power of the Teotihuacan declined sometime before 750 AD. By AD 800, the people from the city migrated towards the east and the South and soon the city was abandoned. The reasons for the decline of this ancient city could be rebellion or because their fields had been overused thus lowering the produce. Later, new civilizations emerged. Among them were the Toltecs, with their capital city called Tula. This city soon became a center for soldiers and merchants who controlled the entire region of ancient Mexico and Central America. The Toltecs were followed by the Aztecs. The Aztec Empire is considered to be one of the greatest in South America. The Maya: The Mayas were contemporaries of the Olmecs. While the latter civilization declined and disappeared, the Mayas, by AD 300 had developed a remarkably advanced culture, which flourished till AD 900. From the ruins, scholars have gathered that the Mayans had built huge and aesthetically beautiful temples. Besides their monumental architecture, the Mayans had also advanced in astronomy, recording their observations in screen folds (books made of lime covered bark paper). Mayan writers also wrote calendrical religious inscriptions on ceramic vessels. These inscriptions and records reveal that the Mayans had a well-developed script. Known to be a peaceful people, who believed in the policy of ’live and let live,’ this civilization buckled under the onslaught of the weapon wielding Spaniards. In North America, the Indians did not settle down to do agriculture due to the climatic conditions. Thus, they did not make the advances their counterparts made in the South American continent. There were various tribes like Beaver, Chippewe, Cree, Chowo, Yellow Knife, Mohegans, etc. Since the growing season was too short for agriculture, they gathered plants, nuts and berries. Hunting and fishing were the chief activities. As far as shelter was concerned, nomadic tribes used portable ’tepe...
