THE CHRONOLOGY OF ANCIENT AND CLASSICAL AMERICAS

13,000 BCE / Earliest migration of humans from Asia in small, hunting-gathering nomadic bands
9,500 BCE / Humans reach southern South America; first evidence of permanent settlements in Chile, Mexico
9000 – 7000 BCE / Clovis, Folsom spear points appear in North America; mass extinctions of large mammals
4000 BCE / Maize domesticated in Central Mexico; animism begins to give way to deities of fertility, climate
3000 BCE / Agricultural villages growing chilis, beans, avocados, squash common in Mesoamerica
3000 – 1500 BCE / Evidence of cotton cultivation, metallurgy, ceramics in Mesoamerica; deities of craft, trades develop
2500 – 2000 BCE / Potatoes, beans, squash, maize, cotton, peanuts, sweet potatoes grown in Peru; irrigation in dry, coastal valleys
1700 BCE / Agriculture is the dominant form of economy in Central Mexico; development of pottery, cloth, artifacts
1500 – 800 BCE / Olmec civilization; ceremonial cities of priests, elites who rule tropical farmers; extensive trade over region
Mesoamerican religion polytheist, hierarchical; gods often in animal form; human sacrifice to appease gods
1200 – 900 BCE / San Lorenzo (Olmec capital): earthen mounds, palaces, temples; authoritarian state, many local chiefdoms
Olmec society favored artisans, art of snarling jaguars, animal humans, large basalt heads, jade figures
900 BCE / Olmec society, trade spread advanced culture to Mayans of Yucatan, Monte Albans of Oaxaca
850 – 250 BCE / Chavin cult in Peru: irrigated agriculture in valleys grow corn; cities = religious centers; worship of corn god
1 – 650 CE / Teotihuacan flourishes in Central Mexico: ruled by elite of powerful nobles; influence due to trade, artifacts
200 – 500 CE / Nazca culture in Peru produces monumental earth sculptures, purpose unknown
200 – 700 CE / Mohica culture in Peru: militaristic society, rulers, warrior priests rule maize farmers, fishermen, craftsmen
Vast irrigation, temples; traded cotton, textiles; first mastery of metallurgy
200 – 1300 CE / Anasazi culture in US Southwest; pueblos, cliff cities; wide irrigation projects, vast trade networks
300 – 900 CE / Mayan civilization: city-states ruled by priests, aristocratic families; constant warfare over trade, prestige
Mayan religion was polytheistic with many gods, five hells, thirteen different heavens, human sacrifice
Mayan classical script to record statistics, events, inventories; symbols ideographic, phonetic; many books
300 – 900 CE / Tiwanaku culture around Lake Titicaca, Bolivia: copper working, trade center; important shrines
4th Century CE / Mayans build terraces to trap silt, produces agricultural surpluses; intricate calendars, hieroglyphic script
600 – 800 CE / Tikal dominant Mayan city: paved plazas, pyramids, public buildings; city population near 40,000
750 CE / Collapse of Teotihuacan: exploitation of commoners led to revolt; drought cycles destroys crops
800 – 1300 CE / Mississippian culture: cities, mound temples; agriculture, hunting, trade network; elaborate earthen tombs
900 CE / Chichen Itza ends Mayan wars of sacrifice, integrates Mayans into state; creates loose empire
900 – 1465 CE / Chimu in Peru: Chan-Chan capital of aristocrats; each palace became burial place for ruler, old wealth to
support temples to dead; this split inheritance led to constant wars to acquire lands; roads link empire
900 – 1200 CE / Toltec Empire in Central Mexico: Capital Tula; large army, fortresses, campaigns create tribute empire
Quetzalcoatl: Toltec hero favoring people, driven from power; becomes feathered serpent god of crafts
950 – 1000 CE / Tula conquers Chichen Itza; overworking of land, drought cause collapse of classical Mayan civilization
1000 – 1450 CE / Imperial Mayan culture; chief worship pf benevolent god Kukulcan (Queztalcoatl)
800 – 1500 CE / Iroquois in New York: farm corn, live in fortified villages; women led society; men responsible for wide world
1150 CE / Toltecs fall to migration of nomads called Chichimecs; nomads came from Northern Mexico, New Mexico
1200 – 1441 CE / Mayan culture developed ruling class of warriors; city of Mayapan conquered, ruled all of Yucatan
c. 1250 CE / Aztecs arrive in Central Valley of Mexico; brutality led to war; success in war way to raise social status
Aztecs share Mesoamerican religion including calendar, ball court, ritual bloodletting; priests read omens
1345 CE / Aztecs build Tenochitlan on island; build floating agricultural islands (chinampas), seven yearly harvests
1350 CE / Inca established in Peruvian city of Cuzco; wealth, goods regulated by state; strong social relief system
Inca religion centered around creator sun god Viracocha; strong ideas of sin, heaven, hell and forgiveness
14th Century CE / Aztecs ruled by elected, non-divine monarch, aristocratic families, priests;
Local power exercised through clans; nobles assist emperor as officials, merchants, diplomats
1434 CE / Aztecs form Triple Alliance of cities in order to exact tribute, force trade; tribute given to merchants to trade
No Aztec bureaucracy, emperor rules through native elites; no permanent army; all males serve in army
1438 CE / Incas dominate Central Peruvian highlands; Incan ruler was absolute monarchy, supported by royal spies
People divided into ten classes according to age and type of work to be done; all people paid taxes of service
Incas never developed market economy; no opportunity for merchants; craftsmen rare; state exchanges goods
1440 CE / Aztecs conquer Oaxaca: establish Aztec colonies to control distant areas, populations
c. 1450 CE / Collapse of Mayapan; civil war in Yucatan between city-states, rapid decline of Mayan culture
15th Century CE / Aztec hierarchy dominated by military elite; free peasants, serfs work land for elite; domestic slaves
Patriarchal: women were homemakers, mothers, prominent in marketplaces; artisans, merchants are elite
15th Century CE / Inca empire linked by runners, roads, quipu; Incas formed administrative, military, merchant, religious elite
1493 – 1527 CE / Inca empire reaches height ruling Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia; Inca colonists settled amongst conquered