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Period: 2000 BCE to 900 BCE
Formative Period
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1200 BCE
Olmec Invention of Rubber Ball Game
The exact date is unknown but invented sometime in the Formative period by Olmec. Olmecs were able to make rubber from rubber trees, thousands of years before Vulcanization. The ball game they invented spread to other Mesoamerican cultures and became very popular. -
1200 BCE
Rise of Olmec Civilization
The exact date is unknown, but around 1200 BCE. It was the first Mesoamerican civilization and is known as the "mother" civilization. The first major city is believed to be San Lorenzo -
1200 BCE
Creation of Olmec picture writing
The Olmecs were the first Mesoamerican civilization to have a form of writing. They also had the first known example of a numerical system in Mesoamerica. -
1200 BCE
Creation of Olmec Colossal Heads
17 heads have been discovered in total and they range from 5-17 feet tall. All of them are different, and while the exact people the heads are representing are unknown, most historians agree it was likely Olmec rulers. -
1200 BCE
Fact: Olmecs Success in Agriculture
Most of the Olmec population lived on small farms and were very successful. They used a common farming method known as slash-and-burn, which is still used today. Involves cutting whatever plants are there, and then doing a controlled burning of the area. The Olmec's prosperity in farming allowed them to build their civilization. -
Period: 1200 BCE to 400 BCE
Olmec Civilization
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700 BCE
Rise of Zapotec Civilization
In the 700s BCE, there were a few small villages in the Oaxaca Valley. This collection would eventually become the Zapotec Civilization, which rose to prominence in 500 BCE -
500 BCE
Major city of Monte Albán
Rose to prominence in 500 BCE with a population of 20,000. By 700 BCE, it had grown to 25,000—the most important city in the Zapotec civilization. -
500 BCE
Mitla or Lyobaá "Land of Rest"
Milta was an important city to the Zapotecs. It was a major religious center for priests and it is believed many human sacrifices and burials happened there. -
500 BCE
Zapotec Calendar
In ancient Mesoamerica, there were two different calendars: the solar one, which used the sun. And the Sacred calendar may have been used for important dates in farming. The Zapotecs had the first known calendar that combined both the Solar and Sacred. -
500 BCE
Fact: Zapotecs Had a Social Structure
The Zapotecs had a detailed hierarchy of Kings, priests, soldiers, artisans, and farmers. -
Period: 500 BCE to 900
Zapotec Civilization
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400 BCE
Decline of Olmec Civilization
Olmec civilization ended around 400 BCE. The exact reason is unknown, though there is some evidence of possible volcano eruptions. Between its birth and decline, the major city changed from San Lorenzo to La Venta. -
100
Creation of Teotihuacan
It was created around 250 BCE--100 CE and is located in the Sierra Madre. It is unknown what civilizations built it, but several civilizations occupied it at various points. -
100
Teotihuacan's Chinampas
Chinampas were small man-made islands that were used to plant crops. -
100
Avenue of the Dead
In Teotihuacan, the Avenue of the Dead Is a giant road that connects many of the important structures in the city. -
100
Pyramid of the Sun
The largest pyramid in Teotihuacan. It stands at 216 feet, with a base of 720 by 760, and faces west. -
Period: 100 to 600
Teotihuacan
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Period: 250 to 900
Classical Stage
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400
Fact: Teotihuacan Was Huge
At the time, it was one of the largest cities and most powerful cities in Mesoamerica. At its peak, it had 150,000 residents from all corners of Mesoamerica. -
600
Decline of Teotihuacan
It is believed that Teotihuacan was burned in the 535 CE "volcanic winter," where there was an intense period of volcanic activity. However, the city may have lasted longer than that. -
900
Creation of Toltec Tzompantli
A Tzompantli is a type of wooden rack or palisade, used for the public display of human skulls, typically sacrificial victims or war captives. -
900
Toltec Pyramids
It is a massive pyramid in the center of the ancient city of Tula, the civic-ceremonial capital of the Toltecs. The exact date of creation is unknown. -
900
Toltecs Sculpture
Atalantes grace the top of Pyramid B at Tula. These tall human statues represent high-ranking Toltec warriors. The exact date of creation is unknown. -
900
Decline of Zapotec Civilization
The population declined from 900-1000 CE due to war with other civilizations like the Mixtecs and Aztecs. There was also a decrease in natural resources. -
900
Rise of Toltec Civilization
All of what we know about the Toltecs comes from the Aztec's writings about them. The Toltec civilization was formed sometime in the 10th century. The capital city was Tollan. -
Period: 900 to 1100
Toltec Civilization
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1000
Mixtec Funerary Mask
The exact date of creation is unknown. One of the examples of Mixtecs using turquoise mosiac in their art. -
1000
Birth of Mixtec civilization
Mixtec civilization formed in the 10th century after the Maya empire collapsed in 900 BC. It was a mixture of different tribes in the area of the Oaxaca Valley. -
1000
Mixtec Codices
One of the most famous creations of the Mixtecs was their Codices which contained their history. They were bound books made of deerskin. -
1000
Fact: Mixtecs and Zapotecs had similar traditions
Because of their geographical closeness, the two civilizations shared a lot of traditions and aspects of their languages. -
1000
Mixtec Necklace Ornaments
Exact date of creation is unknown. Mixtecs used a lot of gold in their pieces, and this is an example of that. -
Period: 1000 to 1521
Post Classical Stage
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Period: 1000 to 1400
Mixtecs
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1100
Decline of Toltec Civilization
The Toltec civilization declined around the 12th century due to war, both internal and external. -
1100
Fact: Aztecs claim heritage from Toltecs
The Aztecs highly revered the Toltecs and claimed lineage from them. Therefore, the writings we have on the Toltecs from the Aztecs may be somewhat exaggerated. -
1400
Decline of Mixtec civilization
The Mixtecs were conquered by the Aztec Empire but still had some structure and autonomy. Their empire completely collapsed when the Spanish came.