State Building in the Americas from 1200-1450
Caleb Thomas
6 min read
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#AP World History: Modern - The Americas Before 1200 CE: A Last-Minute Review 🌎
Hey! Let's get you prepped for the exam with a super-focused review of the Americas before 1200. We'll break down the key stuff, make connections, and get you feeling confident. Let's do this!
#🧭 Big Picture: Diversity and Regionalism
Key Concept
- Remember, the Americas before 1200 weren't one big unified place. Think regionalism and lots of diversity. 🏘️
- Due to vast land and smaller populations, Native American societies developed in smaller regional tribes, some of which grew into larger civilizations and empires.
#Mississippian Culture
- Located in the modern-day southeastern United States.
- Known for large earthen mounds, showing their ability to organize large-scale projects. 🏗️
- Matrilineal society: Social standing passed down through the mother's line.
#🏛️ Major Empires of Mesoamerica
#1. The Maya (250 - 900 CE)
- Thrived in the Yucatan Peninsula rainforest.
- Organized as a collection of city-states that cooperated for mutual benefit. 🤝
- Built impressive temples, cities, and trade networks.
- Famous for their accurate calendar, complex writing system, and pyramids.
- Collapsed around 900 CE due to internal conflicts and food shortages.
#2. The Aztec Empire (1300s - 1521 CE)
- Occupied modern-day Mexico City and the surrounding area.
- Capital: Tenochtitlan, built on Lake Texcoco, was HUGE (200,000 people!).
- Built chinampas (floating gardens) for agriculture. 🌾
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