HIS 111
Unit 9: Mesoamerica
![Pyramid of the Moon](../../Photos/Mesoamerica/Moonpyramid.jpg)
Pyramid of the
Moon, part of the complex at Teotihuacan, near Mexico City, abandoned
in the eighth century CE.
See some additional photos. I also have some photos of Inca civilization.
What you
must do in this unit
- Read chapters 5 and 15 and the sections on Mesoamerica and the Andes in Chapter 6 in the textbook.
- Read my notes on Mesoamerican civilization.
- Watch my short video.
- Study the Questions to Consider and the Key Terms for the unit.
- Post (or respond) with your thoughts/ideas/comments in the discussion forum: What were some of the features of Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerican societies? (5 points)
What you can do in this unit
- Please read the notes on the Mayan city of Chichén Itzá.
- Check out Susan Culpepper's online exhibit project on Quipu (the Inca knot system).
Some videos that you can watch for this unit
Extra Credit Options
- For up to 25 points of extra credit, the Popol Vuh is the sacred book of the Quiché Indians,
who are descended from Maya in present-day Guatemala. The book, recorded in the sixteenth century in
Quiché in Latin script and translated in the nineteenth century, is the Mayan creation myth that had been handed
down for thousands of years and reflects early Mesoamerican mythology. In many ways, the epic resembles
Genesis of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. For extra
credit, in a one-page paper, consider a comparison of the Popol Vuh with Genesis.
- For up to 20 points of extra credit, read the material about the Popol Vuh (You might also wish to watch an animated recreation of the Popol Vuh. I think that the whole animation is available here.) and then submit the Quiché paragraph.
- For up to 10 points of extra credit, read Hernan Cortés Second Letter to Charles V, 1520, and in a long paragraph, explain what scholars can learn about Indian society from this account.
- For up to 10 points of extra credit, read Pedro de Cieza de Léon Chronicles of the Incas,
1540, and in a long paragraph, explain what scholars can learn about the Inca economy from this short excerpt.
- For extra credit, please suggest a
relevant website for this unit of the course. Send your instructor the title of the site, the URL and a brief explanation why you find the information interesting and applicable to the material being studied this unit.
Unit Learning Objectives
- Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to (1) explain the development and key features of Mesoamerican societies.
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