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Mesoamerican Civilizations, 2002.
A research paper on Mesoamerican civilizations.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 6 sources, £ 31.95
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Abstract
A paper on the Mesoamerican civilizations. Including its origin, influence and effect from the perspective of the archaeologists and future historical impact.
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The Toltecs - The First Great Mesoamerican Civilization, 2001.
A history of Meso-America, with an in-depth study of the Toltecs.
2,200 words (approx. 8.8 pages), 9 sources, £ 48.95
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Abstract
This paper looks at the world of the Toltecs, focusing on how they were shaped and how they helped to shape a larger Meso-American cultural grouping that shared a number of salient cultural features. The author also makes particular mention of Toltecs impact on the Aztecs.
From the paper:
?The rise of the Toltec civilization did however mark a distinct turn in some sense because after the rise of the organized Toltec empire the peoples and rulers of this region of Mexico would be more deeply and more consistently marked by a militaristic orientation than those people (culturally related as they were) that preceded them, as Bernal argues?.
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Order in the Pre-Columbian World, 2006.
An argument for the ancient Mesoamericans as an intelligent civilized people.
920 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 5 sources, MLA, £ 22.95
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Abstract
This paper presents a case for the ancient Mesoamericans as an intelligent, civilized people with a highly ordered society, in contrast with the way Hollywood normally portrays them--as savages. The evidences of their society's complexity and order are detailed and the conclusion reemphasizes the contrast between the highly intelligent and ordered Mesoamerican and the Hollywood stereotype that usually depicts him.
From the Paper
"Old movies about the conquerors invading Mesoamerica and taking over the native people there always typify Mesoamericans as primitive and unintelligent-easy prey. The conquerors would dupe them with the simplest of ruses ...."
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Evidence of Dentistry in Pre-Columbian Mexico, 1999.
A look at evidence of early dentistry methods in Pre-Columbian Mexico, which suggests that native Mesoamericans were part of a very civilized culture.
2,500 words (approx. 10.0 pages), 6 sources, £ 53.95
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From the Paper
" There is existing evidence that dentistry was practiced in Mexico before and after the Conquest. This can be seen by studying the dental mutilations, consisting of skillfully executed filing and inlaying with a variety of different materials. This is confirmed by X-rays, taken of excavated skulls. These skulls are part of the Mexican collection of mutilated teeth, which is the largest in the world. There are also numerous documents that verify the use of medicinal plants in the practice of dentistry. The sophistication of this pharmacology and the intricate work found in the inlays and filings lends qualification to the theory that these native Mesoamericans were part of a very civilized culture. "
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Mayan Time, 1994.
The significance of the time in Mesoamerican civilization. Includes linear development, agriculture, seasons, calendar and the philosophy of time.
1,575 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 8 sources, £ 39.95
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From the Paper
"No other people in history made of time so great a fetish as the Maya (Coggins, 1979; von Hagen, 1961). Without doubt, time - and man's perception of it - has played an important role in the development of civilizations throughout the world (Thompson, 1966). The pre-Columbian Mayan civilization was no exception to the general rule. Instead, it raised the science of time-keeping via the calendar to a level of accomplishment that was as accurate as the sophisticated, verified calculations of today. The question immediately raised, of course, is: Why? Why such a preoccupation with time? With record-keeping? With such single-minded attention to accuracy that the Mayans devised not one but three calendar systems? The answer, not surprisingly for a civilization that never progressed technologically into the post-Stone Age, lies in agriculture."
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Mesoamerican Writing, 2004.
A discussion of how the Mesoamerican cultures, which include the Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs, possessed their own writing culture and how this was affected by the conquest.
724 words (approx. 2.9 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 17.95
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Abstract
This paper examines how Mesoamericans facilitated means of preserving written information through the construction of libraries, archives, and schools. It discusses the various methods of writing and documentation they used and explains how the arrival of Columbus, however, marked the downfall of these unique cultural groups.
From the Paper
"The Mesoamerican cultures are believed to have roots dating back thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers. The first settlers, who most likely came across the Bering Strait, traveled hundreds of miles south to the area know known as Central America (Encarta). They eventually settled in the rainforest and highlands of present day Mexico, and some of them in the more temperate regions further south (Encarta). Rich farmland gave way to the cultivation of maize, beans, and squash, and contributed to the rapidly growing civilizations (Encarta). By the time Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas, these civilizations were extremely wealthy and advanced, not to mention culturally rich (Encarta)."
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Using Mesoamerican Art to Understand Mesoamerica's Past, 1998.
A look at Mesoamerican art's realistic system of human proportions, which can be used to reveal the cultures that existed side-by-side, as well as those that followed after.
