Chapter 1

Ancient America

The following material is designed to help you sort out the major themes and important information in our textbook Benjamin Keen, A History of Latin America, 5^th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996). You will be quizzed over this material in class. Also use this information as a study guide to prepare for the exam.

Learning Objectives

After you have read and studied Chapter 1, you should be able to:

1. Discuss the concept of regularities in early cultural evolution as illustrated in Ancient America.
2. Explain the relation between environment and cultural development in Ancient America.
3. Outline the stages in early cultural evolution (tribe, chiefdom, state), explain the concept of Nuclear America, and outline the stages commonly assigned to the evolution of Nuclear America (Formative, Classic, and Postclassic).
4. Describe the distinctive cultural achievements of the early civilization of Ancient America.

Chapter Summary

The chapter opens by noting the similarity between the patterns of cultural development of Ancient America and those patterns through which the peoples of the Old World once passed. The relationship between environment and the levels of cultural development achieved by particular groups is then examined. These levels or categories (band or tribe, chiefdom, state) are defined and illustrated by reference to specific societies. The chapter goes on to consider the extensive Indian high-culture area called Nuclear America, to explain the sequence of stages (Formative, Classic, Postclassic) through which this area passed, and to survey in some detail the cultural evolution of Mesoamerica and the Andean area. Although the main focus is on the climaxes of cultural development in this area--the Aztec, Maya, and the Inca cultures--emphasis is also placed on the achievements of their predecessors who laid the foundations on which those great cultures built. The chapter closes by noting that continuing advances in research are revolutionizing our understanding of the high civilizations of Ancient America and creating a new respect for their accomplishments.

Identification Terms

Be sure that you are able to identify and explain the historical significance of each of each of these terms from this chapter.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. This material is presented as a study guide exclusively for the use of students in Latin American History at Illinois State University. Please direct any questions to Marc Becker at mbecker@ilstu.edu.