Transcript Title: Mesoamerica Review & Democracy Forms In Latin America

Title: Mesoamerica Review &
Democracy Forms In Latin America
Review:
Ancient Mesoamerican Civilizations
Maya, Aztec, and Inca
In your INB make a chart similar to the one below. As we review the
ancient cultures record the facts in your chart.
Maya
Aztec
Inca
Chinampas- floating
gardens
Central Mexico
Calendar to keep track of
worship
Human sacrificeespecially to the sun god
Military focused
Empire
Tenochtitlan- capital citycauseways connect it to
mainland
Southern Mexico-Central
America
City- Tikal
Math, astronomy and
religion connected
Written- language of glyphsrecords called codex
City-states- NOT an empire
Raised beds and terrace
farming
Domesticated llamas
West coast of South
America
Used quipu- knotted
strings to record data
Empire
Extensive road system
with runner/messengers
Organized into ayllufamily groups with
required work for the
government
No written language
Mysterious city- Machu
Picchu
Democracy
What is it? How do you get it? Why does everyone want it?
What is it?
Democracy- is a government by the people and for the people.
Direct Democracy vs. Indirect Democracy
Direct Democracy-a government in which citizens rule directly rather that through
representatives.
•What classical civilization had a direct democracy?
Indirect Democracy-a government in which representatives are popularly elected to
fulfill the wishes of the people and withhold the traditions and principles of the
nation.
•Which modern civilization best represents an indirect democracy?
How do you get it?
Common Practices
Conditions That Foster Those Practices
Free Elections
-Having more than one political party
-Universal suffrage
Citizen Participation
-High levels of education & literacy
-Economic security
-Freedoms of Speech, Press, and assembly
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
-All citizens equal before the law
-Shared national identity
Protection of such individual rights as freedom of
religion
-Representatives elected by citizens to carry out their
will
Constitutional Government
-Specific traditions and laws on which government is
based
-Wide spread knowledge about government’s
workings
-National acceptance of majority decisions
-shared belief that no one is above the law
Why Does Everyone Want It?
• Using your knowledge of Global History and
the various forms of governments that we
have studied, in your INB take three minutes
and free write about why a person or group
of people would want to live under a
Democratic nation.