Guided Notes on the Early American Civilizations: Olmec, Maya, Aztec, & Inca

1. Early American
Civilizations
I can identify locations of the Early American
civilizations.

2. Early American Civilizations

3. Olmecs
O 1st Civilization of in Latin America
O Southern Mexico
O Very Skilled at Farming

4. • Built Stone Heads
• Worshipped Jaguars
• Cultural Hearth: place of origin
of a major culture

6. Mayans
O Lived in Southern Mexico from
1500 BC to 900
O Major cities
O Traded with other civ.
O Chocolate
O Salt
O Cotton

7. OGlyphs: carved symbols
used for writing
OAdvanced technology &
science
OLeft their cities around
900

8. Aztecs
ONorthern Mexico
O1300-1521
OEmpire: large area
amount of people
controlled by one
leader
OLeaders were seen as
gods

9. O Offered human sacrifices to
their gods
O Chinampas: island gardens
used for food & flowers

11. Incas
O Highlands of South
America
O Andes Mountains
O 1400-1533
O Machu Picchu: palace
in the sky

13. O Terrace Farming: cutting into the
mountains to make farm land

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