Great civilizations of Mesoamerica

  1. INTRODUCTION

There were important political organizations (empires) in two zones:
Mesoamerica, which is a region that stretches from central Mexico to Costa Rica,and the Andean America. Some of these organizations were really impressive for
the quality of their architecture and art.

  1. COMMON CHARACTERISTICS

Like the Old World empires, those in America had common features, although there
were also differences:

They were born after an evolution of centuries. They reached their peak and declined. Some of them declined abruptly.

 Its rulers proclaimed themselves intermediaries with the Gods or directly as sons of God.

 They usually made human sacrifices to these Gods.

 Society was divided into very marked social classes.

 The subjugated people were enslaved and provided large contingents of labor for the cultivation and construction of cities, buildings, and pyramids.

 In the coastal empires, fishing was an essential part of their diet.

 They built large and complex irrigation systems.

 Common images in art: fish, toads, snakes, felines, eagles, condors and trophy heads of their defeated enemies.

  1. THE OLMECS, THE FIRST TO FORM STATES

It was the first culture to emerge on the coast of Mexico, around 1200 BC and it would have to be the longest lasting: one thousand years. In its main city the first Mesoamerican pyramid was built, around 1000 BC.
Following the Olmecs, they all made human sacrifices; they built pyramids; they used the calendar . They were great sculptors in stone and practiced the ritual game of the ball.

  1. THE ZAPOTECAS

This civilization was developed just around 800 B.C., in the south of Oaxaca and the
isthmus of Tehuantepec. Its main center was Monte Alban and reached its political, military and technical peak between 350 and 700 A. C., when they filled with
buildings, stadiums for the ball game and impressive tombs.

  1. THE MAYAS

The Mayan city-states expanded from southern Mexico to they reached their maximum splendor in the 8th century . But in the 9th century, as quickly as incomprehensible, these magnificent cities were completely abandoned, thus the Mayan collapse occurred. The current indigenous populations of Guatemala, Honduras and southern Mexico are descendants of the Maya. Some historians assume that these cities were abandoned due to a prolonged drought of several years caused by deforestation for the cultivation of corn.

  1. MEXICAS OR AZTECS

Where today the city of Mexico is located, there were important pre-Columbian cultures in the past. The Teotihuacan pyramids were located very close where the current city of Mexico is placed. Aztec Empire began.
The Mexicas reached their peak under Moctezuma I , subjecting not only the central valley, but large areas of east, north and south of Mexico.