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Boundless World History I: Ancient Civilizations-Enlightenment
World History Textbooks Boundless World History I: Ancient Civilizations-Enlightenment
World History Textbooks
World History

Chapter 16

Civilizations in the Americas

Book Version 35
By Boundless
Boundless World History I: Ancient Civilizations-Enlightenment
World History
by Boundless
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Section 1
South American Civilizations
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The Moche

The Moche culture lasted from 100 to 800 CE in what is modern-day Peru.

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The Nazca

The Nazca lived near the southern coast of Peru from 100 BCE to 800 CE.

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The Sicán

The Sicán culture inhabited what is now the north coast of Peru between about 750 and 1375 CE.

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Chimú

The Chimú lived in modern-day Peru from 900–1470 CE.

Section 2
The Inca
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The Inca People

The Inca Empire was the largest of the pre-Columbian mesoamerican empires.

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Administration of the Inca Empire

The Inca Empire utilized complex road systems, recording tools, and a hierarchical rule of law to oversee the administration of its vast population.

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Religion in the Inca Empire

The Inca Empire worshipped the Sun god Inti, and expanded its hold on outlying areas by incorporating other deities into the religious system.

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The Spanish Conquest

The Inca Empire already faced instability due to the Inca Civil War, European diseases, and internal revolt when explorer Francisco Pizarro began the conquest of Inca territory.

Section 3
Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica
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The Olmec

The Olmec were the first major civilization in Mexico, lasting from approximately 1500—400 BCE.

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The Mixtec

The Mixtec are a group who lived in modern-day Mexico before the Spanish conquest. People still identify as Mixtec today.

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Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan was a city founded outside of modern Mexico City in 100 BCE and was known for its pyramids.

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The Zapotec

The Zapotec civilization developed in modern-day Mexico and lasted from approximately the 6th century BCE to the 16th century CE.

Section 4
The Maya
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The Preclassic Period of the Maya

The Preclassic period lasted from 2000 BCE to 250 CE and saw the emergence of many distinctive elements of Mayan civilization.

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The Classic Period of the Maya

The Classic period lasted from 250 to 900 CE and was the peak of the Maya civilization.

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The Decline of the Maya

The period after the second collapse of the Maya Empire (900 CE–1600 CE) is called the Postclassic period.

Section 5
The Toltecs and the Aztecs
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The Toltecs

The Toltecs were a Mesoamerican people who preceded the Aztecs and existed between 800 and 1000 CE.

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The Aztec People

The Aztecs were a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people of Central Mexico during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries.

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Aztec Religion

The Aztec religion focused on death, rebirth, and the renewal of the sun. The Aztecs practiced ritual sacrifice, ball games, and bloodletting in order to renew the sun each day.

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The Aztec in the Colonial Period

The Aztec empire was defeated by an alliance between the Spanish and the Confederacy of Tlaxcala.

Section 6
Native American Cultures in North America
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Great Basin Culture

The peoples of the Great Basin area required ease of mobility to follow bison herds and gather seasonally available food supplies.

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Pacific Coast Culture

The mild climate and abundant natural resources along the Pacific Coast of North America allowed a complex aboriginal culture to flourish.

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Eastern Woodland Culture

Eastern Woodland Culture refers to the way of life of indigenous peoples in the eastern part of North America between 1,000 BCE and 1,000 CE.

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Southwestern Culture

Environmental changes allowed for many cultural traditions to flourish and develop similar social structures and religious beliefs.

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Mississippian Culture

Mississippian cultures lived in the modern-day United States in the Mississippi valley from 800 to 1540.

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Boundless World History I: Ancient Civilizations-Enlightenment by Boundless
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African Civilizations
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Chapter 16
Civilizations in the Americas
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  • Early Civilizations of Mexico and Mesoamerica
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