1. EARLY AMERICAN
CIVILIZATIONS AND CULTURES
THE CULTURE OF THE
INCAS, AZTECS, AND IROQUOIS
The Iroquois lived in present-
day New York State.
Incas and Aztecs lived in
Central and South America.
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2. *Around 9,500 years ago, some groups of Native Americans in Central and South America learned how
to farm. This is the beginning of civilizations in the Americas.
-Corn (maize), pumpkins, peppers, beans, squash, cotton, and tobacco.
-People could now settle down in one area and not live as nomads. People needed to stay in
one area in order to plant seeds, tend crops, and harvest crops. Human civilizations begin to develop in
the Americas.
Farming:
Corn Corn Aztec
priests
Squash
conducting
Beans religious
sacrifice.
Aztec city.
NOMAD: Person who moves from
place to place in search of food.
CIVILIZATION: Advanced culture Aztec
with a religion, cities, government, government
written language, and social classes. under the
Emperor.

3. 3 Early American Civilizations:
*All 3 early American civilizations existed in
Central and South America and are
considered empires.
1. Aztec Empire (1200 AD – 1535 AD)
2. Mayan Empire (200 AD – 900’s AD)
3. Inca Empire (1200 AD – 1535 AD)
*These civilizations and other groups of
Native Americans developed different
and unique cultures.
EMPIRE: a group of nations or peoples ruled
over by an emperor or empress. Usually a
territory of great size. Examples: Roman
Empire, British Empire, etc..
CULTURE: The way of life for a group of
people.
-Cultures were different mainly
due to the geography or environment and
the resources they had.
-Culture includes a people’s
language, customs, religion, government,
economy, traditions, etc.

4. 2. Inca Civilization: 1200 AD – 1535 AD
-South America along Pacific Ocean. -Government run by emperor.
-Built vast network of roads and bridges. -Built terraces on hills for farming.
Macchu Picchu: Hieroglyphics - A form of
Inca Palace. writing in which pictures are
used to represent words and
phrases
Built vast
network of
roads.
Much of Empire in Andes Mountains.

5. Incas had gold: They used
gold for jewelry and artwork
Incan government ruled by emperor
Incan decorated pot
Emperor being carried; llamas used as pack animals
Statue of Llama: Gold Incas
had
many
gods

6. 3. Aztec Empire: 1200 AD – 1535 AD
-Located in Central and Southern Mexico.
-Built capital city of Tenochtitlan (IN A LAKE).
-Created a strict legal code.
-Created 365 day calendar.
-Created writing system using hieroglyphics.
-Built irrigation systems for crops.
-Religion was polytheistic: Believed in many gods.
-Used human sacrifices to satisfy gods.
-Conquered and ruled many other tribes
-Social Classes: Ruler, priests and nobles, warriors,
merchants and artisans, farmers, and slaves.

7. Tenochtitlan: (Mexico City)
Lake Texcoco
-Over time, they conquered the area
around the lake and eventually
created large empire in Central
Mexico.
-Warfare was important because
they needed a constant supply of
human sacrifices.

8. Tenochtitlan:
The only way to
get to the city was
by boat or over
causeways.

10. Aztec Social Structure:
-Aztec Empire was ruled
by an emperor.
-Under the emperor were
the priests and nobles who
helped run the government.
-Next were the warriors Emperor Moctezuma
who defended the empire
and captured prisoners for
religious sacrifices.
Warrior in armor

11. AZTEC HUMAN SACRIFICES:
-Sacrifices used to keep gods happy.
-Used prisoners captured in battle;
Constant warfare.
Prisoners or
slaves were held
down and their
chest was cut
open and their
heart pulled
out. This was
done while they
were still alive.
Religious knife used to cut out hearts
of human sacrifices.

12. Aztecs developed
calendar in order to
keep track of
religious ceremonies.
Aztec god Quetzacoatyl.
Aztec god
Huitzilopochtl: sun
god.

13. Iroquois Culture
FORMATION OF THE LEAGUE: Dekanawida
1. In the 1500’s, Dekanawida and Hiawatha wanted “Peacemaker”
to end warfare. They tried to get tribes in New
York to join together.
2. In 1570, 5 nations joined to promote peace and
cooperation, and end warfare.
3. The 5 nations were the Mohawk, Oneida, Adodarhoh
Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.
4. The Tuscarora joined in the early 1700’s.
Became known as the “6 Nations.”
5. Iroquois called themselves the Haudenosaunee:
“People of the Longhouse.”
6. Iroquois: Name given to group of Indians in New
York by the French during the 1600-1700’s.
7. They were called the “Iroquois League,” or
Iroquois Confederacy.
Hiawatha

14. 2. LOCATION:
1. They lived in the present day state of New York along the Mohawk River,
Great Lakes, and Finger Lakes.
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2
4 3
5
Fulton County
6 Tuscarora

15. 3. GOVERNMENT:
1. The Iroquois Confederacy was created by Dekanawida and Hiawatha.
2. The main purpose of the league was to bring about peace and stop the fighting
among themselves.
3. The Iroquois created a system of law to govern the league called the Great Law
of Peace.
Iroquois flag
Wampum
belt

16. Iroquois government was a representative government in
which the sachems represented the people
Representative Government: system
of government where voters elect
representatives to make laws for
them.

