Ancient Civilization Notebook

A Look at the

Mississippian, Maya,

Aztec and Inca

Civilizations

Ancient Civilizations
of the WBy: estern
HemBisyp:here

Audrey Schmaltz

Learning About Time

Watch the “Commonly Asked Questions about Dates” video on
Schoology to learn about the abbreviations/key words listed
below. As you watch, pause the video and write in your own
words what each of these means.

What does B.C. stand BC stands for Before christ.
for when looking at
AD stands for Anno Domini which in
dates? latin means in the year of our lord.

What does A.D. stand
for when looking at

dates?

What does B.C.E. stand BCE means before Common Era.
for when looking at CE stands for Common Era.
dates?

What does C.E. stand
for when looking at

dates?

What do c. and ca. C or CA stands for the latin word
stand for when looking Circa.

at dates?

Multiple-tier Timelines

Multiple-tier timelines use two or more rows of events.
While each row represents a different subject, the time
period is the same.

Multiple-tier timelines can be used to help us look at
cause and effect relationships or patterns and themes
among events in a specific period of time.

We will be using a multi-tier timeline to show the rise
and fall of four early civilizations in the Americas: The
Mississippian, Inca, Maya, and Aztec and look for
RELATIONSHIPS between the dates.

The
Mississippians

Seroent Mound
The 3 Sisters

Mississipisn Pottery

Where in the World…
Were the Mississippian Located?

Directions: Use the shape tool to add color to the areas
where the Mississippian people lived. Use the text box
tool and arrow tool to create labels that point to the area.

What is the approximate latitude
and longitude of the location you
colored?

What might the weather be like in
this location based on the latitude
and longitude?

● Warm temperatures
because it is close to the
equator

Misspisesoipppleian

What’s This?

Study this picture and then answer the questions
on the next page.

What’s This?

Use the picture on the previous page to answer the following
questions.

The Great Serpent What is
Mound this?

An egg What is the
circle on the
Made for religious left side of the
ceremonies. Used for burial
drawing?
of important people.
Why do you
They valued the think it was
serpent. made? What was
it used for?
Hand made by
civilization used Why do you
natural resources. think they
chose this

shape?

How do you
think they
made this?

The Mounds

Read the Khan Academy article posted in your
Schoology course: Fort Ancient Culture: Great
Serpent Mound. After you read, complete the
page below with your team.

Describe the physical attributes What do archeologists believe
of the Serpent Mound in your might be the reason the mounds

own words: are shaped like a serpent?

It is 1,300 feet long and 1 The reason the shape is

to 3 feet tall. There is a like that is it can also be

gigantic oval in the used a a compass.

beginning of the snake Snakes were worshiped.

that looks like a

gigantic snake eating

an egg.

Fort Ancient culture That they Danielle Knight GO Interactive, 2015
were influenced by the believed the
serpent was a
Missispians symbol.

Who is believed to have created What relationship generalization
it? can you make between the
mounds and the people who
built them?

Research the Relationships

Explore the Mississippian links in the Symbaloo posted in your Schoology
course as well as in the books and other resources available in class to
complete this organizer.

What was the government like? The leaders live in luxury. Scholars
Did powerful relationships exist have pictures of warriors worshiping
snakes and spiders.Chiefs were
between the people and their called suns. The believed that the
leaders? leaders had connections to the gods.

How was their society set up? They were hunters,
What were the types of jobs farmers,craftsmen, fisherman.
people had? Were the jobs people merchants. They had 4 classes 1.
did purposeful for the civilization? Suns 2. Nobles 3. Honored Man/

Describe their religion. Did the Women 4. Lower class.
relationship the people had with
their gods and religious leaders Mississippian religion was a Native
American belief system in eastern North
follow rules? America that evolved out of an ancient,

What did the people invent, create, continuous tradition of sacred
or trade that allowed them to landscapes, ceremonies, and the ritual
exchange ideas or values with use of fire, ceremonial pipes, medicine
others they had relationships bundles, sacred poles, and symbolic
with? weaponry.They also worshiped the sun.

