Official Start Time: 10:30 p.m.
Date: 11/5/08
Official End Time: 11:00 p.m.
Mesoamerican Culture: Looking Into The Past Through The Future
The postclassical era is distinguished best by the growth and expansion of nations such as those who inhabited the Mesoamerican area. Within this area (Mesoamerica) rose powerful empire that kept order while promoting cultural beliefs and movements that made them renowned around the world. The influence that these empire had on future generation of people to inhabit the area has been tremendous to the foundation that world history has today. The culture that the Aztecs, Incas, and Maya were able to establish created a scenario in which the cause of their empires collapse was not by the people who inhabit it, but by biological forces that they had no control over. The force of the epidemics that plagued the people of Mesoamerica left little chance of resistance against a growing global empire that would soon spread to engulf a world unaware of what laid ahead in the years to come.
The history of Mesoamerica dates back to 1200 B.C. through the Olmecs focused in San Lorenzo, Tenochtitlan and La Venta in Tabasco. The Olmecs were famous for the colossal heads found over most of southern Mexico. Although it is not sure what is the significance of the structures, it can be concluded that the heads may have represented past kings or athletes in Olmec Society. The Olmec Empire grew to 200,000 people and finally came to an end at the end of the 7th century but not without spreading their influence to future civilizations that would inhabit Mesoamerica.
The Mayan people were next on the list to inhabit Mesoamerica and spread their influence to future civilizations to come. Originating in Mesoamerica around 250 C.E. the Mayans were famous for their rich culture and large empire that spread across the continent. Innovation was fundamental in Mayan society making them a major influence to civilizations in the years to come. The Mayans were able to develop a calendar system consisting of 365 days, the number zero which today helps distinguish place values, the value of pi, and countless other achievements in the field of academics. What makes these developments so remarkable is that the Mayans had no previous example to base these developments upon. Over in the Middle East civilization such as the Umayyads and the Abbasids had the records of the Greeks to make advances in the field of science and math contrary to the Mayans who had no records from the Olmecs to fall on according to an online article written by Phillip Landmeier.
The Mayan empire by itself was remarkable in size and structure. Huge temples and altars dedicated to the gods infested Mesoamerica as the Mayan Empire grew. Religion was a major driving force in Mayan culture, maintaining order and providing reason to expand and flourish in such an isolated area. The fall of the empire finally came in around early 10th century due to overpopulation and the lack of resources in comparison to the number of mouths that had to be. What is peculiar about the fall of the Mayan empire is the fact that the people were not completely responsible. In comparison to civilizations of the classical era where the reason for the fall of the empire was the betrayal of the people, the fall of the Mayan Empire was more due to the lack of resources and expansion to the point where the empire collapsed on itself.
Soon after the fall of the Mayans came the rise of the Toltecs. The Toltecs were a group of nomadic people that settled down to establish the great city of Tula, a large city that today lays in ruins. The Toltecs were believed to have been the first heavy believers in Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent god that followed many Mesoamerican cultures in the years to come. The Toltecs were your basic Mesoamerican civilization being expert temple builders, very religious, and powerful in combat. Most Toltec history is known from record of years after the empires collapse. The reason is not evident but it may have something to do with a dark age that prolonged the documentation of these events for centuries. The disappearance of the Toltecs is as well a mystery. The legend has it that his evil brother, Tezcatlipoca tricked Quetzalcoatl, the current ruler at the time, into having sex with his own sister. Tezcatlipoca had done this to teach the people of Toltec to be grateful of their once so great ruler, Quetzalcoatl. Without a ruler the Toltecs faded away but not without leaving room for the rise of the Aztecs.
One of the last and best of the Mesoamerican cultures would be the Aztecs. Coming to power officially near the 12-13th century, the Aztecs have had the greatest influence on Mesoamerica and the early development of America itself. Rising as a nomadic group amongst Mesoamerica, the Aztecs flourished as a tributary state acquiring conquered territory across the continent making them a major driving force in the current history of Mexico and other Mesoamerican countries. The Aztecs were a very religious group of people, so religious that they would perform human sacrifices in honor of the gods to insure a pleasant tomorrow. Many view this ritual as barbaric, but it is a way of ideology in which you sacrifice what is most important to you to achieve the best results.
