<Li> Coles Creek culture </Li> <Li> Mesoamerican civilizations <Ul> <Li> Tlaxcala (Nahua state) </Li> <Li> Toltec </Li> <Li> Aztec civilization </Li> <Li> Maya civilization </Li> <Li> Zapotec civilization </Li> <Li> Purépecha </Li> <Li> Tlapanec people </Li> <Li> K'iche' Kingdom of Q'umarkaj </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Ul> <Li> Tlaxcala (Nahua state) </Li> <Li> Toltec </Li> <Li> Aztec civilization </Li> <Li> Maya civilization </Li> <Li> Zapotec civilization </Li> <Li> Purépecha </Li> <Li> Tlapanec people </Li> <Li> K'iche' Kingdom of Q'umarkaj </Li> </Ul> <Li> Tlaxcala (Nahua state) </Li>

Which characteristic distinguished the first civilizations from earlier human