History is an ocean of ancient civilizations. When we study one ancient group, we find many currents. Some of these currents lead us to other groups. Learning about ancient civilizations can help us trace our growth. It can help us prepare for our future. How are civilizations formed?
Before civilizations, people practiced subsistence living. They lived in smaller groups. They moved around more. They had to work harder to find food. Can you imagine not knowing if you're going to eat tomorrow?
Then people began to form civilizations. They started practicing sedentism. They lived in larger groups. They built permanent homes. The growth of cities helped the people stay safe. They built permanent farms. The domestication of foods and animals helped the people to survive. They built complex buildings like pyramids. The rituals they practiced helped these civilizations to grow.
Most people know about the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. They are popular because they left behind evidence of their worlds. We can still see the Sphinx in Egypt. We still share stories from Greek mythology. However, they are not the only noteworthy cultures of the ancient world. Where else can we find ancient civilizations?
Mesoamerica is a historical region in the southern part of North America. Today, this region covers seven different countries, and even more ethnic groups! Mesoamerica has captured the minds of wonderers and wanderers alike. Many complex cultures grew here on their own, unlike the ancient Greeks. But while we know some things, the history of Mesoamerica still contains many mysteries.
Before the arrival of Europeans, pre-Columbian civilizations here vied for dominance of the land. The Olmec, Maya, Inca, Aztec, and Norte Chico are well-known civilizations in Mesoamerica. They didn't all live during the same times. They didn't all live in the exact same places. However, some of their practices correlate. They all used stone to create interesting art and structures. These creations can still be seen today. They all worshipped gods, but the gods they worshipped were different.
We can trace the chronology of Mesoamerica depending on which culture was dominant. The Olmec culture is the earliest one. They lived from 1500 B.C. to 400 B.C. Then came the Maya. They were dominant from around 250 A.D. to around 950 A.D. Like the Olmec people, they lived in parts of modern-day Mexico. Next came the Inca. They lived around 1200 A.D. to 1500 A.D. They're noteworthy because they didn't live in Mesoamerica. The last major pre-Columbian group in Mesoamerica was the Aztecs. They were dominant from 1300 A.D. to 1521 A.D. The Norte Chico culture is even older than the Olmec culture. They lived as early as 3500 B.C. Like the Inca, the Norte Chico lived outside of Mesoamerica. They lived in modern-day Peru.
Each group developed interesting ecological solutions. Like the Egyptians, the Norte Chico built close to rivers. The Inca lived in the mountains of Peru. They built bridges and tunnels to help them move water. The Maya built their greatest city in the middle of a lake.
There remain hidden currents in the ocean of history to be explored. The deeper we dive into the past, the more lessons we can learn about ourselves. We can learn from our ancestors to prevent our own extinction. We may need to sacrifice some modern comforts.