ABSTRACT
In the varied landscapes of tropical rainforests, snow-capped mountains, coastal habitats, and scrub vegetation of the southernmost part of North America, numerous civilizations rose to power and constituted the most complex societies of this continent’s past. In Mesoamerica, the well-known Olmecs, Zapotecs, Teotihuacanos, Maya, Mixtecs, Aztecs, and many other sophisticated societies created incredible lifeways that left their indelible mark on the archaeological record in the form of temples, palaces, ball courts, and thousands of residences. This chapter begins with the emerging complexity in the Formative period as manifested by the Olmecs of Mexico and carries through to the Postclassic period when the Aztecs created their empire, and the Maya dominated the Yucatan Peninsula after the Classic Maya collapse in the lowlands. Maize, complemented by beans and squash, was the essential domesticate of the region. From slash-and-burn horticulture to chinampas, agriculture was a lifeway practiced successfully by all groups. Each of these hierarchical societies fashioned its own form of politics, economics, religion, and social forms, yet shared many characteristics.
