Publisher's Synopsis
Chocolate, bouncy rubber balls, and the "Three Sisters" agricultural system-the people of ancient Mexico invented them all 3,600 years ago.
They also built the world's largest pyramid by volume and the sixth most-populated city without the wheel and without pack animals. Ancient Mexico introduced the first city, calendar, writing system, and aqueduct to North America.
This book unwraps the interrelated histories of ancient Mexico's key civilizations. Learn about their mythology, warfare, art, architecture, and religion. How did they develop writing? What happened when the Spaniards showed up? This book will keep you turning pages as it unwraps the stories of ancient Mexico's colorful and fascinating history.
A glimpse at the questions this overview answers includes:
- Who built North America's first city and invented chocolate and rubber balls?
- Which culture developed Mexico's first logo-syllabic writing by 500 BCE?
- Who ruled an empire of six million people and worshiped a hummingbird god?
- What was the Valley of Mexico's first city-state, which was later buried under volcanic lava?
- How did Aztec soldiers reach the rank of Jaguar warriors?
- What tactics did Cortés use to defeat the Aztecs?
- What did Mexico's ancient people believe about creation, heaven, and the underworld?
- How has ancient Mexico impacted modern Mexico and the world?
