Ancient America

by Wood, Marion; Williams, Brian

• ISBN13: 9780816051458
• ISBN10: 0816051453
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-06-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Long before the arrival of Columbus in 1492, brilliant civilizations flourished in North and South America. The story of these diverse cultures is presented in Ancient America, Revised Edition. The atlas is divided into two sections. The History of North America focuses on the various peoples of present-day Canada and the United States. From the Inuit of the Arctic to the Plains Indians, the cultures and lifestyles of Native North Americans are presented. Topics include the burial Mound Builders, the Great Plains, and Hopi ritual drama. The History of Latin America discusses the ancient peoples from present-day Mexico to the tip of South America. In addition to the Aztec and Inca, the Olmec, Maya, and Toltec are also discussed. Topics include the Aztec capital, controlling the Inca Empire, and Andean textiles. Full-color maps and illustrations and clearly-written text all work together to provide a vivid picture of life in ancient America. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Marion Wood holds a graduate certificate in museums studies from the University of Leicester, England. She is currently assistant curator, Fife Council Museums East, and has held prior positions as curator of St. Andrews Preservation Trust Museum Brian Williams was an editor at Children's Britannica and a consultant editor at World Book

Table of Contents

Introduction	4	(2)
Table of Dates	6	(2)
AN OVERVIEW OF AMERICA
The Land and People	8	(2)
The First Americans	10	(2)
Exploration and Conquest	12	(4)
PART ONE: THE HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA
North America: Land and Climate	16	(2)
North America After the Ice	18	(2)
The Arctic	20	(2)
Inuit Life	22	(2)
The Burial Mound Builders	24	(2)
The Temple Mound Builders	26	(2)
Mound Sites	28	(2)
The Northern Iroquoians	30	(2)
The Great Plains	32	(2)
Life on the Plains	34	(2)
The Far West	36	(2)
The Southwest	38	(2)
Mimbres Pottery	40	(2)
Southwest Sites 1	42	(2)
Southwest Sites 2	44	(2)
Hopi Ritual Drama	46	(2)
Northwest Coast	48	(4)
PART TWO: THE HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA
Latin America: Land and Climate	52	(2)
Mesoamerica After the Ice Age	54	(2)
Olmec Civilization	56	(2)
Mesoamerican Sites 1	58	(2)
Mesoamerican Sites 2	60	(2)
Maya Civilization	62	(2)
Maya Civilization Sites	64	(2)
The Toltec Empire	66	(2)
The Toltec Empire Sites	68	(2)
The Aztec Empire	70	(2)
The Aztec Capital	72	(2)
The Antilles and Colombia	74	(2)
The Central Andes	76	(2)
Nazca: Lines in the Desert	78	(2)
Central Andean Sites	80	(2)
The Inca	82	(2)
The Inca Empire Sites	84	(2)
Inca Travel	86	(2)
Andean Mummies and Textiles	88	(2)
Latin America Today	90	(2)
Glossary	92	(1)
Further Reading	92	(1)
Gazetteer	93	(2)
Index	95

Excerpts

Praise for the previous edition:
Winner! Selected by the New York Public Library as one of the 1992 Books for the Teen Age
...a valuable addition to a school library. Recommended. - The Book Report
Ancient America, Revised Edition provides a comprehensive visual and textual account of the ancient civilizations who inhabited the Americas, from Tierra del Fuego to the arctic tundra.
In two parts—The History of North America and The History of Latin America—the cultures that existed in ancient America are brought to life. The first section, on North America, focuses on the various peoples who lived in the lands that today belong to Canada and the United States. From the Inuit of the frozen north to the Plains Indians, the cultures and lifestyles of these groups are presented through topics such as the Burial Mound Builders, the Great Plains, and Hopi ritual drama. The section on Latin America discusses the ancient peoples who lived in the vast regions from present-day Mexico to the tip of South America. Focusing on the important Aztec and Inca civilizations, the atlas also details the astounding Olmec, Maya, and Toltec empires. Topics covered in the second section include the Aztec capital, controlling the Inca Empire, and Andean textiles.
Designed to appeal to young people as well as readers of other ages, full-color maps and illustrations and text written in clear, accessible language work together to provide a vivid picture of life in ancient America.