17. 1. Iroquois depended on environment for all they
needed. They only took what they needed. They
did not waste any resources.
2. Iroquois did not own land. Used what they needed.
They shared land with others.
3. Women controlled the village and the farm land
around the village.
4. When the resources of an area were used up, the
village moved.
5. Villages moved every 10-20 years. They moved Palisade
because the soil wore out. They needed to find
fertile soil for farming.

18. E. ROLE OF IROQUOIS MEN: F. ROLE OF IROQUOIS WOMEN:
1. Farming & Gathering Food: Women grew
2. Warriors: Men corn, beans, and squash and gathered food
1. Sachems: Men were warriors.
served as sachems. from the environment.
They protected the
village and league
against enemies. 2. Picking Chiefs:
3. Hunters: Men Women picked
hunted and fished to and removed the
provide food for the sachems.
family and village.
3. Food Preparation:
Women prepared
meats and other food
for the people to eat.
Mortar and pestle
4. Merchants/Traders: Men went to for grinding corn
other villages and tribes to trade. They and other things.
traded with Europeans when they
arrived.
5. Cleared Land: Men
cleared the land in order
to build the village and
farm.
Drying fish and animal meat over smoke
helped to preserve it so it would last longer.
4. Making Clothes: Women took animal skins (deer) and 5. Raising Children:
made clothing, shoes, blankets, and coats.
6. Builders: Men built the tools and weapons that they used. Before the Europeans
arrived, they used stone, wood, and bone for tools and weapons. After the
Europeans arrived, they began using metal weapons and tools.
6. Make Tools: Women made
the tools that they needed to do
their jobs of farming, gathering,
and cooking. They made pots,
baskets, spoons, bowls from
wood, bark, stone, and clay.
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19. H. FOOD OF THE IROQUOIS:
1. FOREST FOOD:
1. Women were responsible for ___________________ food from the forest and environment.
2. Men were responsible for _________________ and ___________________ in the forest and environment.
3. List the various types of food that the Iroquois found in the FOREST by hunting and gathering:
PLANT: ANIMAL:
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
4. The _____________ was the most important animal to the Iroquois. It was major source of ______________, skins, and bones.
2. FARMING FOOD:
1. It was the ________________ responsibility to ________________________.
2. The primary crops grown by women were ______________, _____________, and ____________________.
-They were called “The _____________ __________________.”
3. In addition, the Iroquois grew ____________________ which was used for smoking and religious rituals.
Women did the
farming using tools
they made.
The 3 Sisters: Corn,
Beans, and Squash.
Tobacco was an
important crop. It
was used for
religious
ceremonies.

20. H. FOOD OF THE IROQUOIS:
A. FOREST FOOD:
1. Women were responsible for gathering food from the forest and environment.
2. Men were responsible for hunting and fishing in the forest and environment.
Food Found in the Forest (Plants) Food Hunted in the Forest
1. Nuts: Acorns, Hickory nuts (Animals)
2. Berries: Strawberries, 1. ***Deer: Most important
blueberries, raspberries source of meat and skins.
3. Roots: Garlic, onions 2. Bear, beaver, fox, mink,
moose, elk, squirrel, rabbit
4. Fruits: Apples, pears, plums
3. Birds: Turkey, duck, goose,
5. Maple Syrup: carrier pigeon
4. Fish

21. B. FARMING FOOD:
1. It was the women’s responsibility to plant, tend,
and harvest the crops.
2. Primary crops were corn, squash, and beans.
-They were called the “Three Sisters.”
3. In addition, the Iroquois grew tobacco.
Tobacco grown
SQUASH for religious
purposes.
BEANS
CORN

22. I. IROQUOIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAND:
Natural Resources: Things found in nature
WOOD: Used to make homes, tools, canoes, baskets, weapons,
spoons, snowshoes. that can be used to make objects used by
humans.
ANIMALS: Meat for food, skins for clothes, bones for tools and
weapons.
STONE: Used to make axes, hammers, arrow
heads, knives
SHELLS: Used to make Wampum Belts
CLAY: Used for making pots, bowls, pipes, and toys

23. Villages were located by fresh water,
IROQUOIS VILLAGES: wood, and fertile soil for farming.
Built on high ground for protection
Stockade or
Palisade
River
or
stream
Fields for crops
Canoes for travel