Chapter 9 by Panuddaporn & Siyang P3

The Americas:
A Separate World

Lesson 1: The Earliest Americans

Beringia used to connect the

American continents with Asia.

Siberian hunters followed wild animals

herds into North America.

Some experts believe that the earliest

Americans might have arrived at America
20,000 years ago.

Early Americans were all-time hunters.

In 10,000 B.C., the Ice Age ended and

Beringia disappeared.

Gradually, the earliest Americans

began to farm.

Agriculture brought a revolutionary

change to the peoples way of life.

Lesson 2: Early Mesoamerican Civilizations

The story of developed civilizations in

the Americas begins in a region called
Mesoamerica.

Mesoamericas first known civilization

builders were a people known as
the Olmec.

Around 1860, a worker uncovered an

extraordinary stone sculpture.

The Olmec emerge about 1200 B.C.

and thrived from approximately
800-400 B.C.

Gulf Coast seemed an unlikely place

for a high culture to take root.

But the salt, tar, fine clay, stone, river,

and floodplain from the river give
advantages to the Olmec.

At San Lorenzo, archaeologists

discovered earthen mounds,
courtyards, and pyramids.

To the east of San Lorenzo (La Venta),

researchers discovered a 100-foot-high
mound of earth and clay.

The Olmec appeared to have been a

prosperous people who directed a
large trading network throughout
Mesoamerica.

For reasons that are not fully

understood, Olmec civilization
eventually collapsed in 400 B.C.
while the Zapotec emerged.

The Oaxaca Valley was home to

various people, including the
Zapotec.

By 500 B.C., the Zapotec had

developed early forms of writing
and a calendar system.

The Zapotec built Monte Albn and by

200 B.C.; the prosperous city was
home to around 15,000 people.

By A.D. 600, the Zapotec declined

and collapsed-might have suffered
from economic difficulties.

Lesson 3: Early Civilizations of the Andes

While civilizations were emerging in

Mesoamerica, advanced societies
were independently developing in
South America.

The first South American civilizations

emerged in the north Andes region, in Peru.

The first settlement occurred in the

river valleys between the Andes
Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean.

The Chavin was the first influential

civilization and was South Americas
mother culture.

After the Chavin declined, the Nazca

emerged in 200 B.C.

Nazca is known for their extensive

irrigation system and beautiful textiles.

About A.D. 100 to A.D. 700, Moche

started to emerge.

Moche tombs uncovered in the recent

past have revealed a civilization with
enormous wealth.

Although the Moche never developed

a written language, their pottery
provides them a wealth.

Like Olmec and other civilizations,

Moches decline still be unclear.

The early American continents

remained a patchwork of
separate civilizations until further
intervention.

Sources
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To be continued...