in the America, only the Mayans had developed a full written language, but South America(Inca) and Mexico had civilizations. Some of their religious practices were awful by our standards, (human sacrifice was common) but they had cities, tax rolls, armies, hugh buildings projects organized by civil authorities, myths, religon... Civilization! Mexico had developed a wheel, but with no domesticated animals to use, they had not yet learn to put the wheel to work (ie, wheelbarrows)