What was the agriculture like? They traded stone that was native to
What food did they eat? How their area. They also got many other
things in exchange.Pottery and effigy
did they grow it? What
relationships did the people heads.
have with their environment?
They planted corn, beans, and other



The Maya

Mayan temple Pok ta pok

Mayan priest

Where in the World…
Were the Maya Located?

Directions: Use the shape tool to add color to the areas
where the Mayan people lived. Use the text box tool and
arrow tool to create labels that point to the area.

SouthSreonutMhNareoynarthMHeiagryhnalaMnLdaoywalaLnodwWaWtchlonaihhsldnoaadlrlotteosimcdnsag?itgtihitohuentdatebhpaeopsfrweothedxeaimotlhnoaecttrehaebtliaeoltanilttiukiyteduoeduine
and longitude?

Ancient Maya
Concept Map

The Mayan Government/
Social Structure

Kings/Priest

Sometimes the
kings were

considered as
priests

Nobles

Would sometimes appear
in court. Where taught at

home.No taxes.

Merchants and Craftsman

Craftsman usually worked for nobles.

Pesants

Some peasants were asked to be slaves of the

king. Children did not go to school.

Slaves
Sometimes if you convicted of a crime you would

become a slave.

Mayan Religion Mural

The top half of my mural depicts
temples ond houses. The bottom
half depicts a mayan hunting for
food.

Mayan Language and
Number Systems

This picture depicts my name ,Audrey, in Mayan glyphs.
There is no D in mayan language.

Determine the Relationships

Explore the Mayan links in the Symbaloo posted in your Schoology course as
well as in the books and other resources available in class to complete this
organizer.

What was the government like? The mayans were ruled by the kings
Did powerful relationships exist and priests. The leaders used

between the people and their peasants and slaves for sacrifice.
leaders?

How was their society set up? The mayan society was broken into 4
What were the types of jobs groups, priesthood, Nobility,
people had? Were the jobs people
did purposeful for the civilization? common people, and slaves. The jobs
they had are farmers, cloth makers,
Describe their religion. Did the
relationship the people had with jewelers/tool makers.
their gods and religious leaders
The mayan people had a sun god, a
follow rules? maize god, and many more.
Sometimes people sacrificed
themselves for their gods.

What did the people invent, create, Mayans traded salt, cotton mantels,
or trade that allowed them to slaves, quetzal feathers, flint, chert,
exchange ideas or values with obsidian, jade, colored shells, honey,
others they had relationships cacao, copper tools, and ornaments.
with?
The maya also created a solar
What was the agriculture like? calendar.
What food did they eat? How
They ate mostly corn, beans, potatoes
did they grow it? What squash, tomatoes, and a tiny grain
relationships did the people
have with their environment? called quinoa. The mayans used tools
for farming such as hoes, chisels,
plumb-bobs, and grinding tools.

The Aztec

Aztec City

Maize

WWWWeerrheheeettrhrheeeeiinAnAzztthhtteeeeccWWLLoooocrcrllaaddtt……eedd??

Directions: Use the shape tool to add color to the areas
where the Aztec people lived. Use the text box tool and
arrow tool to create labels that point to the area.

What is the approximate latitude
and longitude of the location you
colored?
What might the weather be like in
this location based on the latitude
and longitude?

Ancient Aztec
Concept Map

The Aztec Government/
Social Structure

Government: Laws:

Emperor/King/
Huey Tlatacni

Ultimate
power in the
land.

Tuchuhilti: Rulers of city
states.

Pipiltin:Nobles

Pocteca:Were merchants.
Macehualtin:Common folk.
Slave: Become a slave either as punishment or to pay debt.

Aztec
Calendar and Religon

The calender stone realated to aztec religon
because serton days where “favorable” such as
planting building and going to war. Religious
ceremonies where preformed in temples on in
temples on top of pyramids. To please the gods or
for punishment they sacrifced themselves or others
in these temples.

Determine the Relationships

Explore the Aztec links in the Symbaloo posted in your Schoology course as
well as in the books and other resources available in class to complete this
organizer.

