Early History of South America

The Mayans

200

Around 250 A.D. the Mayan Civilisation was formed. This was the first really organised civilisation in the Americas and one of the first organised civilisations in the world. The people who formed this civilisation most likely migrated down from North America. The Mayans set the stage in South and Central America for advanced civilisations. Allthough the Mayan civilisation lasted for a long time, it eventallly fell and made way for a new civilisation.

The Aztecs

Mar 20, 1325

After the Mayan Civilisation fell there was a period between about 900 and 1325 A.D. where a new civilisation was built. This new civilisation was the Aztecs and they were the next major civilisation to take power in South America. They were simmilar to the Mayans and they practiced the same religious beliefs. They were the major power in South America until their demise in about 1521. The next civilisation to take over would be the Inicas.

The Incas

Mar 20, 1400

After the Aztec empire disintegrated the Incan empire took it's place. The Incans followed the cultiral pattern of the Mayans and Aztecs and were another major civilisation in South America. They were the Last Native American Civilisation to live in South America and they were very efficient in their govermental system. The Inicas finally met their demise when the Spaniards came to South America. The Spaniards conqured the Aztecs and enslaved them.

Columbus sets sail for America

Mar 21, 1492

The Treaty of Tordesillas is initiated

Mar 21, 1494

The Spaniards arrive

Mar 21, 1519

In 1519 the Spaniards arrived in South America. The Aztecs saw them and thought they were Gods because they were awed by their ships, horses, guns and armour. The Spaniards saw that the Aztecs and Incans had gold and other riches and prepared to conquer them. The Spaniard General (Hernan Cortes) enlisted the help of some of the Aztecs enemys to help conquer them. Soon, the Spaniards had conqured all of the Aztecs and their capitol city Tenochtitlan.

The Aztec civilisation Ends

Mar 21, 1521

the Incan Civilisation Ends

Mar 21, 1533

The Incas are conqured

Mar 21, 1535

In 1535 Spanish Explorer Francisco Pizarro occupied most of the Incan territory in South America. He had conqured the massive Incan empire in just a few years with his army and the help of some of the Incans rivals. By then, all of the Native American civilisations in South America had been conqured and the peoples were slaves. More Europeans had come to South and Central America and they were developing industry there. They were developing industry such as farming, mining and hunting.

The End of the Mayan civilisation

Mar 2, 2022