- Flourished from 1200 to 400 BCE
- Lived in the southern part of Mexico
- First major Mesoamerican civilization
- Developed a complex writing system
- Built large ceremonial centers with massive stone heads
- Sculptured large stone figures called colossal heads
- Their culture was based on agriculture, hunting, and fishing
- Influenced later Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Maya
Maya
- Flourished from 250 to 900 CE
- Lived in the Yucatán Peninsula and parts of Central America
- Built large ceremonial centers with pyramids, temples, and ball courts
- Developed a complex system of writing and a calendar
- Were skilled in astronomy, mathematics, and architecture
- Their culture was based on agriculture, hunting, and trade
- Influenced later Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Aztecs