Early American Civilization

By JudahMando
  • 30,000 BCE

    Natural Bridges Formed

    When waters dropped during the Ice Age, natural land bridges formed. The bridges were located where large bodies of water are today.
  • 10,000 BCE

    Ice Age Ended

    By 10,000 BC, the land bridge was covered with water once again, leaving hunters and gatherers in the Americas.
  • 7000 BCE

    People started planting seeds for food.

    People in South America and central Mexico started to plant seeds to grow food.
  • 1300 BCE

    Olmec Civiization 1300 BC to 400 BC

    The Olmec people were one of the first civilizations in the Americas. From 1300 BC to 400 BC, the Olmec people lived along the Gulf Coast of what is now southern Mexico.
  • 800 BCE

    Adena People

    The Adena people, one of the first Mound Builders, lived along the Ohio River between 800 BC and 100 BC.
  • 300 BCE

    Mayans Civilization 300 BC to 909 AD

    They were not only excellent farmers, but also artists, scientists, and historians. Mayans pulled huge stones from the earth to build monuments and pyramids that are still around today.
  • 100 BCE

    Hopewell Mound Builders

    The Hopewell Mound Builders lodged along the Ohio River around 100 BC to AD 500.
  • 1 CE

    Anasazi Civilation Begins

    Anasazi civilization lasted from 1AD to 1300AD
  • 700

    Mississippian Civilization from 700 AD to 1600 AD

    The Mississippians were made up of different tribes of Woodland Native Americans.
  • 900

    Mayan Civilization Disappears

    Around 900 AD, the Mayan civilization disappeared for reasons unknown. Experts believe food shortages and wars were the causes. The Mayan civilization is gone, but descendants still live in Guatemala and Mexico.
  • 1000

    Cahokia Civilization

    The Cahokia, another group, lived along the Mississippi River around AD 1000. They built small, rounded piles of earth to bury their dead. The largest ancient mound at Cahokia, Illinois, is bigger at the base than the Great Pyramid of Egypt.
  • 1100

    Aztecs located themselves in Central Mexico

  • 1420

    Aztecs built the city Tenochtitlan

    Priests and nobles gave the orders to a common work force who worked day and night to get the city built. They pulled dirt from the bottom of the lake to make bridges of earth that linked the island to the shore. They filled part of the lake with soil in order to use it for farmland.
  • 1428

    Aztecs Form a Three Way Alliance

    Itzcoatl, the Aztec leader, helped the Aztecs to form a three-way alliance with the Texcocans and the Tacubans to conquer their rivals for influence in the region.
  • 1438

    Incas settled capital city in Peru.

    The capital city of Cuzco was in a mountain valley in southern Peru.
  • 1492

    Columbus landed in the Americas in AD 1492.

    Christopher Columbus, sailing for the Spanish monarchy, headed west to find a new trade route.
  • 1519

    Hernán Cortés led his soldiers to the Aztec civilization

    Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador. In a short time he tore down much of their capital city.
  • 1521

    Aztec Empire Ended

    By AD 1521, the Spaniards had defeated the Aztecs and ended their empire.
  • 1540

    DeSoto encounters Mound Builders

  • 1572

    Inca Empire Collapsed

    The Inca Empire rapidly collapsed when its last emperor was executed by the Spanish invaders led by Francisco Pizarro.