The Americas did not experience significant cultural diffusion from Europe, Africa, and Asia
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E. Napp The Americas did not experienc significant cultural diffusio from Europe, Africa, and Asia until 1492 A.D. The Americas experienced geographic isolation.
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The Americas did not experience significant cultural diffusion from Europe, Africa, and Asia until 1492 A.D. The Americas experienced geographic isolation. As a result of isolation, there was a very limited use of writing and an absence of large animals for transportation - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The Americas did not experience significant cultural diffusion from Europe, Africa, and Asia
E. Napp
The Americasdid not experience
significantcultural diffusion
from Europe, Africa, and Asiauntil 1492 A.D.The Americasexperiencedgeographic
isolation.
E. Napp
As a resultof isolation,there was a
very limited useof writingand an absence
of large animalsfor transportation
in theAmericas.
E. Napp
But isolation did not prevent the rise of civilization. The Olmecs developed an early civilization
between 1150 B.C. and 600 B.C.
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The Olmecs cultivated maize or corn,built large sculptures of human heads, developed a calendar, and had a writingsystem.
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However,classical
civilizationin the
Americasbelongs To the Mayas
who lived in southern
Mexico and Guatemala.
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The Mayaslived in
present-dayGuatemala
and southernMexico from250 A.D. until900 A.D. TheMayas were
very advanced.
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Underdifficult
geographiccircumstances,
the Mayasfarmed
successfullyand builtbeautiful
cities.
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It was difficult to farm in the rainforests of Central America but the Mayas
engaged in slash and burn farming.
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TheMayas
developeda
writingsystem.
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Mayan priests studied theplanets and stars.
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The Mayasdeveloped
anaccuratecalendar.
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The Mayasdevelopeda countingsystem and
even inventedthe concept of
zero.
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The Mayas lived in city-states. Thecity-states never united. A large
temple pyramid stood in themiddle of each city.
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Tradewasvery
importantto the Mayas.
TheMayastraded
extensively.
E. Napp
But theMayas abandonedtheir cities around900 A.D. Perhapstoo much fighting
between theMayan city-states
led to their decline.
