SciShow
Corn Shouldn't Be Food, But It Is
You probably have a bag of frozen corn in your freezer, or have chowed down on a buttery ear of corn at a cookout. But not only did it take thousands of years for humans to domesticate teosinte to corral it into what we now know as corn,...
SciShow
Why Avocados Shouldn't Exist
The avocado is highly regarded by many people as delicious and nutritious, but the most extraordinary thing about avocados may be their very existence.
Crash Course
Medieval China: Crash Course History of Science
Like Egypt, Sumer, and Mesoamerica, ancient China represents a hydraulic civilization—one that maintained its population by diverting rivers to aid in irrigation—and one that developed writing thousands of years ago. Today, we’re going...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How corn conquered the world | Chris A. Kniesly
Corn currently accounts for more than one tenth of our global crop production. And over 99% of cultivated corn is the exact same type: Yellow Dent #2. This means that humans grow more Yellow Dent #2 than any other plant on the planet. So...
SciShow
Calendars, Codes & Virgins: 3 Myths About the Maya
Hank talks about the Maya, and helps dispel some myths about their historic civilization, revealing how, ultimately, they were just like us: smart, flawed, and awesome.
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The history of chocolate - Deanna Pucciarelli
If you can't imagine life without chocolate, you're lucky you weren't born before the 16th century. Until then, chocolate only existed as a bitter, foamy drink in Mesoamerica. So how did we get from a bitter beverage to the chocolate...
Professor Dave Explains
New World Archeology (Mesoamerica)
After covering old world archeology, it's time to check out the new world. This refers to the Americas, where several civilizations were also occurring. The largest ones were found in Mesoamerica, which is present day Mexico. This...
Curated Video
The Decline of Monte Albán
Monte Albán was abandoned around 800 CE during a widespread period of upheaval across Mesoamerica, likely due to a mix of internal elite conflict, environmental stress, and growing disconnect between rulers and commoners. While power...
Curated Video
Noble and Common Life in Ancient Monte Albán
During the Classic period, Monte Albán experienced a flourishing of elite culture, seen in its art, rulers’ monuments, richly decorated tombs, and increasingly exclusive ceremonial spaces. Tombs and murals emphasized genealogy, divine...
Curated Video
Monte Albán: Zapotec Metropolis of the Classic Period
Around 200 CE, Monte Albán underwent major political changes marked by the rise of a new elite, internal conflict, and a transformation of its ceremonial core—reflected in the dismantling and reuse of earlier monuments like the danzantes...
Curated Video
Deciphering the Zapotec Writing System
The Zapotecs developed one of Mesoamerica’s earliest and most extensive writing systems, with a large corpus found at Monte Albán—though the script remains mostly undeciphered today. While we can read some calendar glyphs and names, the...
Curated Video
The Danzantes of Monte Albán
Monte Albán’s Building L houses many danzantes—stone reliefs long thought to depict dancers but now widely interpreted as representations of sacrifice, with some scholars suggesting alternative meanings like bloodletting rituals. These...
Curated Video
Monte Albán’s Regional Dominance in Ancient Oaxaca
Monte Albán’s early history is marked by rapid growth and aggressive expansion, transforming it into the dominant power in the Valley of Oaxaca by 300 BCE. As it extended control over surrounding regions through conquest and influence,...
Curated Video
How Monte Albán Became a Center of Zapotec Civilization
Monte Albán, founded around 500 BCE, was built on a commanding mountaintop at the heart of the Valley of Oaxaca, offering spiritual prestige and strategic defensibility. Despite its challenging terrain, the city rapidly grew into the...
Curated Video
The Rise and Fade of San José Mogote
Before Monte Albán rose to prominence, San José Mogote was the leading settlement in the Valley of Oaxaca around 1300 BCE. Thanks to advanced irrigation, it grew into the valley’s largest village and an important ceremonial center. Over...
Curated Video
An Introduction to the History of Oaxaca and the Zapotec Civilization
The Mexican state of Oaxaca boasts a rich pre-Columbian history, having been one of the earliest regions in the Americas to domesticate crops and develop permanent settlements. It was home to the Zapotec civilization, who built urban...
Bedtime History
Maya Civilization
Step into the world of the Maya, a powerful civilization known for its amazing cities, towering pyramids, and deep knowledge of the stars. The Maya built beautiful temples, invented one of the earliest writing systems, and created a...
Curated Video
Mayan Civilization for Kids
Learn about the Mayan Civilization and their powerful empire that spread across ancient Mesoamerica.
60 Second Histories
What happened to the Ancient Maya?
An explorer discusses some of the reasons why the Maya civilization may have disappeared
60 Second Histories
Maya mathematics
This short video takes a brief look at the Ancient Maya numbering system which was based on 20 rather than 10 like ours is now.
Bedtime History
The Golden Age of Mayan Civilization
The Mayan Empire once flourished in the dense rainforests of what are now southern Mexico and Central America. Over centuries, the Mayans acquired the elements of an advanced civilization, including large cities, an organized priesthood,...
Next Animation Studio
Archeologists document first use of maize as food in Mesoamerica: study
Archeologists may have found out when cave-dwelling prehistoric Mesoamericans began eating maize as a staple, according to a new study in Science Advances.
Step Back History
Did Native Americans have Calendars?
You asked for more indigenous technologies, and so today I’m going to tell you about how native american peoples kept track of time.
Curated Video
The Fascinating History and Importance of Maize
Maize is believed to have first been domesticated and cultivated 9000 years ago in the Central Balsas region of Mexico. Learn about the genetic makeup of maize and its significance for the Mayan Empire. Maize part 1/5