Question: What were the early Native American Empires? (scroll down for answer)         Answer: 1. Olmec - c1500 BC - Earliest civilization in Mesoamerica (Mexico). They might have been the first society in North America to have a writing system. They most likely worshipped jaguars. 2. Zapotec - c1000 BC - Western Mesoamerican culture that had some vast building structures such as pyramids and religious centers. 3. Chavin - c900BC - Populating the Andes Mountains in South America, they had advanced canals and drainage systems. 4. Nazca - c100 AD - Living in the dry-lands of Peru, they created elaborate irrigation systems. Mysterious lines detailing insects and animals still highlight the landscape of Peru. 5. Moche - c100 AD – They used rivers for irrigation to establish a strong agricultural society. 6. Anasazi - c1000AD - They lived in the modern day American Southwest. They constructed pueblos, or cities made from adobe architecture (clay). 7. Northwestern Native Americans used totems, or totem poles, to help identify the unity of family and community. Click here for next flash card.      Back to eFlashcard headquarters