Highlands Ranch High School - Mr. Sedivy
Highlands Ranch, Colorado

World History - Prehistory
Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica
The development of the people in Mesoamerica was quite similar to Paleolithic and Neolithic humans in the eastern hemisphere.

These early people developed farming and herding, arts, religion, and they built temples. Trading developed. Some tribes became very wealthy and powerful. They were cut off from others, so they developed more slowly - about 1,000 years behind the eastern hemisphere peoples.

The first people came from Asia (Bering Strait) starting about 30,000 years ago. They came in several groups - whenever the land bridge was there, and spread out. Many moved south to Central and South America. As they scattered, they developed hundreds of cultures. By 1500 BC many lived in villages.

Mayan Carning In Serpentine Showing the god Tlaloc

Technology

1. Worked with metals (gold, silver, copper) - usually for ornaments.

2. Made tools and weapons from stone, wood, or bone.

3. Did not use bronze or iron.

4. Did not use the wheel for transportation.

Olmecs (Rubber People)
Gulf of Mexico, north of the Yucatan Peninsula

Accomplishments of the Olmecs

Tapped rubber trees for sap.

Used hieroglyphics that no one can figure out, so not much is known about them.

Used math. Used three symbols - a dot (one), a bar (5), and 0. Used zero long before anyone else to make calculations.

Observed, recorded and accurately predicted eclipses and orbits of planets. - Developed two calendars.

Religion

Ceremonial ball game. The Olmecs used elbows and hips to try to get a ball through a small ring on a wall. Some players were sacrificed at the end of the game.