10: The Americas
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- 10.3: Mesoamerica
- Mesoamerica was the first section of the Americas where scholars have found evidence of large settlements, agriculture, and unique cultural traditions. The Mesoamerican culture area is found in what are now the modern countries of Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, and eastern Honduras. The region’s frequent volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and hurricanes gave it quite a staggering amount of ecological diversity.
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- 10.6: Early Andes
- After migrating through North and Mesoamerica, humans began to craft small campsites and fishing villages along the Pacific coast in South America. Around 3,000 BCE, the villages were replaced by residential and ceremonial centers. This transition was made possible through a new focus on irrigation and communal agriculture.
Thumbnail: Machu Picchu shortly after sunrise. (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported; Charles J Sharp via Wikitravel ).