2,400 words (approx. 9.6 pages), 5 sources, £ 51.95
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From the Paper
"Most civilizations of ancient Mesoamerica were located either in the highlands or lowlands, although the Maya inhabited both. The earliest civilization, that of the Olmecs, rose along the rivers of the tropical Gulf Coast. Most Maya development also took place in the lowlands, under tropical conditions ranging from rainforest to scrub jungle in Yucatan, Chiapas, Guatemala, and Belize. The ancient cities of Tula and Teotihuacan, as well as Tenochtitlan, Motecuhzomals city, were located at high altitudes, and the center of highland life was the Valley of Mexico. Modern Mexico City is built on top of the Aztec capital, and so the Valley of Mexico still dominates Mesoamerica as it did in antiquity. "
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Mesoamerican Ball Game, 1997.
Describes sport, geography, ball court, types, equipment, purposes (religious, social, recreational), feasting.
1,800 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 13 sources, £ 44.95
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From the Paper
" The Mesoamerican Ball Game
Introduction
The Mesoamerican ball game was played for recreational, sociopolitical, and religious reasons. The ball game held a central, primary part in the lives of Mesoamerican people. It was played across a wide geographic area by many different peoples. The ball courts began emerging in the Maya lowlands, at the end of the Middle Formative period (Ashmore 496). There is much, about the ball game, which is only theorized or speculated. The archeological evidence concerning the ball game is limited to the location and design of the ball courts, a few pieces of artifacts found in refuse piles, the contents of caches (when they have been recorded), art work depicting the game in progress, and ethnographic accounts. From these sources of.."
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Archaeoastronomy, 2007.
This paper discuses archaeoastronomy using sites from Mesoamerica as examples.
1,050 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 7 sources, MLA, £ 25.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that archaeoastronomy is the study of the astronomical practices, celestial lore, mythologies, religions and world-views of all ancient cultures. The author points out that many of the great monuments and ceremonial constructions of early civilizations, such as the Great Pyramid at Giza in Egypt, were astronomically aligned. The paper relates that many of the major structures of Mesoamerica have been found to have an astronomical connection. The author states that the astronomical knowledge of these ancient people from different parts of the world were not connected in any known way yet they undertook some similar approaches to studying the skies and to building monumental structures with astronomical purposes. The paper examines the Mesoamerican sites of the Olmec, the Teotihuacan, the Toltec, the Mayan, the Zapotec and the Aztec civilizations.
From the Paper
"The links between the Olmec and the later Maya are numerous, and some believe that the Olmec may have been Maya speakers. Olmec emerged around 1,500 B.C. and came to dominate most of Mesoamerica. Olmec-style monumental art and architecture developed in the northwestern and southeastern edges of the lowlands. Much of this monumental art shows squat figures topped by rounded hats as a key feature of this art. In the southern lowlands during the Classic period, progressive growth and increasing complexity were the norm."
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Mesoamerica and the Andes, 2004.
Provides a study of Mesoamerican history and society.
2,093 words (approx. 8.4 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 46.95
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Abstract
This paper presents a study of Mesoamerican history, social structure, political system, and religious beliefs. The paper discusses the stratification of society into serfdom and nobility and how this affected the Mesoamerican political system and looks at the external influences on Mesoamerican religion. Literature from authorities on Mesoamerican culture is referenced and cited throughout the paper.
From the Paper
"Not only did both societies recognize different ranks of nobility and accord special titles to the heads of noble houses and lords of domains, but in both Spanish and Mesoamerican society, great leeway and regional variation existed in the use of terminology, and, once can surmise, in the fluidity and interdependence of society. In both Spanish and Mesoamerican/Andean society, some commoners rose to be nobles, through wealth or notable deeds, while some borderline nobles were indistinguishable from commoners. In central Mexico as well as Spain, commoners varied greatly in wealth, and significant groups of merchants, retainers, and craftsmen stood out from the mass of commoner-agriculturalists in one way or another."
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Ancient People of Mesoamerica, 2005.
Compares and contrasts the culture of two ancient Mesoamerican peoples.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 7 sources, MLA, £ 33.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the similarities and differences of two ancient Mesoamerican peoples--the Mayans and the Aztecs. The paper discusses their views of the cosmos and their creation myths and takes a look at their practice of human sacrifice.
From the Paper
"Mesoamerica is the ancient land bridge between what would later become North and South America, including much of Mexico down through the top part of South America. Today it comprises the countries of Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. This region was the birthplace of a number of Pre-Columbian cultures including the Mayans and Aztecs. These two ancient peoples existed at approximately the same time, but were characterized by their views of the universe which were..."
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Christian Conversion in Mexico and Brazil, 2007.
A description of the Spanish and Portuguese attempts to convert native peoples to Christianity during their conquests of Brazil and Mexico.
2,274 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 5 sources, MLA, £ 49.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the impact of Spanish and Portuguese colonization on Mesoamerican culture, with an emphasis on conversion of indigenous peoples to Christianity. The author describes the native religion and lifestyle prior to the Europeans' arrival, and the subsequent results of conversion to Christianity, both positive and negative. Also described is the treatment toward the native peoples by the Europeans. The paper is divided into two sections, one describing the Spanish invasion and the other the Portuguese conquest of Brazil. The author concludes that the effort by Portuguese Christians to convert native Brazilians - by force or otherwise - to Christianity was far less successful than tactics used by Spaniards in Mexico.
