The Americas are out there on an island. The “Global Tapestry” has a gap in it that disconnects the Americas from all of the other places. By 1200, a big chunk of Afro-Eurasia is connected in some way. The Americas prior to 1492 (and before that some minor contact with the Polynesians) are on there own. The addition of the Americas to the Global Trade Network is arguably THE theme of the next period. For now, get to know the Americas before the Spanish arrive and along with them, Smallpox; destroying much of these civilizations.
1. AZTLAN
2. MEXICA
3. TENOCHTITLAN
4. CHINAMPAS
5. CAHOKIA
6. TAWANTINSUYU
7. CHASQUIS
8. QUIPU
9. MIT’A
10. PUEBLOS
THE INCA EMPIRE from ME!
TENOCHTITLAN
TZOMPANTLI (Aztec Skull Rack!!! from Science)
CHINAMPAS TODAY
MESO-AMERICAN BALL GAME (from ROAD TO EL DORADO)
REVIVING THE MESO-AMERICAN BALL GAME
RISE OF THE INCA (from TEDed)
MACHU PICCHU 101 (from NatGeo)
INCAN TERRACE FARMING
INCAN ROADS
MESA VERDE PUEBLOS
POLYNESIAN MIGRATIONS (from TEDEd)
DISNEY & LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA’s take on the POLYNESIAN MIGRATIONS from MOANA
(This is difficult as there are very few sources to pull from. So, some of these are from the next period describing the first contacts with Native Americans.)