Lecture 25:
Civilizations of the Western Hemisphere
•
•
Topics:
•
Before 1000 CE
Questions:
•
What conditions shaped human societies in the Western
Hemisphere? (see today’s readings!)
•
•
•
Where and when did the first civilizations emerge?
How do they compare with the ancient empires of Eurasia?
What characterized Maya civilization? What led to its
collapse?
Humans and the Environment
12,000 BCE
Humans cross landbridge to Western Hemisphere
8500 BCE
Domestication of beans & peppers (& tubers) in Andes
7000 BCE
Extinction of larger animal species
5500-2000 BCE
Villages & regional centers in coastal Andes
4200 BCE
Domestication of camelids in Andes
3000 BCE
Domestication of cotton in Andes
2000-1500 BCE
Agriculture in Mesoamerica
by 1600 BCE
Villages, regional centers, pottery throughout Mesoamerica
Early Andean Civilizations
•
•
•
•
•
Flexible exploitation of coast, river, & mountains
Large-scale ceremonial architecture
•
•
Along coast after 2800 BCE
Lake Titicaca region after 1000 BCE
Regional organization around Chavin, 500-200 BCE
200 BCE - 600 CE: Early civilizations
600-1250 CE: Huari Empire & Chimu Kingdom
No writing
Ceramic from Moche
(ca. 300-700 CE)
Tiwanaku
•
•
•
•
•
Large, planned capital (pop. 30,000-60,000)
Monumental architecture
Raised-field agriculture
Camelid herding
Distinctive, sophisticated pottery
No writing
100-1000 CE
Mesoamerica
The Olmec
•
•
•
•
•
•
(1350-400 BCE)
Large regional centers (four known, incl. La Venta)
Monumental architecture
Mobilization of labor
Social stratification (aristocracy)
Long-distance trade (jade, obsidian, cacao, concave mirrors)
Sophisticated art (sculpture, jewelry=craftsmanship)
600-250 BCE
complex regional societies
emerge beyond Olmec heartland
250 BCE - 250 CE
population increase in Basin of Mexico,
Oaxaca Valley, and Maya Lowlands
“Preclassic” Maya civilization
Teotihuacan
Religious, economic, political center
200 BCE
2,000 ppl
Political & military domination of neighboring regions
100 CE
60,000
550 CE
125,000
Supported by trade & raised-field or irrigation agriculture
Zapotecs:
dominate Oaxaca Valley from Monte Alban
The Maya
“Grand Plaza” at Tikal
Pop. 80,000 in 750 CE
Maya Empire
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Water storage & wetland agriculture
Religiously sanctioned aristocracy
Monumental architecture
•
•
Temples & palaces
Fortifications
Specialized craftsmen
Administrators
Long-distance trade
Military organization
Maya Civilization
Jade vessel
Carved door lintel
Mural from Bonampak
Vase painting
Maya Glyphs
Flourished 250-900 CE
Logographic + phonetic = Syllabic
Sculpture, Painting, Books
Aristocratic inscriptions
No administrative or economic records
Elaborate calendrical
system
+
Zero-based calendar
(base date = 3114 BCE)
Inscription about Smoking Frog of Tikal, 416 CE
Decline of Maya Civilization
•
•
•
•
Elite (non-productive) grows from 5% to 25% of population
•
•
•
Demand for luxuries = long-distance trade & specialized artisans
Petty wars between cities and regions
Monumental construction projects
Too many people working land too intensively
Malnutrition increases morbidity
840 CE: long-term drought triggers massive collapse
Population decreases by 85%
Internal collapse:
Overextend beyond agricultural base