DBQ: PRE-COLUMBIAN MESOAMERICAN TECHNOLOGY
Directions
The following question is based on the accompanying documents. (The documents have been edited for the purpose of this exercise). The question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical documents. Write an essay that:
- Has relevant thesis and supports that thesis with evidence from the documents.
- Uses all or all but one of the documents.
- Analyzes the documents by grouping them in as many appropriate ways as possible and does not simply summarize the documents individually.
- Takes into account both the sources of the documents and the authors’ points of view.
Essay Prompt
Identify the roles played by technology and intellectual accomplishments in the development of Mesoamerican society from the Ancient through the Post-Classical Periods.
Based on the following documents, discuss the significance of technology in the Mesoamerican world. What types of additional documentation would help access the importance and impact of technology on Mesoamerican lifestyles and civilizations?
Historical Background
When humans first reached the Americas, they brought with them their tools. This technology spread across the Americas and is often found buried in graves with their previous owners. As Mesoamericans became sedentary, technology changed to meet their needs. When the Europeans arrived in 1521, they found flourishing civilizations and cities as large as any in the Old World.
