1. Describe the Mesopotamian temple. What was the function of this institution and how did it change through time? Ancient Mesopotamian temples satisfied many roles. They were the houses of the patron god of the city and they were also the organizational centers of the first cities in Sumer. The starting point of the order of civilization came from the temple that was the god of wisdom, where Enki, lived. A priest-king ruled Uruk, and many early Mesopotamian cities followed the same model that was, the temple was the seat of both religious and worldly authority. After the rise of secular kings, the temple was the mid structure of every city throughout Mesopotamia. Which served as a seat of kingship, administration, and organizing the distribution …show more content…
By the beginning of the Classic period, Monte Alban and Teotihuacan grew drastically. They became one of the largest cities of the world at the time, even larger than Rome. Impressive centers such as Tikal and Palenque were built in the Maya Lowlands during the Classic era. Teotihuacán make up second grand civilization unification. Teotihuacán power waned after 600, and followed. A number of states and budding empires competed for supremacy. Among these competitors were the Toltecs of Tula, in central Mexico, who held influence from 900 to 1200 (the Early Postclassic Period). After their decline (in the Late Postclassic Period), another martial states lasted until 1428, this is when the Aztec defeated the rival city of Azcapotzalco and appeared as the dominant force in central Mexico. This last native Mesoamerican empire was conquered by Hernán Cortés and the Spaniards in 1521. Writing, calendars, and monumental art are strongly connected to Late Preclassic kingship and the Classic period appearance of urban centers and territorial states. Around 750AD, the balance of power in central Mexico would change that would cause the big fall. Although it held significant power for 1000 years, that power was suddenly lost and many buildings in the city were burned, and the city was never the same …show more content…
The mounds were built in stages, probably as part of community rituals. The tow major mounds, the largest of which was 58ft high and covered more than 2 acres at its base, were located within the plaza at the center of the site along the north-south axis. The 18 earthworks surrounding the plaza are arranged into pairs of one large and one small mound. The small mounds usually include burials; the larger earthen structures do not. Mississippian towns contained 1 thru 20 or more flat-topped mounds that served as a stage for temples and elite. Society was a ranked one with permanent, hereditary, offices. The smaller communities were politically (and for some economically) satellites of larger ones. Mississippian societies were classified as chiefdoms although at several Mississippian centers (such as Cahokia and Moundville) a state organization had emerged. Some of the major features of Mississippian society are: • An elite group - emerged as a way of mitigating risks during lean times for people. Elites would oversee the stockpiling of food surpluses, and ensure that the cultivated lands were maintained in different environmental