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A ? Aztecs: one of the most important and powerful native civilizations of the Americas. The term “Aztec” is actually a blanket term used to describe the various cultures that spoke the original Nahuatl language (The Mexica were in fact the dominating tribe during the Post-Classical Period.) The group conquered and dominated central Mexico during the Post Classical Period (900 A.D. to 1524 A.D.), after the Mayan era. As city dwellers and aggressive hegemonic warriors, the Aztecs conquered and eventually created the wealthiest empire in Mesoamerica, spanning the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines, with the capital concentrated in Tenochtitlan, known today as Mexico City. In recent years, much has been done to excavate the Aztec city that at one time was destroyed by Spanish conquerors and covered by colonial structures. The Templo Mayor ruins in downtown Mexico City are one of the most important archaeological sites in Mexico and a must see for those visiting the capital city.
B ? Ball game: the ball game was invented about 3,000 years ago by the Olmec civilization. More than 600 ball courts have been unearthed in Mexico alone, and it is believed that countless more have yet to be discovered. The majority of courts have a similar architecture of two parallel walls along the sides of the field. By 800 A.D., stone circles or hoops had been added, attached to the side walls at the center of the court. The ball was not allowed to touch the ground; it was bounced off the walls of the court and off the players themselves. Points were scored by directing the ball through a stone circle hoop much like modern-day basketball. In ancient times, war prisoners were often forced to play, and the winners were beheaded. There are two regions in Mexico where the games are still played today ? in Sinaloa the game Ulama is played, closely related to the Aztec variation of the Olmec ball game, as well as in the valley of Oaxaca.
C ? Chichen Itza: an ancient Mayan city founded in 514 A.D., whose name means “mouth of the well of the Itza.” The area around the city has several wells called cenotes, the most renowned being the Cenote of Sacrifice. During its peak years (between 800 and 1200 A.D.), Chichen Itza was the center of political, religious and military power in Yucatan and all of southeastern Mesoamerica.
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