Rise of Civilization in Mesoamerica and Andean South America - Essay Example

History and Political Science 6 April Rise of civilization in Mesoamerica and Andean South America Mesoamerica is one ofthe Earth’s six cradles of early civilization. It is a term referring to a geographical area inhabited by people from several different ancient cultures that shared religious beliefs, architecture, technology and art. This made them very unique in both North and South America from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 1519 when the European invaded their territories. Native inhabitants of Mesoamerica spoke six different languages; they had a common history and similar cultural characteristics. This made their civilization the most unique worldwide. Modern nations in the Mesoamerican region include; Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. The development of pictographic and hieroglyphic writing and production of books from amate paper or animal hide was the most significant of their civilizations. Mesoamericans used a divinatory calendar of twenty times thirteen days together with the solar calendar of three hundred and sixty five days making it the most accurate compared to calendars from other civilizations in the world. They cultivated foods from different staple diets of the world such as maize, beans, chili peppers, cotton, cacao, and squash and made fermented beverages from maguey. Another unique feature was their architecture which was distinguished by different designs stucco floors, stepped pyramids and ball courts. Mesoamerican civilization development is divided into three major time periods by Archaeologists namely the Pre Classic period, Classic period and Post Classic period. The Pre Classic period which is also known as the formative period extended from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 300, Mesoamericans fostered more profound agricultural techniques which included digging of canals, creation of artificial wetlands and terracing of mountain sides. Societies were governed by paramount chiefs whose positions had emerged from ancient powerful spiritual leaders, political leaders coordinated agricultural activities that ensured adequate food supply for the increasing population guarding them against drought. The Classic period extended from A.D. 300 to 950, urban state societies emerged throughout Mesoamerica. Monuments with hieroglyphic texts were constructed and ceremonial centers had outstanding artistic developments. The Post Classic period extended from A.D. 950 to 1521, local governments were divided into branches for different purposes and directed towards commercial activities. Great houses with many and large rooms were constructed serving purposes of royal ceremonies and host to long distance alliances, each of these buildings had a sophisticated level of art and craft impressions. Traders and craftsmen were involved in the competition for entry into exclusive exchange networks that they sought the rarest and most exotic materials for their gifts. Smelting of gold, silver and copper was introduced in Central and South America. As pointed out by Gonzales, Merchants and Artisans only made up a small percentage of the Mesoamerican population but had a great impact that led to an extensive trading network (17). The Andean region of South America is also significant in the rise of early intricate societies. The Andean people had their own distinct cultures different from other people in the world. Before invasion of Peru by Spain in 1532, western South America was inhabited by different High Mountain and desert coastal societies. These people had unique artistic and technological achievements which is the reason behind the name Andean Civilization by modern observers. South American territories were controlled by the Inca and were spread over Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina; they were all part of a state called Tawantinsuyu which means the ‘Realm of the Four Parts’. The Inca began as a tribe in 1200 B.C., after defeating neighboring Andean tribes founded the Inca Empire. It was the most powerful civilization in South America. An existing indication of the social unity of the Andean people is the Quechua language which is still used by millions of people from North Ecuador and North Argentina. The Incas were great warriors and shrewd rulers. They exchanged gifts with neighboring tribes, intermarried and formed political alliances. Their populations were large in numbers and their administrative and economic systems were established in all their regions. Incas had the lunar calendar which they used to measure time and used balance and a beam to measure objects. Inca civilization had reached great feats in architecture; they constructed buildings with fine cut stones eliminating the need for mortar. They melted gold and silver and were in fact very famous for their gold. Knowledge was passed orally since they did not know the art of reading and writing; records were kept in series of long, knotted strings known as quipu. Fishermen inhabited the coastal desert; they depended heavily on sea products and also cultivated ancient varieties of cotton as well as a variety of tubers such as the potato. Artistic information was woven into textiles that were preserved in coastal sand although its meaning remains unrevealed. The first full civilizations began in the valley between rivers Tigris and Euphrates and along the Nile in Egypt in 3500 B.C.E and 3000 B.C.E. respectively. In the Middle East and Africa, great river systems led to the adaptation of agriculture. Sedentary agricultural societies worked hard to increase food production for its people. Agricultural projects like irrigation in vast lands required cooperation of people leading to new forms of social organization. The making of good pottery for food storage was facilitated by the invention of the potter’s wheel; potters’ and other specialized workers exchanged their products with other communities for other types of food. In Mesopotamia, civilization began in forms of writing, complex social structures, great cities, unique religious beliefs and art. Sumerians from the plains of Tigris and Euphrates migrated from the north in 4000B.C.E. and mixed with other local societies, this led to the Mesopotamian Civilization. Political states were established and led by kings and local councils who ruled the agricultural lands. Writing was introduced by the Sumerians in 3500 B.C.E.to enable keeping of commercial, political and religious records. Patterns of observation in astronomy and numerical systems units were introduced. Egyptians had a strong centralized government and built monumental structures. With the rise of agriculture, domestication of animals like the donkeys and oxen began. Major developments in the history of Eurasia and Africa began with the discovery of agriculture. The Inca Civilization continues to amaze the world with its wealth and military power, leaving behind a remarkable example of a single government that ruled diverse tribes, living in different parts. Civilization in Africa led to domestication of animals while Americans lacked this. Both civilizations developed great empires, but in America it was done with little technology. A form of pastoralism developed in the Andean region just like in some African societies. Cultures of the Andean highlands did not develop a system of writing unlike the Mesoamericans and people in Africa and Eurasia. The coastal Andean people endured harsh climatic conditions on the windy plateau surrounding the lake just like others in the Arctic and parts of Africa like Kalahari and Gobi. There is a lot of speculation about the societies in the Andean region of South America; this is because they did not write making it difficult to learn more about them. Interpreting the codices in their textiles will help in gaining a greater understanding of their ancient culture. Works Cited Gonzales, Manuel. Mexicanos: A History of Mexicans in the United States. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2009. Print. Kuiper, Kathleen. Pre-Columbian America: Empires of the New World. New York: Britannica Educational Publishing, 2011. Print. Pohl's, John. “Mesoamerica.” 6 April 2012. . Web. 2012. Bose, Debopriya. “The Inca Civilization.” 6 April 2012. . Web. 2012. Read More