As the Aztecs grew so did the empire, flourishing in all different directions. Specialized workers, innovation, and improved forms of battle were just the first of many items on a list of Aztec advancements. Little stood in the way of the Aztecs and their empire held together by the calpulli. The calpulli kept unified an empire of more than 5 million people in which each division acted as their own city-states connected to one central point of congregation. However the fall of the Aztecs would come soon, but not by the betrayal of the people. The fall of the Aztecs would be by a force of uncontrollable destruction. The epidemic that hit the Aztecs left the population defenseless and would soon spread across Mesoamerica until the world saw the full wrath of this sleeping giant.
Similar to the Aztecs were the Incas. Although the Incas were further south they still remain to be a major link in the history of Mesoamerica. The Incas originate on the western coast of the South American continent and spread across the continent slowly and surely. The Incas were socialist that focused on unity within the community. The Incas were famous for the allyu and the community spirit that it sent across the empire. Something that made the Incas such a driving force was their method of split inheritance. Through split inheritance unity was maintained amongst the inhabitants of the empire and insured less chances of betrayal between leaders.
Just like the Aztecs the fall of the Incas was beyond their control. The coming of the “white man” in the 16th century laid ahead the eminent doom for most Mesoamerican civilizations. The Columbian Exchange brought with it to Mesoamerica and later on areas of South America more than life stock and crops never before seen in the area but disease that eliminated more than half of a nation. The level of the epidemic left few of the natives and would soon spread in the years to come areas across the globe. The fall of Aztec, Incas, and Maya was thus not by the betrayal of the people but by biological conditions that they had no control over. The scenario that these people were able to establish perfected the formula used by civilizations during the classical era in which order is kept in the empire and the fall of the empire is not by the betrayal of the people but by forces that there was no control over.
In conclusion, the culture that the Aztecs, Incas, and Maya were able to establish created a scenario in which the cause of their empires collapse was not by the people who inhabit it, but by biological forces that they had no control over. The force of the epidemics that plagued the people of Mesoamerica left little chance of resistance against a growing global empire that would soon spread to engulf a world unaware of what laid ahead in the years to come. The foundation that Mesoamerican civilizations have established amongst Mesoamerica and deep into America leaves unquestionable doubt as to where the world would be today if these civilizations had not created the building blocks for global empires like Europe to build upon.
Work Cited
All About Mexico, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.history.com/states.do?action=detail&state=All%20About%20Mexico&contentType=State_Generic&contentId=56669&parentId=MEXICO
Aztec History, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.crystalinks.com/aztechistory.html
Inca Civilization, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.crystalinks.com/incan.html
Mayan History, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
(http://www.crystalinks.com/mayanhistory.html
Mystery of the Mayan Collapse, Hodell, David & Lixey, Lisa M., Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://hurri.kean.edu/~anderson/lectures/History%20of%20Env%20Mgmt/Mystery%20of%20the%20Maya%20Collapse.ppt
Olmec Civilization, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
http://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html
The Ancient Maya, Landmeier, Phillip, Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.mayaparadise.com/mayabege.htm
The Exploit of Tezcatlipoca, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
http://www.amoxtli.org/cuezali/exploits.html
Toltec, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
http://www.amoxtli.org/cuezali/exploits.html
Toltec, (No Author available), Retrieve June 3, 2008 from http://www.crystalinks.com/mayanhistory.html
Sincerely, Hector Guzman
This was my final project sophomore year for my AP World History course. I absolutely loved the course and was fortunate enough to have a great instructor to teach the course. Mesoamerican culture has to be one of my favorite topics in world history along with the history of China and the movements made through Islam. The impact that this course and other elements in my life have had have motivated me to pursue a career in education with the hopes of one day inspiring future students to se the world the way that I do.
