List of archaeological periods (Mesoamerica) Facts for Kids

Mesoamerica was a very important historical region in what is now Mexico and Central America. For thousands of years, many amazing civilizations lived here before Christopher Columbus arrived. To understand their long history, experts divide it into different time periods. This helps us see how these cultures changed and grew over time.

How Historians Divide Time in Mesoamerica
Major Time Periods of Mesoamerica
See also

How Historians Divide Time in Mesoamerica

Historians and archaeologists often use a simple way to divide the long history of Mesoamerica into five main parts. This idea was created by two smart people, Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips, in their book from 1958. These five stages help us understand the different steps these ancient cultures took:

The Lithic Stage: This was the very first time, when people were mostly hunters and gatherers.
The Archaic Stage: During this time, people started to farm and settle down in one place.
The Formative Stage: This is when the first big villages and early cities began to appear.
The Classic Stage: This was a golden age for many civilizations, with large cities, complex societies, and amazing art.
The Post-Classic Stage: After the Classic period, some big cities declined, but new powerful kingdoms and empires rose up.

Major Time Periods of Mesoamerica

Let's look at the main periods of Mesoamerican history in more detail. Each period saw important changes in how people lived, built cities, and organized their societies.

Paleo-Indian Period (10,000–3500 BCE)

This was the earliest time when people first arrived in Mesoamerica. They were mostly hunters and gatherers, moving around to find food.

Key Features: People hunted large animals and used tools made of stone, like obsidian and pyrite points.
Important Places: Evidence of these early people has been found in places like Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and Iztapan.

Archaic Period (3500–1800 BCE)

During this period, people started to change how they lived. They began to farm plants like corn, beans, and squash. This meant they could stay in one place longer.

Key Features: The start of farming and the creation of small, settled agricultural villages.
Important Places: The Tehuacán Valley is a famous site where we see signs of early farming.

Preclassic (Formative) Period (2000 BCE–250 CE)

This was a very exciting time when the first large civilizations and cities began to form. Societies became more complex.

Early Preclassic (2000–1000 BCE)

Key Features: The very first states started to appear. People began building large ceremonial buildings. The Olmec culture was very important during this time.
Important Places:
- Olmec Area: San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan
- Central Mexico: Chalcatzingo
- Valley of Oaxaca: San José Mogote
- Maya Area: Nakbe, Cerros

Middle Preclassic (1000–400 BCE)

Key Features: Olmec culture continued to grow, known for its giant stone heads. Early Maya cities also started to develop.
Important Places:
- Olmec Area: La Venta, Tres Zapotes
- Maya Area: El Mirador, Izapa, Lamanai, Xunantunich, Naj Tunich, Takalik Abaj, Kaminaljuyú, Uaxactun
- Valley of Oaxaca: Monte Albán

Late Preclassic (400 BCE–200 CE)

Key Features: Many cities grew very large and powerful. The city of Teotihuacan began to rise in Central Mexico.
Important Places:
- Maya Area: Uaxactun, Tikal, Edzná, Cival, San Bartolo, Altar de Sacrificios, Piedras Negras, Ceibal, Rio Azul
- Central Mexico: Teotihuacan
- Gulf Coast: The Epi-Olmec culture

Classic Period (200–900 CE)

This was the "golden age" for many Mesoamerican civilizations. Large city-states became very powerful, and there were great achievements in art, science, and architecture.

Early Classic (200–600 CE)

Key Features: The city of Teotihuacan was at its peak, influencing many other areas. The Zapotec people also thrived. Many Classic Maya cities grew very large.
Important Places:
- Maya Area: Calakmul, Caracol, Chunchucmil, Copán, Naranjo, Palenque, Quiriguá, Tikal, Uaxactun, Yaxha
- Central Mexico: Teotihuacan
- Oaxaca: Zapotec cities

Late Classic (600–900 CE)

Key Features: Many Maya cities reached their greatest size and power. New powerful centers emerged in Central Mexico and the Gulf Coast.
Important Places:
- Maya Area: Uxmal, Toniná, Cobá, Waka', Pusilhá, Xultún, Dos Pilas, Cancuen, Aguateca
- Central Mexico: Xochicalco, Cacaxtla, Cholula
- Gulf Coast: El Tajín and the Classic Veracruz culture

Terminal Classic (800–900/1000 CE)

Key Features: This was a time of big changes, especially for the Maya in the southern lowlands. Many large cities were abandoned.
Important Places:
- Maya Area: Puuc sites like Uxmal, Labna, Sayil, Kabah

Postclassic Period (900–1519 CE)

After the Classic period, many of the great cities declined. However, new powerful kingdoms and empires rose up, like the Aztec and Toltec empires.

Early Postclassic (900–1200 CE)

Key Features: The rise of the Toltec empire in Central Mexico. New cities were built, and trade networks changed.
Important Places: Tula, Mitla, Tulum, Topoxte, Chichen Itza

Late Postclassic (1200–1519 CE)

Key Features: The powerful Aztec Empire dominated much of Central Mexico. Other strong kingdoms like the Purépecha and various Maya groups also existed.
Important Places: Tenochtitlan (the Aztec capital), Cempoala, Tzintzuntzan, Mayapán, Ti'ho, Utatlán, Iximche, Mixco Viejo, Zaculeu

Post Conquest Period (Until 1697 CE)

This period covers the time after the Spanish arrived in Mesoamerica in 1519. While many native empires fell, some independent groups continued to resist for many years.

Key Features: The arrival of Europeans and the start of Spanish rule. Some native groups held out against the Spanish for a long time.
Important Places: In the Central Peten region, cities like Tayasal and Zacpeten were among the last independent Maya strongholds.

List of archaeological periods (Mesoamerica) facts for kids

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