Ancient Civilizations Interactive Notebook

Ancient
Civilizations
Interactive
Notebook

By:
Kyle Zigler



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

The mississippian people made mounds, had a
chiefdom, and they were farmers. The mounds
were used for ceremonial centers, burial mounds,
Sun temples, and chiefs houses. Society had two
parts elites and commoners. The elites were in
charge with not many people and commoners were
poor with a lot of people.The people lived by rivers.
They farmers that didn’t move much. So they had
mounds for ceremonies, there society was in two
parts, and most missipians were farmers and lived
by the river.

Where in the World…
Were the Mississippian Located?

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?

What is the approximate latitude and longitude of the location you colored?
Longitude is 35 and Latitude is 84 west of south carolina and east of alabama
What might the climate be like in this location based on the latitude and longitude?
Warmer
How would this affect the way people live in this area?

The people would need more water, clothing and shelter from the sun



What is
this?

What is the
circle on the
left side of the

drawing?

Why do you
think it was
made? What was
it used for?

Why do you
think they
chose this

shape?

How do you
think they
made this?

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.

Danielle Knight GO Interactive, 2015

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?
Did powerful relationships exist

between the people and their
leaders?

How was their society set up?
What were the types of jobs
people had? Were the jobs people
did purposeful for the civilization?

Describe their religion. Did the
relationship the people had with
their gods and religious leaders

follow rules?

did the people invent, create,
or trade that allowed them to
exchange ideas or values with
others they had relationships
with?

What was the agriculture like?
What food did they eat? How

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



The Maya

The mayan people made temples, they have a
social structure, and they were farmers. Each city
state had a temple. Kings, nobles, and priests lived
in temples. The mayan social structure had
kings/rulers, Priests, Nobles, merchants and
craftsmen, and peasants. The mayans used
calendars to grow crops. They growed more food
than they needed. In the mountains the mayans
used a technique called step farming to grow crops
on a mountain.

Where in the World…
Were the Maya Located?

What is the approximate latitude and
longitude of the center of the Maya
Empire?
10 latitude north 90 longitude west

What might the climate be like in this
location based on the latitude and
longitude?
Hot because they are by the equator

How would this affect the way people
live in this area?
They would not have that much water
and it would be bad for farming.

Map from ducksters.com

The Mayan Government/
Social Structure

Kings/Rulers

Ruling family for each
city-state. Lived life of
luxury. Were believed to

talk to the gods

Priests

Most powerful people-the people
believed they could talk to the gods.

Noble

Did not have to pay taxes. Could choose if they
wanted to have jobs or not. Lived easy lives

Merchants and Craftsmen:

Some were pesants who wanted a better life and and some were
nobles that wanted a job. They made art or ran buisness.

Peasants:

Most mayan people were peasants. They worked very hard. Most were farmers and lived
outside the city . Peasants who worked as craftsmen were able to live outside the city and held
a slightly better life if there were no captured warriors or slaves available,peasants were ussaly

the ones sacrofised to the gods.

Overview of Mayan government:

Mayan Religion Mural

There are gods with meanings
and names. These gods were
important to the mayans.

Mayan Language and
Number Systems

My stelae means my
birthdate, September 8,
2007 (9-8-7).

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?
Did powerful relationships exist

between the people and their
leaders?

How was their society set up?
What were the types of jobs
people had? Were the jobs people
did purposeful for the civilization?

Describe their religion. Did the
relationship the people had with
their gods and religious leaders

follow rules?

did the people invent, create,
or trade that allowed them to
exchange ideas or values with
others they had relationships
with?

What was the agriculture like?
What food did they eat? How

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

Ancient Maya
Concept Map

The Aztec

The aztec people had a sun stone calender, they
made piramids, and some were craftsmen. The
aztec sun stone calendar was the most accarate of
the missisipians, mayans, and incas. One turn of
the full circle takes 52 years. Kings made the
village build piramids. Some piramids are still
holding up to today. The merchants made pottery
for the king or himself. One of the merchants
carved the sun stone calender.

Where in the World…
Were the Aztec Located?

What is the approximate latitude and
longitude of the center of the Aztec
Empire?
10 latitude north 90 longitude west

What might the climate be like in this
location based on the latitude and
longitude?
The climate might be hot

How would this affect the way people
live in this area?
There might not be that much water

Map from ducksters.com

The Aztec Government/
Social Structure

Emperor
The people
believed the king
was given the right
to rule the gods.

Tecuhtli
These were rulers of the individual
city-states. They had power over all
the people in there city-state, lived in

large palaces, and were able to
choose tributes.