Date: 11/5/08
Official End Time: 11:00 p.m.
Mesoamerican Culture: Looking Into The Past Through The Future
The postclassical era is distinguished best by the growth and expansion of nations such as those who inhabited the Mesoamerican area. Within this area (Mesoamerica) rose powerful empire that kept order while promoting cultural beliefs and movements that made them renowned around the world. The influence that these empire had on future generation of people to inhabit the area has been tremendous to the foundation that world history has today. The culture that the Aztecs, Incas, and Maya were able to establish created a scenario in which the cause of their empires collapse was not by the people who inhabit it, but by biological forces that they had no control over. The force of the epidemics that plagued the people of Mesoamerica left little chance of resistance against a growing global empire that would soon spread to engulf a world unaware of what laid ahead in the years to come.
The history of Mesoamerica dates back to 1200 B.C. through the Olmecs focused in San Lorenzo, Tenochtitlan and La Venta in Tabasco. The Olmecs were famous for the colossal heads found over most of southern Mexico. Although it is not sure what is the significance of the structures, it can be concluded that the heads may have represented past kings or athletes in Olmec Society. The Olmec Empire grew to 200,000 people and finally came to an end at the end of the 7th century but not without spreading their influence to future civilizations that would inhabit Mesoamerica.
The Mayan people were next on the list to inhabit Mesoamerica and spread their influence to future civilizations to come. Originating in Mesoamerica around 250 C.E. the Mayans were famous for their rich culture and large empire that spread across the continent. Innovation was fundamental in Mayan society making them a major influence to civilizations in the years to come. The Mayans were able to develop a calendar system consisting of 365 days, the number zero which today helps distinguish place values, the value of pi, and countless other achievements in the field of academics. What makes these developments so remarkable is that the Mayans had no previous example to base these developments upon. Over in the Middle East civilization such as the Umayyads and the Abbasids had the records of the Greeks to make advances in the field of science and math contrary to the Mayans who had no records from the Olmecs to fall on according to an online article written by Phillip Landmeier.
The Mayan empire by itself was remarkable in size and structure. Huge temples and altars dedicated to the gods infested Mesoamerica as the Mayan Empire grew. Religion was a major driving force in Mayan culture, maintaining order and providing reason to expand and flourish in such an isolated area. The fall of the empire finally came in around early 10th century due to overpopulation and the lack of resources in comparison to the number of mouths that had to be. What is peculiar about the fall of the Mayan empire is the fact that the people were not completely responsible. In comparison to civilizations of the classical era where the reason for the fall of the empire was the betrayal of the people, the fall of the Mayan Empire was more due to the lack of resources and expansion to the point where the empire collapsed on itself.
Soon after the fall of the Mayans came the rise of the Toltecs. The Toltecs were a group of nomadic people that settled down to establish the great city of Tula, a large city that today lays in ruins. The Toltecs were believed to have been the first heavy believers in Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent god that followed many Mesoamerican cultures in the years to come. The Toltecs were your basic Mesoamerican civilization being expert temple builders, very religious, and powerful in combat. Most Toltec history is known from record of years after the empires collapse. The reason is not evident but it may have something to do with a dark age that prolonged the documentation of these events for centuries. The disappearance of the Toltecs is as well a mystery. The legend has it that his evil brother, Tezcatlipoca tricked Quetzalcoatl, the current ruler at the time, into having sex with his own sister. Tezcatlipoca had done this to teach the people of Toltec to be grateful of their once so great ruler, Quetzalcoatl. Without a ruler the Toltecs faded away but not without leaving room for the rise of the Aztecs.
One of the last and best of the Mesoamerican cultures would be the Aztecs. Coming to power officially near the 12-13th century, the Aztecs have had the greatest influence on Mesoamerica and the early development of America itself. Rising as a nomadic group amongst Mesoamerica, the Aztecs flourished as a tributary state acquiring conquered territory across the continent making them a major driving force in the current history of Mexico and other Mesoamerican countries. The Aztecs were a very religious group of people, so religious that they would perform human sacrifices in honor of the gods to insure a pleasant tomorrow. Many view this ritual as barbaric, but it is a way of ideology in which you sacrifice what is most important to you to achieve the best results.
