Inca, Aztec, and Mayan

What does archaeologist Tom Sever think caused the Maya downfall?

Archaeologist Tom Sever thinks that since the Mayans cut down all of their trees for farming, it became hard for them to survive during a major drought

Who was Francisco Pizarro and how did he help end the Inca civilization?

Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador. He helped end the Inca civilization by killing and capturing Atahualpa and took over their land.

Who was Hernando Cortez and how did he help end the Aztec civilization?

Hernando Cortez was a Spanish conquistador. He helped end the Aztec civilization by bringing much of their land under the rule of the King of Castile.

What is Machu Picchu, when was it discovered, and why did it take so long to find it?

Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel located in the Andes mountains. Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911. It took so long to find it because it was so high in the Andes mountains.

What farming method did the Mayans use? How does it work?

Mayans used the slash and burn farming method. This works by cutting down the trees in the farming area and burning them, along with the stumps, to enrich the soil with the ashes.

Was Montezuma leader or a type of Aztec sport?

Montezuma was an Aztec leader

What is Nahuatl?

Nahuatl is a member of a group of peoples indigenous to southern Mexico and Central America, including the Aztecs

There are two different Aztec calendars. How are they different?

One calendar called the xiuhpohualli has 365 days; the other calendar called the tonalpohualli has 260 days

What was the official language of the Inca people?

Quechua

Tenochtitlán is the Aztec capital city, but why was it built where it was?

Tenochtitlán was built on an island on Lake Texcoco because it had a system of canals and causeway is that provided for the people who live there

How did the Incas keep records? How did the system work?

The Incas used a quipu to keep records. This quipu kept track of dates, statistics, and amounts using different colored strings in knots.

What other civilizations of the Mayans rely on for many ideas and inventions?

The Mayans relied on the Olmec for many ideas and inventions

What dates would you point to as the beginning and ending of the Mayans civilization?

The beginning of the Mayan civilization is 1000 BCE and the ending is 900s CE

Who was Atahualpa?

The last emperor of the Inca people