Pipiltin
This was a noble class. They were able
to wear gold and feathers. They were

able to serve as priests, army
commanders, and hold government

jobs.

he Inca Government:

Aztec Sun Stone
Calendar

This is my sun stone calender. I
chose to detail the priest becuase
priests are an important part of
aztec history.

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?
Did powerful relationships exist

between the people and their
leaders?

How was their society set up?
What were the types of jobs
people had? Were the jobs people
did purposeful for the civilization?

Describe their religion. Did the
relationship the people had with
their gods and religious leaders

follow rules?

did the people invent, create,
or trade that allowed them to
exchange ideas or values with
others they had relationships
with?

What was the agriculture like?
What food did they eat? How

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

Ancient Aztec
Concept Map



The Inca

The Inca people made machu picchu, had a
government, and helped those in need. Machu
picchu was the sapa inca’s nearest village. The
sapa inca often visited the village. The most
important person in the government was the sapa
inca. The people beneth that were the nobles. The
inca people helped those in need if the ywere
fighting in a war. The were also times such as the
sapa inca needed some asistance.

Where in the World…
Were the Inca Located?

Map from ducksters.com What is the approximate latitude and
longitude of the center of the Inca
Empire?

The center of the inca empire was located near the city of cusco
peru. Peru is bordered to the east of the pacific ocean. Columbia
and ecuador are to the north. South of peru is the country of chile.
Brazil and Bolivia are located to the east. THe absolute location of
cuzco is approx. 13’S 72’W.

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

The high altitude made the temperatures cool during the day and
cold at night. There is a moderate amount of rain especially during
the months of December-March.

How would this affect the way people
live in this area?

People would need to dress for the cooler temps and grow food
such as corn, quinoa, and potatoes that were adapted to the
higher elevation.

The Inca Government/
Social Structure

Inca Social Structure

Noble classes

Sapa Inca - The emperor or king was called the Sapa Inca. He was at the top of the Inca social class and was considered a god in many ways.
Villac Umu - The high priest was just behind the Sapa Inca in social status. The gods were very important to the Inca and the high priest spoke

directly to their most powerful god, the Sun god Inti.
Royal Family - The direct relatives of Sapa Inca were next in line. They received high positions in the government. The primary wife of the emperor

was the queen called the coya.
Inca - The noble class, or Inca class, was made up of the people directly descended from the people who first established the city of Cuzco. They

were called the Inca. They lived lives of luxury and held the best positions in the Inca government.
Inca-by-privilege - As the empire grew, the emperor needed more people he could trust in high positions in the government. There weren't enough
of the original Inca to rule. So a new class was created called Inca-by-privilege. These people were considered nobles, but not as high in class as

the true Inca.

Public Administrators

● Curacas - The Curacas were the leaders from the tribes that were conquered. They were often left as leaders of their tribes. They still had
to report to the Inca, but if they remained loyal, they often kept their position.

● Tax collectors - Each group of families, or ayllu, had a tax collector who kept watch over them. He made sure that they paid all of their
taxes. There was also a strict hierarchy of tax collectors. The higher levels kept an eye on the people below them.

● Record keepers - In order to track who had paid their taxes and where the supplies were stored, there were many record keepers in the
government.

Commoners

● Artisans - Artisans were commoners, but were also considered a higher social class than the farmers. They worked on crafts such as pottery or gold
jewelry for the nobles.

● Farmers - At the bottom of the social class were the farmers. The farmers were also the largest and the most important class within the Inca Empire.
Farmers worked long hard days and sent two-thirds of their crops to the government and the priests. The Inca Empire relied on the production of the
farmers for its wealth and success.

The Ayllu

The basic unit of Inca society was the ayllu. The ayllu was made up of a number of families that
worked together almost like one large family. Everyone in the empire was part of an ayllu.

● The inca prayed to their gods every day. ●
● The people believed in omens and signs ●
●
and the power of dreams. ●
● The Inca made human sacrifices at every
●
festival.
● The Sapa Inca was not only in charge of ●
●
the government he was also a direct
descendent of the sun god Inti.
● Religious ceremonies came according to
the inca calendar, especially the
movements of the sun, moon, and Milky
Way.

●

●

●

Explore the Incan 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?
Did powerful relationships exist

between the people and their
leaders?

How was their society set up?
What were the types of jobs
people had? Were the jobs people
did purposeful for the civilization?

Describe their religion. Did the
relationship the people had with
their gods and religious leaders

follow rules?

did the people invent, create,
or trade that allowed them to
exchange ideas or values with
others they had relationships
with?

What was the agriculture like?
What food did they eat? How

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

Ancient Inca
Concept Map