Outline:
Introduction
Literature Review
The arrival of the Spaniards into Mesoamerican Mexico
Things did not go well for the Spaniards in 1680s and 1690s
Jesuit priest Father Tomas Miranda raged at the cruel treatment of the Seri
Portugal and the Colonization of Brazil
Works Cited
From the Paper
"And because the Roman Catholic leadership in Spain saw the natives as part of a prophecy, a gift from Lord to enrich their Spanish culture, the Franciscan missionaries, the first priests in Mexico, used "indoctrination" as a term rather than "evangelization." The Spaniards reportedly believed that since God had placed these Native Americans on Mexican soil for the enhancement of Spanish culture and religion, that the natives merely needed the facts of Christianity (Roman Catholicism), not the full litany of evangelization. The Spaniards were wrong, of course, and they found themselves in the midst of a myriad of troubling situations they could not possibly have predicted."
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Review: Political Organization of Chichen Itza, 2008.
This paper discusses themes in W. Ringle's paper, "On the Political Organization of Chichen Itza." Specifically, the authors looks at the leadership and worship of Quetzalcoatl in Mesoamerica.
1,475 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 1 source, APA, £ 34.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses three general themes that are addressed in Ringle's "On the Political Organization of Chichen Itza." First, the paper explains that, in contrast to other authors, Ringle notes that worship of Quetzalcoatl is a primary means of Mesoamerican leadership and puts forth the fact that it is more properly viewed as a set of visual symbolism. Next, the paper explains that Ringle states that the ceremonial cores of specific larger cult centers served as a location for this investiture of leaders who wished to attach themselves to the cult. Lastly, it is surmised that Quetzalcoatl cannot be simply defined as a dynastic patron. Rather, leadership was often subdivided, with often some facet of dual leadership. The paper also analyzes the sources used within the work, the overall argumentative structure, and the fact that Ringle seems to contradict known theories on Quetzalcoastl worship instead of supporting them. The author the paper then ends his discussion with a personal reaction to Ringle's paper, stating that through Ringle's paper it can be shown that ritual is a powerful leadership tool, binding groups of people together despite disparate locations.
From the Paper
"In addition, Ringle notes that the UTJ jamb figures have this ornament as well. Likewise, so do all of the figures that are facing the Sun Disk figure that are found on the three faces that are carved on the inner lintel. Ringle further supports his disagreement with Kubler by observing that heron-feather ornaments only occur in the upper registers of the LTJ and the NT. This, he surmises, is further proof that this is an indication of specific rank or segment of warriors who were under the command of the 'Mixcoatl' figure. In addition, the author reminds the reader that among the objects given to initiates in the Quiche chronicles were heron feathers.
"Lastly, Ringle brings to light the fact that in the UTJ there is only one person who is lacking the heron feather ornament. This figure is situated to the left of the table bench carving. Ringle theorizes that if he is the initiate, the individual may simply not have been given his ornament yet, in the depiction. This theory would appear to be further supported by the fact that twin heron feathers are floating just above and to the right of the initiate."
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Chocolate, 2004.
An analysis of why chocolate enjoys such a mystical and multi-faceted aura.
3,055 words (approx. 12.2 pages), 15 sources, MLA, £ 63.95
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Abstract
Chocolate, a popular and coveted food world over, is often referred to as the food of the gods. This description is not surprising considering that a number of delightful sensations are associated with chocolate. Indeed, chocolate is perceived as a delightful treat, a comfort food, an aphrodisiac, a sensuous experience, a romantic gift, an energizer and a mood enhancer. It is the objective of this paper to explore and discuss the factors that explain the multifaceted aura around chocolates, beginning with an analysis of its history.
Outline
I. Chocolate, often called the food of the gods, has always enjoyed a multifaceted aura.
II. History
a. Origins as a Mesoamerican beverage
b. Expensive European import
c. Symbol of wealth and social status
III. Production and Marketing
a. Cultivation of cocoa beans
b. Production process
c. Marketing
IV. Chocolate as an aphrodisiac
a. Myth and legends
b. Ingredients
i. Scientific evidence
ii. Psychological effects
V. Types of chocolate
a. Occasions for usage
b. Forms of usage
c. Types
VI. Health and Nutritional properties
VII. Summary
From the Paper
"However, it appears that the Maya and the Aztecs nevertheless placed a great deal of value on their bitter chocolate beverage, as evidenced by the importance of the role the drink played in their religious and social life. For instance, although chocolate was a favorite beverage of Maya royalty, the common people could consume the drink only on special occasions. The Aztecs went many steps further in turning chocolate into an elitist product, decreeing that only privileged people such as rulers, priests, decorated soldiers, and honored merchants could partake of the brew (Kerr, 2002)."
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