CRADLES OF EARLY SCIENCE

• Paul Kirchkoff first used the term Mesoamerica–(“meso” is Greek for “intermediate” or “middle”) “Middle America”
• Mesoamerica's 7 diverse civilization

  Olmec

  Maya

  Zapotec

  Teotihaucan

  Mixtec

  Inca

  Mexica (Aztec)
• • Includes the entire area of Central America from Southern Mexico up to the border of South America.
  • Rich in culture and knowledge prior to the arrival of its European colonizers
• One of the famous civilizations that lasted for approximately 2000 years

  Maya civilization
• Believed to be the first people to produce rubber products


  Mayans
• Known for:

  • works in astronomy
  • two complicated calendar systems
  • one of the worlds first civilizations to have a writing system known as the Mayan hieroglyphics


  Maya Civilization
• Developed the concept of zero (0) and the positional value


  Maya
• Had an understanding of the celestial bodies which was advanced for their time

  Mayans
• They use two calendars:

  • Solar calendar

  365 days/18 months/20 days each with 5 extra days at the end

  • Lunar Calendar

  based on the movement of Venus/ Sacred Calendar/Ritual Calendar


  Maya
• Flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE

  Inca
• The capital city of Inca, meaning ‘dried-up lake bed’ (stone marker in the city)


  Cuzco
• Largest empire in America and the world at their time

  Inca
• Famed for their architecture

  Inca
• The following are scientific ideas and tools that they developed to help them in everyday life:

  • Road paved with stones
  • Stone buildings
  • Irrigation system
  • Calendar with 12 months
  • The first suspension bridge
  • Quipo
  • _textiles

  Inca
• a system of knotted cords used by the Incas and it predecessor societies to store massive amounts of information important to their culture and civilization


  Quipo
• • To mark religious festival as well as the seasons so they could plant their crops at the correct time of the year
  • Studied the sun and star to calculate their calendar

  Inca Calendar
• • Emerged beginning in the 1200s
  • Flourished in Central Mexico from 1345-1521CE
  • Dominated their neighboring states
  • Like the Maya they used a sacred calendar and a 365-day agricultural calendar

  Aztec Civilization
• Called themselves the Mexica and been accomplished corn farmers and warrior of temple builders.


  Aztec Civilization
• • Emerged beginning in the 1200s
  • Flourished in Central Mexico from 1345-1521CE
  • Dominated their neighboring states
  • Like the Maya they used a sacred calendar and a 365-day agricultural calendar

  Aztec Civilization
• True or False:

  Inca, Maya, and Aztec civilization all existed together in one time in Mesoamerica.

  False
• True or False:

  There are 7 civilization that exist in Mesoamerica between 3500-1519 CE

  True
• True or False:

  Mesoamerica includes the entire area of America from Southern Mexico up to the border of North America.

  False, Central America from Southern Mexico up to the border of South America.
• • Emerged beginning in the 1200s
  • Flourished in Central Mexico from 1345-1521 CE
  • Dominated their neighboring states
  • Called themselves the Mexica and been accomplished corn farmers and warrior of temple builders.
  • Like the Maya they used a sacred calendar and a 365-day agricultural calendar

  Aztec Civilization
• The Aztec writing system was based on glyphs, symbols that stand for sound and words
• • Aztec is settled on an island called Lake Texcoco (1325)
  • “Tenochtitlan” – capital and largest city.
• • Mandatory education
  • ChocolatesAntipasmodic medication
  • Chinampa
  • Aztec Calendar
  • Invention of the canoe

  Substantial contributions of Aztec Civilization to Science and technology and to the society
• form of Aztec technology for agricultural farming in which the land is divided into rectangular areas and surrounded by canals


  Chinampa
• a light narrow boat used for traveling in water systems



  invention of canoe
• True or False:

  The following are the civilization that existed in Mesoamerica from 3500 CE to 1519 CE. Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihaucan, Mixtec, Inca, and Mexica


  True
• True or False:

  Maya civilization lasted for 2000 years

  True
• True or False:

  The Mayans are best known for their architectural works.

  False
• True or False:

  Aztec civilizations are believed to develop the concept of zero

  False
• True or False:

  Teotihuacan’s are believed to be the one of the world’s first civilizations to have a writing system

  False
• True or False:

  Maya civilization develop and used the two types of calendar system, the Solar and Lunar calendar

  True
• True or False:

  Mixtec writing system contains more than 800 characters

  False
• True or False:

  Inca civilization flourished in ancient Peru between c. 1400 and 1533 CE

  True
• True or False:

  Zapotec civilization are famous for their architecture

  False
• True or False:

  Mayans developed the first concept of water irrigation system

  False
• True or False:

  The Mexica developed the first suspension bridge

  False
• True or False:

  Quipo, system of knotted ropes to keep records was developed by the Mayans

  False