Earliest civilization of Mesoamerica?

Question

What people and civlization were the earliest in Mesoamerica? Incas or Olmecs?

What are the three major civilizations and what order are they? For example, Incas/Olmecs and then Mayans and followed by Aztecs... correct?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

I'd say...

Olmecs

Mayans

Incans

Aztecs

Although there are many more "Tecs" in between!

Answer 3

For starters Mesoamerica or Middle America is a region that ranges from the central plateau in Mexico to Central America. So the Incas are never considered part of Mesoamerica.

You mention only the great civilizations that characterize Mesoamerica. So the first important civilization were the Olmecs, living in the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico around 1000 BC. Afterwords, around 100 ac, Mayans, Zapotecs and Teotihuacan's control areas in the Yucatan peninsula, Oaxaca and the Central plateau. Later on (from the VIIth to the XIth Century ac) the Toltecs would start the Quetzalcoatl cult.

The Aztecs would appear only around the XIIIth Century.

Answer 4

The Incas lived in Peru which is SOOO not in Mesoamerica!

I would say the Olmecs but watch for things to change.

Small settlemetns that predate the Olmecs have been found in Western Mexico.

Mesoamerica : Olmecs Toltecs Mayans.

I choose Toltec cos the Aztecs got a lot of stuff off them!