Ancient Mesoamerica was a collection of different civilizations that existed in central America between 2000 BCE and 1521 CE, starting with the Mayan civilization and ending with the Aztec civilization. Over that time, ancient Mesoamerican societies developed a robust culture that included religion, agriculture, architecture, art, and the sciences. They built large cities with a focus on religious rituals, developed farming at a large scale to feed their growing population, and created artwork that reflected their daily lives and beliefs. The impact of Ancient Mesoamerican culture was widespread, eventually integrating with other cultures and societies across the world.

    Mesoamerica is located between what is southern Mexico and Honduras today. "Archaeologists have dated human presence in Mesoamerica to possibly as early as 21,000 BC" (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024.) There were many different ancient civilizations in ancient Mesoamerica, including the Olmec, Zapotec, Mayan, Toltec, and Aztec civilizations. Each group contributed to the development of Mesoamerica with their unique discoveries and inventions, including the number system, the Mayan Calendar, Hieroglyphic writing, Maize, and Chinampas. Every discovery has had unique contributions to the ancient world as well as the modern world.