Mesoamerica is a geographical and cultural area which extends from Mexico through Central America. Many of Mexico's' Obsolete and Ancient Civilizations include the Olmec, Toltec, Maya and Aztec. All developed in what is known today as Mesoamerica. Mesoamerican civilizations had many traits in common such as their writing system, calendar and ballgames. They also shared the same style of architecture and they shared their agricultural concepts which consisted mostly of beans, corn, and squash. These Mexican Obsolete Civilizations, developed complex societies that reached high levels of technological evolution and construction.

Mesoamerica and its' history are separated into three grand periods. The pre-classic period from 1500 B.C. to 200 A.D, the classic period from 200 A.D. to 900 A.D. and the post-classic period from 900 A.D. to the early 1800's.

The Olmec civilization developed in ancient Mexico along the Gulf Coast. This group is sometimes referred to as the "mother culture" of Mesoamerica. It was the first group to develop dependable cultural traits that were later adopted and developed by other cultures. The Olmec were a sophisticated Central American culture with its prime days between 1200 and 400 B.C. The earliest sites of the Olmec show simple egalitarian societies based on hunting and fishing. They eventually established a highly complex level of political government. The Olmec also developed a complex architectural system including the building of pyramids with large platform mounds, also agriculture, a writing system and sculptural artistry including huge stone heads with heavy features evocative of angry babies.

The Mayan culture began to develop in the pre-classic period, around 1000 B.C and stayed in existence until about 900 A.D. They Mayan are well known for their writings and for their advanced mathematics, astronomy and calindrical calculations. They were extremely diverse, largely due to the range of environmental and geographic conditions in which it developed.

The Maya devised a complicated system of writing which was largely deciphered in the 1980's. Before this many archaeologists believed that Mayan writings dealt only with calendrical and astronomical themes. Many modern day historians had the concept that the Mayas were peaceful and studious stargazers but it has been recently discovered that they also interested in earthly matters as the other Mesoamerican groups.

The Toltec Civilization was one of three great empires after the fall of Teotihuacan and before the rise of the Aztecs. The classic period of the Toltec Civilization was about 900 A.D. to 1200 A.D. The Toltec controlled most of Central Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula, Gulf Coast and Pacific Coast. They were known for their established trade connections with people as far away as what are now the Mexican states of Zacatecas, Veracruz and Puebla. Their dynasty of power ranged through all of Mesoamerica into the Aztec Empire.

Probably the best know of Mexico's' Obsolete Civilizations are the Aztec. Aztec is the collective name given to seven Chichimec Tribes of Northern Mexico who controlled the valley of Mexico and much of Central America from the 12 century A.D. until the Spanish invasion of the 15^th century. They dominated most of Mexico between 1430 and 1521 A.D. Their empire covered all of what is known as today's' Mexico. The Aztecs had a high level of government which included rulers and a noble class and a commoner class. Is was said by the Spanish clergy that the Aztecs had frequent ritual human sacrifices and there was even mention of cannibalism, although it is likely that some of these tales are exaggerated.

An Aztec Civilization Study Guide has been developed with boundless details of lifestyles of the Aztecs and other Mexican civilizations such as the Toltec, Maya and Olmec.