As the Aztecs grew so did the empire, flourishing in all different directions. Specialized workers, innovation, and improved forms of battle were just the first of many items on a list of Aztec advancements. Little stood in the way of the Aztecs and their empire held together by the calpulli. The calpulli kept unified an empire of more than 5 million people in which each division acted as their own city-states connected to one central point of congregation. However the fall of the Aztecs would come soon, but not by the betrayal of the people. The fall of the Aztecs would be by a force of uncontrollable destruction. The epidemic that hit the Aztecs left the population defenseless and would soon spread across Mesoamerica until the world saw the full wrath of this sleeping giant.
Similar to the Aztecs were the Incas. Although the Incas were further south they still remain to be a major link in the history of Mesoamerica. The Incas originate on the western coast of the South American continent and spread across the continent slowly and surely. The Incas were socialist that focused on unity within the community. The Incas were famous for the allyu and the community spirit that it sent across the empire. Something that made the Incas such a driving force was their method of split inheritance. Through split inheritance unity was maintained amongst the inhabitants of the empire and insured less chances of betrayal between leaders.
Just like the Aztecs the fall of the Incas was beyond their control. The coming of the “white man” in the 16th century laid ahead the eminent doom for most Mesoamerican civilizations. The Columbian Exchange brought with it to Mesoamerica and later on areas of South America more than life stock and crops never before seen in the area but disease that eliminated more than half of a nation. The level of the epidemic left few of the natives and would soon spread in the years to come areas across the globe. The fall of Aztec, Incas, and Maya was thus not by the betrayal of the people but by biological conditions that they had no control over. The scenario that these people were able to establish perfected the formula used by civilizations during the classical era in which order is kept in the empire and the fall of the empire is not by the betrayal of the people but by forces that there was no control over.
In conclusion, the culture that the Aztecs, Incas, and Maya were able to establish created a scenario in which the cause of their empires collapse was not by the people who inhabit it, but by biological forces that they had no control over. The force of the epidemics that plagued the people of Mesoamerica left little chance of resistance against a growing global empire that would soon spread to engulf a world unaware of what laid ahead in the years to come. The foundation that Mesoamerican civilizations have established amongst Mesoamerica and deep into America leaves unquestionable doubt as to where the world would be today if these civilizations had not created the building blocks for global empires like Europe to build upon.
Work Cited
All About Mexico, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.history.com/states.do?action=detail&state=All%20About%20Mexico&contentType=State_Generic&contentId=56669&parentId=MEXICO
Aztec History, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.crystalinks.com/aztechistory.html
Inca Civilization, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.crystalinks.com/incan.html
Mayan History, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
(http://www.crystalinks.com/mayanhistory.html
Mystery of the Mayan Collapse, Hodell, David & Lixey, Lisa M., Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://hurri.kean.edu/~anderson/lectures/History%20of%20Env%20Mgmt/Mystery%20of%20the%20Maya%20Collapse.ppt
Olmec Civilization, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
http://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html
The Ancient Maya, Landmeier, Phillip, Retrieved June 3, 2008 from http://www.mayaparadise.com/mayabege.htm
The Exploit of Tezcatlipoca, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
http://www.amoxtli.org/cuezali/exploits.html
Toltec, (No Author available), Retrieved June 3, 2008 from
http://www.amoxtli.org/cuezali/exploits.html
Toltec, (No Author available), Retrieve June 3, 2008 from http://www.crystalinks.com/mayanhistory.html
Sincerely, Hector Guzman
This was my final project sophomore year for my AP World History course. I absolutely loved the course and was fortunate enough to have a great instructor to teach the course. Mesoamerican culture has to be one of my favorite topics in world history along with the history of China and the movements made through Islam. The impact that this course and other elements in my life have had have motivated me to pursue a career in education with the hopes of one day inspiring future students to se the world the way that I do.
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