Telling the Story of Mesoamerica

 In this module, you learned a great deal about the Mesoamerican cultures that flourished before their “discovery” by European explorers. However, as we have seen, much of the history we have from this region (especially prior to the 1500s) is not found in the ancient books. In the module learning activities, you had an opportunity to look at the codices of Mayans and Aztec, explored the remains of Teotihuacan along with several Olmec artifacts, and read some early Spanish accounts of their exposure to the people they encountered. Drawing upon these artifacts, you will be looking to find themes that connect these cultures to each other. What types of practices, structures, customs, or beliefs do you find repeating themselves across the time and space occupied by these different groups? What does the existence of these items tell us about human development in the region? As you build your essay be sure to include direct references to the material you encountered in your explorations. Recognizing that much of your work here might rest on non-textual examples, you can feel free to draw pictures or add other visual objects into your submission. However, as you do this, be sure to provide proper citation for your source material. You should also be certain to make your writing and images work together. In other words, you can’t expect the images to stand on their own. You need to provide a discussion of their inclusion and analysis regarding their importance to your thesis. Your paper must be 1-2 pages in length and follow APA guidelines (double-spaced, 12pt. Times New Roman font, one-inch margins).