Latin America: Precolumbian History part I

When the Spaniards arrived in the Americas they found different civilizations with high degrees of cultural, economic, and social development.

In Mesoamerica (Middle America), a cultural area encompassing parts of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, Honduras and El Salavador, they encountered the Aztec and the Maya.

In South America they found the Inca, in the Andean region, extending from Ecuador in the North, to Chile in the South.

The resulting conflict was followed by an interchange of ideas and products that profoundly changed the world and that has become known as the Columbian Exchange.


Please watch the videos below in preparation for class. Next day in class we will explore the Inca and the Spanish arrival.


THE MAYA

VIDEO: BrainPOP: Maya Civilization



VIDEO: The Mayans Got IT Done



VIDEO: Smithsonian: The Creation Story of the Maya



THE AZTECS

VIDEO: BrainPOP: Aztec Civilization

VIDEO: Ask History: The Aztecs

VIDEO: Ask History: What happened to the Aztecs?

Me gustan los aztecas

Intro to Spanish:

Today we practiced Me gusta and no me gusta in class. Please have your students go over pages 17--20 in their books. Remember that gusta becomes gustan when referring to more than one think being liked: eg. Me gusta el perro (I like the dog) vs. Me gustan los perros (I like dogs). Also please complete watching the video we started in class, with Tina, fruits and juice.


VIDEO: Spanish for kids - me gusta no me gusta



Intermediate Spanish:

Today we learned about the Maya in our class and took a look at a facsimile of the Dresden Codex (a 12th century pre-Columbian Maya book). Please in preparation for next class watch the video below and think of the similarities and differences between the Maya and the Aztecs. Aslo, go over the personal pronouns in  pages 22 and 23 of your book (and yes, you will have to learn the vosotros, vosotras informal plural second person (think y'all, if that helps).

VIDEO: Brain POP: The Aztecs