What was the government like? The aztec people paid money to
Did powerful relationships exist the aztec leaders like taxes.

between the people and their There were six levels of society the
leaders? king, Tuchuhliti, Pipiltin, Pochteca,
Macehualtin, and the slaves. Also
How was their society set up?
What were the types of jobs everyone got education.
people had? Were the jobs people
did purposeful for the civilization?

Describe their religion. Did the The aztecs believed that they had to
relationship the people had with sacrifice people to make the gods
their gods and religious leaders happy. They used slaves, prisoners of
war and people who wanted to do it.
follow rules?

What did the people invent, create, They made clothes, jewelry, and
or trade that allowed them to weapons.
exchange ideas or values with
others they had relationships
with?

What was the agriculture like? They raised cattle and they planted
What food did they eat? How flowers, maize potatoes and corn.

did they grow it? What
relationships did the people
have with their environment?



The Inca

Where in the World…
Were the Inca Located?

Directions: Use the shape tool to add color to the areas where the

Incan people lived. Use the text box tool and arrow tool to create
labels that point to the area. Complete the questions in the box.
Delete this text box when you are finished.

What is the approximate latitude
and longitude of the location you
colored?
What might the weather be like in
this location based on the latitude
and longitude?

Ancient Inca
Concept Map

The Inca Government/
Social Structure

Where
sometimes
believed to be
gods.
Were believed to
be connected to
God's.
Royal Family is next in line
for throne.

Noble class was directly
descended from the people
who built Cuzco.
Inca-By-Privilege were not
connected to the Cuzco people but
held government position.

Cureas where people who ruled
conquered lands but still held ruler
position.
Artisans were commoners but were held higher
than farmers. They made a the art.

Farmers sent ⅔ of their crops to the government
and Priest.

Inca Religion, Science,
Road, lanuguge

The Incan language They built houses
was called Quechua. with no windows.
There was a secret
Inca language that
only the nobility
spoke. The Incans
had a base five
number system.

↑ Inca ↑↑
↑

They believed in Incas used
a sun god and numbers and
many others. lines to count.

Determine the Relationships

Explore the Inca links in the Symbaloo posted in your Schoology course as
well as in the books and other resources available in class to complete this
organizer.

What was the government like? Was ruled by a king. Some believed that the king was related to
Did powerful relationships exist the sun god. The high priest was believed to have contact with
the gods. The Incas had no slaves because they believed that
between the people and their everyone was equal. When the Incas conquered civilizations
leaders? they let the leaders keep their ruling position. They only would
have to pay a few taxes.

How was their society set up? The Inca Empire was ruled by the ancestors of the original
What were the types of jobs Inca people. These were the people who originally
people had? Were the jobs people established the city of Cuzco. Sapa Inca - The emperor or
did purposeful for the civilization? king was called the Sapa Inca. He was at the top of the Inca
social class and was considered a god in many ways.

Describe their religion. Did the The Incas believed that the god Viracocha created the earth,
relationship the people had with stars, and all living things.They believed that he created the
their gods and religious leaders moon and the sun by taking them from an island in Lake
Titicaca. Inti, the god of sun was another important god.
follow rules?

What did the people invent, create, The Inca invented a calendar they called time makers or time
or trade that allowed them to watchers. This calendar was tower. Time was important to the Inca
exchange ideas or values with for religious purposes.
others they had relationships
with? They also invented a flute, a drum, the famous Inca panpipe (a
collection of hollow tubes of various lengths stuck together), terrace
What was the agriculture like? farming, freeze dried foods, aqueducts, strange and scary art, a
What food did they eat? How central government, a unified language, woven colorful textiles, gold
and silver jewelry and statues, specialized professions, a system of
did they grow it? What communication (the roadrunners) and much more. They were very
relationships did the people clever people.
have with their environment?
The Andes are some of the tallest, starkest
mountains in the world. Yet the Incas, and the
civilizations before them, coaxed harvests from the
Andes' sharp slopes and intermittent waterways.
They developed resilient breeds of crops such as