Indian to tell the king that he'd be their friend and brother, making the Incas trust the Spanish. Pizarro kidnapped the Inca king and demanded high quantities of gold from the Incas. He said that the king would be released if the king converts to the Catholic religion. When he was being baptized, Pizarro killed him.
Unit Question
How do all of your actions have a positive or negative reaction?
My actions have a positive and negative reaction because they may affect others and they may be bad or good for my community and others around me. My choices lead to my actions so if I make good choices, then I will have a positive reaction. There's not just positive outcomes or reactions but there's also negative reactions that are caused by bad decision making or bad choices. In my society, there are people that make excellent choices and there are people who make stupid choices. Everyone, no matter what choices they make can affect people. One person can make a really good decision and the whole community will benefit. Knowing this, I can make my family, community, and society better by making the right choices that will reflect who I am in a positive way instead of a negative way. This way I can encourage others to make make good decisions and set an example for them to follow.
My actions have a positive and negative reaction because they may affect others and they may be bad or good for my community and others around me. My choices lead to my actions so if I make good choices, then I will have a positive reaction. There's not just positive outcomes or reactions but there's also negative reactions that are caused by bad decision making or bad choices. In my society, there are people that make excellent choices and there are people who make stupid choices. Everyone, no matter what choices they make can affect people. One person can make a really good decision and the whole community will benefit. Knowing this, I can make my family, community, and society better by making the right choices that will reflect who I am in a positive way instead of a negative way. This way I can encourage others to make make good decisions and set an example for them to follow.