The document discusses the development of early civilizations in the Americas. It focuses on the factors that enabled complex social institutions to form, such as organized religion and education. Specifically, it examines the domestication of animals and plants like maize, and the agricultural techniques used by civilizations like the Aztecs and Incas to cultivate crops. It describes how maize was a central part of rituals, ceremonies and cuisine for many indigenous groups.

1. The
Birth
of
Civiliza0on
[?]
•
Henry
Lesperance
Alvarez.

2. The
Cradles
of
Civiliza0ons
• What
allowed
the
development
of
complex
social
ins0tu0ons
such
as
organized
religion
and
educa0on?
• In
other
words,
what
factors
enabled
the
forma0on
of
these
early
civiliza0ons?
2

3. Codice
Florenitno

4. Turkey
4

5. Domes0cated
Animals
in
Mesoamerica
Xoloitzcuintle
5

6. 6

7. Domes0cated
Animals
in
South
America
7

8. 8

9. Domes0ca0on
of
Plants
Agricultural
techniques
used
by
civiliza0ons
In
the
Americas:
The
Aztecs
Empire
(Mesoamerica):
Chinampas
The
Incas
Empire
(Andean
Region):
Terrazas
o
Andenes
para
el
cul0vo
en
laderas
9

10. Aztec
Farming
• They
farmed
on
raised
fields,
or
chinampas,
created
by
piling
earth
over
the
natural
growing
surface,
as
a
way
of
reclaiming
swampland
for
cul0va0on.

12. Chinampas
12

13. Farming
(Andean
Region)
13

14. 14

15. 15

16. 16

17. 17

18. 18

19. 19

20. 20

23. El
Maiz
23

25. El
Metate
25

26. El
Comal

27. 27

28.
Tamales

29. El
Maiz
y
Los
Aztecas
29

30. 30

31. The
Aztecs
and
Quetzalcoatl
• The
Aztec
believed
that
their
hero-­‐god
Quetzalcoatl
(for
the
Mayas
Kukulcan),
who
created
humanity
with
his
own
blood,
turned
himself
into
an
ant
so
he
was
able
to
steal
a
single
grain
of
maize
that
the
ants
had
hidden
inside
a
mountain;
This
he
gave
to
the
humans
so
that
they
might
be
nourished.
31

32. Quetzalcoatl

33. 33

34. The
Corn
People
• Corn
spread
a
culture
that
extended
along
of
what
today
is
the
U.S.
highway
10,
into
the
eastern
half
of
the
United
States.
Eventually
becoming
a
staple
throughout
much
of
North
America.
(Occupied
America,
Rudolfo
Acuña)
34

35. Corn
is
a
Central
part
of
the
Navajo,
Apache
Hopi,
Acoma,
Laguna,
and
Isleta
Pueblos.
The
Navajo
and
Apache
have
used
corn
pollen
in
daily
prayers
to
cure
illness,
and
during
puberty
and
marriage
ceremonies.
35

36. Precolumbian
Cuisine

39. Plants
in
Mesoamerica

42. Cocoa

44. Manioc
44

45. The
Inca
Empire
45

46. 46