Geography of Mesoamerica
Stretches from southern Mexico into part of Central America
Mesoamerica
Where the Olmec culture began
Along Mexico's gulf coast
First Zapotec city, way up on the mountain top
Monte Alban
Three Maya god offerings
Food, Animals, Plants and Precious objects
This city was called the "cradle of the Maya civilization"
El Mirador
Mesoamerica is divided into these two main geographic areas
Highlands
Lowlands
Archeologists consider the Olmec culture to be this of Mesoamerica
Mother Culture
Stepped platforms into the mountainsides
Terraces
The peninsula in which the Maya settled
Yucatan
Each Mayan city had these three buildings
Palace, temples, administrative buildings, stepped pyramids
These three crops were grown in the highlands
Maize, Squash and Beans
One of the most important gods to the Olmec's and that's no cats meow!!!
Jaguar God
Three great plazas contained filled with these three things on the mountain
Pyramids, palaces, astronomical observatory
Early Maya called themselves these people
People of the Maize
This person's likeness was carved on stones called stelaes
The Kings
These three crops were produced in the lowlands
Cacao, Palm, and Avocado
The Olmecs' were known for these carved stone sculptures
Large stone heads
What historians believe may have caused the Zapotec decline
Economic difficulties
The Mayans believed that this nourished the Gods
Blood
Most Mayan cities were developed during this time
Classic Period
Farmers cleared fields using this technique
Slash-and-burn-agriculture
Three Olmec cities
San Lorenzo, La Venta, Tres Zapotes
Zapotec controlled this valley for over 1,000 years
Oaxaca Valley
How the Mayans believed they were created
Gods mixed blood with maize and the result? Walking, talking humans
Describe the rules to the Mayan ball game and what more than likely happened to the captain of the losing team.
Had to get a ball through a stone ring without using hands. It sometimes took days. Players could only bounce the ball off their knees, hips and elbows. The solid ball was sop hard that the players wore padding.
Captains would climb to the top of the temple and be sacrificed to the gods