The Olmecs and the Mayas

E. Napp

Objective: To identify and describe the accomplishments of the Olmecs and Mayas

Do Now: Multiple-choice questions from previous lessons

1. Which factor most influenced the development of diverse cultures in pre-Columbian South America?
(1) trade agreements
(2) geographic features
(3) imported religious ideas
(4) peasant revolts
2.The destruction of the rain forests in Latin America is primarily due to the
(1) diseases carried by insects
(2) wildfires occurring during dry seasons
(3) devastation caused by high winds during the tropical storm season
(4) demand for timber, farmland, and grazing land
3.Which geographic feature made it difficult to unify South America?
(1) Andes Mountains
(2) Straits of Magellan
(3) Gulf of Mexico
(4) Argentinian pampas / 4.The Panama Canal and Suez Canal are similar in that both
(1) shortened shipping routes between major bodies of water
(2) were built by the British to expand their empire
(3) replaced the Silk Road as the world’s main trade route
(4) directly connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
5.During the late 20th century, in which area did deforestation become a serious problem?
(1) Great European Plain
(2) Amazon Basin
(3) Deccan Plateau
(4) Great Rift Valley

Cornell Notes Outline: The Olmecs and the Mayas (Add Key Words and Summaries)

The Key Words: / The Notes:
  1. Early civilization in the Americas
  2. did not experience cultural diffusion from Asia, Africa, and Europe
1-geographic isolation
  1. several difficulties
1-absence of large animals for transportation
2-very limited use of writing
3-geographic factors within Americas (i.e. mountains, rain forests, etc.) limited contact among societies in the Americas
  1. Olmecs
  2. first civilization in Americas
  3. Atlantic coast of southern Mexico
  4. 1150 B.C.E. – 600 B.C.E.
  5. Accomplishments
1-maize
2-large sculptures of human heads
3-calendar
4-writing
  1. Mayas
  2. classical civilization of Americas
1-present-day Guatemala and Mexico
  1. 250 C.E. (A.D.) – 900 C.E.  classical period
  2. slash and burn farming in rain forests
  3. accomplishments
1-writing
2-astronomy
3-calendar
4-mathematical system
5-pyramids
E. abandoned cities around 900 C.E.
The Summaries:

Please read the passage below and answer the questions:

From about 250 A.D., the Mayas built a civilization in the area that is now Belize and parts of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico. First, the Mayas drained swamps. Then they irrigated their fields of corn, beans, and other plants. Next, they built cities. Cities in Europe were falling apart as Mayan cities grew into important religious and trade centers.

Mayan cities were mostly religious centers. A large, stone temple like pyramid stood in the middle of each city. Given that the Mayas had no carts with wheels or horses or oxen to move the heavy stones, the pyramids are quite a remarkable achievement. Mayan cities also became centers of trade. The Mayas traded with people in Mexico, over 600 miles away. Traders sold salt, honey, cotton, bird feathers, food and slaves.

The Mayas divided themselves into three groups. Rulers belonged in the top group. Warriors and priests belonged in the middle group. Artisans, merchants, peasants, and slaves belonged in the bottom groups. Slaves were individuals who broke the laws or had been captured in warfare. The Mayas lived in independent and separate city-states and frequently warred against one another.

The Mayas were very advanced. They studied astronomy and invented a calendar that had no mistakes in it. They also invented a mathematical system based on the number 20 and included the idea of zero. The Mayas also developed hieroglyphic writing. Archaeologists are still trying to decipher the writing of the Mayas. The Mayas abandoned their cities around 900 A.D. Though archaeologists do not know for certain why the Mayas abandoned their cities, it is possible that frequent warfare led to their decline.

Categories: / The Mayas:
Dates:
Location:
Agriculture:
Achievements:
Decline:
  1. What science studies the history of man by locating and analyzing artifacts?
(A)Linguistics
(B)Economics
(C)Sociology
(D)Archaeology
  1. One main reason that Early/Native Americans developed many different cultures was because of their different:
(A)Economic and political systems
(B)Religions and languages
(C)Climates and resources
(D)Farming techniques
  1. Where was the Mayan civilization located?
(A)Southern Mexico and Guatemala
(B)Central Mexico
(C)Peru
(D)Western Coast of South America
  1. Which of the following was an achievement of the Mayas?
(A)The pistol
(B)The calendar
(C)The ruler
(D)The compass
  1. The Olmecs
(A)Established the first complex society in Mesoamerica.
(B)Built ceremonial centers with pyramids and temples.
(C)Lived in areas where rubber trees flourished.
(D)All of the above. /
  1. The food that was the foundation of Maya society was
(A)Wheat
(B)Corn
(C)Meat
(D)Fish
  1. The works of the ______culture is among the earliest Mesoamerican art that has been found.
    (A) Aztecs
    (B) Olmecs
    (C) Mayas
    (D) Toltecs
  1. The Ice Age tribal hunters who migrated into the Americas came from ______.
    (A) Antarctica
    (B) Africa
(C) Asia
(D) Europe
  1. The ______culture is linked to temple-pyramids.
    (A) Toltec
    (B) Mayan
    (C) Chavín
(E)Inca
  1. Tikal is one of the most important sites of classic ______culture.
    (A) Olmec
(B) Mayan
(C) Aztec
(D) Moche