Early American Civilization By KRC0527 30,000 BCE Natural land bridges formed when water levels dropped during the ice age. 10,000 BCE The land bridge was covered with water once again, leaving hunters and gatherers in the Americas. 7000 BCE People started planting, in what is now Central Mexico. Period: 1300 BCE to 400 BCE The Olmec people lived along the Gulf Coast of what is now Southern Mexico. 800 BCE The earliest Mound Builders were the Aden people who were hunters and gatherers in the valley. Period: 800 BCE to 100 BCE The Adena people, one of the first Mound Builders lived along the Ohio River. 700 BCE In South America and central Mexico started to plant seeds to grow food. 300 BCE The Mayans developed a complex culture in the forest of present day Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, an d Belize on the Yucatan Peninsula. Period: 300 BCE to 909 The Mayan culture existed in what is now Southern Mexico and Guatemala. Period: 200 BCE to 500 The Hopewell people were mound builders. Period: 100 BCE to 500 The Hopewell Mound Builders Lodged in the same area. 11 The Aztecs wandered into the valley of Mexico located in central Mexico. Period: 200 to 1300 The Anasazi culture emerged in the southwest in the four corners area ( where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona meet ) Period: 700 to 1600 The Mississippians civilization existed. 900 The Mayan civilization disappeared for unknown reasons. 1000 The Cahokia, another group lived along the Mississippi River. 1100 The Aztecs settled in the valley of Mexico. 1300 The Anasazi began leaving the pueblos and cliff dwellings to live in smaller communities. Period: 1400 to 1572 The Incas established their empire in southern Peru. 1420 The great city of Tenochtitlan emerged on an island in lake Texcoco now part of Mexico city. 1428 The Aztecs leader helped the Aztecs to form a three-way alliance with the Texcoco and Tacuban to conquer their rivals for influence in the region. 1492 Columbus landed in the Americas. 1519 Hernán Cortés, a spanish conquistador first led his soldiers to the Aztec civilization. 1532 The Inca empire was weakened by the civil war. Period: 1533 to 1572 The Spanish invaded the Inca empire. 10,000 Earth's temperature had begun to rise and the ice age was ending.