Final answer:
Mesoamerican civilizations shared characteristics like polytheism, the ritual ballgame, monumental architecture, and advanced calendrical and writing systems, as well as reliance on maize-based agriculture. These interconnected cultural traits persisted across diverse groups such as the Olmec and Aztec, spanning a vast geographic region before the arrival of Europeans.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common characteristics of Mesoamerican civilizations included polytheism, complex architecture, the ritual ballgame, an agricultural reliance on maize, beans, and squash, and the use of a 260-day and 365-day calendar systems. These traits reflect a deeply interconnected culture in the region spanning from central Mexico to Central America, despite the diversity in languages and specific customs. The Mesoamericans engaged in extensive trade, which facilitated the spread of cultural and religious ideas, technologies such as obsidian tools, and luxury goods like jade and cacao. They also constructed monumental edifices and aligned their cities according to cardinal directions. Notably, Mesoamericans developed sophisticated forms of writing and advanced astronomical knowledge, as seen in the preserved writings of the Maya and Aztec.
For example, their sophisticated understanding of astronomy led to the construction of cities like La Venta and Chichen Itza with astronomical alignments. The Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihuacan, Mixtec, and Mexica (Aztec) are among the well-known cultures that emerged in this region before European colonization in the 1500s CE. The cultural legacy of Mesoamerica is significant, influencing subsequent civilizations throughout the Americas and providing rich historical resources for modern-day study.