Books in Ancient Civilizations of the Americas series

A unique look at the Aztecs and the archaeologists who are determined to unearth their secrets. In 1521 the world of the Aztecs came to a sudden end when Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador, destroyed their capital. The ruins of that city lie beneath the streets of modern-day Mexico City. Peter Lourie traveled to Mexico City to meet the renowned archaeologist Leonardo López Luján. With Dr. Luján as his guide, the author viewed the diggings at the Aztec Great Temple, and even met the God of Death in the basement of the temple's museum.

Today, beautiful ruins dot the hillsides in the country of Greece. Some of the ruins are literally thousands of years old. They begin to tell the tale of the ancient Greeks, who built a powerful society that lasted from 600 to 200 BC. Their fates, they believed, were in the hands of hundreds of godssuperhuman gods with awesome powers. But not all these gods were kind. They were jealous and greedy and loyal, just like people. Read more about their incredible stories in these pages. These amazing people were scholars, farmers, warriors, scientists, and artists. They accomplished amazing feats both in technology and philosophy. They invented the Olympic Games, pointed the way to modern medicine, and developed the basic ideas behind modernday democracy. Inside, find out more about these people ahead of their time. Key Icons to look for have been placed throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich no nfiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos allows the reader to view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeche

"The books in this series give in-depth coverage to four of the Ancient World's most important civilizations. The books show how these civilizations began, how they developed and became large and important ones, and how they eventually died out. Trade, arts, education, and political and religious topics are all covered"--Provided by publisher.Describes the development of West African kingdoms from their early beginnings through the waning of their influence, and discusses trade, arts, education, politics and religion.

How do we learn about ancient civilizations? Fortunately, the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome left plenty of records behind. This series examines that evidence and explains how historians use it to reconstruct what life was like thousands of years ago. Students will analyze a variety of artifacts, including writings, carvings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, and archaeological remains. They will learn how such records provide insight into each society--who the people were, how they communicated, how they governed, how they worshipped, and what daily life was like. This dynamic approach will engage students and give them a new appreciation for the rich and fascinating civilizations of the past.