Multiple Choice Mesoamerica

Which of the following describes calpulli? a. an underground ceremonial chamber b. a Cahokian burial mound c. a tool used by the Maya d. an Aztec kinship group e. an Incan record keeping system

d. an Aztec kinship group

All of the following was true of the Moche in South America EXCEPT a. practiced metallurgy b. controlled the north river valleys in modern-day Peru c. created elaborate ceremonial centers d. controlled the Yucatan Peninsula e. made unusually realistic pottery

d. controlled the Yucatan Peninsula

Which of the following groups was at the bottom of the social hierarchy in Aztec society? a. priests b. warriors c. merchants d. serfs e. women

d. serfs

What was the main method the Aztec used to rule over subject peoples? a. extermination b. assimilation c. shared administration d. terror e. tolerance

d. terror

Which of the following statements is true of the Mayan civilization of Mexico? a. It has now had its entire written language deciphered. b. It never reached the level of advancement of the earlier Olmecs. c. It at one time reached a population of approximately 48 million people. d. It remains obscure because its written language has not been deciphered. e. It was more advanced in the area of mathematics than was Europe at the time.

e. It was more advanced in the area of mathematics than was Europe at the time.

What was one of the methods the Inca leaders used to help maintain control of those they conquered? a. Forcing them to serve in large numbers in military service for the Inca. b. Placing military forces over them to enforce obedience. c. Using spies to help stamp out all resistance before it could get a strong foothold. d. Heavy taxation to keep them poor and dependent on the Inca. e. Removing the conquered people from their native lands.

e. Removing the conquered people from their native lands.

Which ancient city had the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon at its ceremonial heart? a. Chaco Canyon b. Chavin de Huántar c. Tenochtitlán d. Cuzco e. Teotihuacan

e. Teotihuacan

What other great civilization's ruins have been compared to the ruins of the Mayan civilization? a. Egypt b. China c. Sumeria d. India e. Japan

a. Egypt

Which of the following sites was considered a magnificent Incan achievement? a. Machu Picchu b. Tenochtitlán c. Cuzco d. Chichén Itzá e. Chaco Canyon

a. Machu Picchu

Which of the following was NOT a role of Mayan women? a. had no rights in society b. tended to family garden and domestic animals Selected: c. participated in politics d. performed weaving e. led religious rites at home

a. had no rights in society

What were the three sisters of food crops in the Mesoamerican civilizations? a. maize, squash, and beans b. cocoa, beans, and wheat c. potatoes, maize, and turkeys d. corn, pasta, and rice e. corn, peppers, and cabbage

a. maize, squash, and beans

What was the main purpose of Mayan cities? a. religion and government b. trade and commerce c. communication d. transportation hubs e. learning and religion

a. religion and government

The Olmec are believed to have had which of the following types of government? a. theocracy b. democracy c. oligarchy d. monarchy e. republic

a. theocracy

Which of the following statements was NOT true about the role of textiles in Andean civilizations? a. Craftspeople braided rope cables to make bridges. b. Textiles played no role in the culture, religion, and trade. c. Textiles were considered a gift of gratitude to the gods. d. Weaving evolved from making cotton fishing nets. e. Finely woven textiles were made from alpaca wool.

b. Textiles played no role in the culture, religion, and trade

Which of the following was NOT true of the ayllu? a. The head of the ayllu was similar to a feudal baron. b. The head of the ayllu was appointed by the boule. c. It was originally based on kinship. d. Ordinary people were organized into clans based on residence. e. They were to pay taxes to the emperor.

b. The head of the ayllu was appointed by the boule.

Which of the following statements was true of Early Peruvian civilizations? a. Food shortages were often worse in Peru than in Mesoamerica, due to more mountainous terrain. b. The inhabitants established early on a major cotton textile industry. c. The El Niño effect usually improved fishing prospects for the year. d. Early Peruvians isolated themselves from trade and exchange with outsiders. e. Earliest settlers to the area appeared along the rivers flowing from the Peruvian mountains.

b. The inhabitants established early on a major cotton textile industry.

All of the following statements are true of the Olmec civilization EXCEPT a. They established extensive trade networks in Central America. b. They placed emphasis on political power instead of religious practices. c. They had a writing system and accurate calendars. d. They centered their civilization on ceremonial hubs near the port of Veracruz. e. They used maize tortillas as portable meals.

b. They placed emphasis on political power instead of religious practices.

In which field of science did the Maya achieve their most notable accomplishment? a. chemistry b. astronomy c. geography d. horticulture e. botany

b. astronomy

The Olmec civilization did NOT contain which of the following cultural elements? a. enormous basalt head sculptures b. iron smelting for weaponry c. sacred ball courts d. stone pyramids e. a writing system used for record keeping

b. iron smelting for weaponry

What large geographical area seems to have been the general center of the later Mayan civilization? a. Teotihuacan b. the Yucatan Peninsula c. Lake Titicaca d. Mexico's west coast e. Isthmus of Tehuantepec

b. the Yucatan Peninsula

What role did maize play in the lives of the Maya? a. It was offered as a sacrifice to the gods. b. It played no role because the ground was too dry to produce the crop. c. It was sacred because ancestors were created from its dough. d. It was passed down to the Maya from the Anasazi. e. It was used as a currency for trade with other societies.

c. It was sacred because ancestors were created from its dough.

What caused the collapse of the Chavin civilization? a. They collapsed because their megafauna food source died out. b. They were supplanted by the neighboring Mayan civilization. c. They collapsed from overpopulation, social stratification, and rising militarism. d. They collapsed due to the lack of a groundwater source. e. They were supplanted by the Folsom culture.

c. They collapsed from overpopulation, social stratification, and rising militarism.

Which of the following statements was true of Aztec society? a. Officials of the emperor were wealthy landowners who purchased their offices so that they could then govern much like European feudal lords. b. Those who cared for the fields and the empire's network of roads were exempted from military service. c. Warriors recruited from the ranks of freemen could, after capturing at least four prisoners for ritual sacrifice, begin to keep some of the spoils of war for themselves. d. From decoded Aztec written records, we have learned that Aztec women had much more freedom than did many European women living during the same time period. e. The majority of Aztecs were serfs and slaves, though those numbers fluctuated on a regular basis due to warfare.

c. Warriors recruited from the ranks of freemen could, after capturing at least four prisoners for ritual sacrifice, begin to keep some of the spoils of war for themselves.

Which of these did the Inca NOT develop? a. irrigation systems b. monumental architecture c. a written language d. a strong military e. dams and canals

c. a written language

The Incan idea of a central relief fund is similar to which of the modern America concepts below? a. some of the provisions of Medicare b. an early form of disaster relief program c. elements of a welfare state d. an ancient form of the Internal Revenue Service e. a primitive version of Social Security

c. elements of a welfare state

Why did the Aztecs believe that human sacrifices were necessary? a. for the gods to give them victory against their enemies b. for the moon to continue its orbit c. for the sun god to continue to bless their crops d. for children to be born healthy e. for the rains to fall

c. for the sun god to continue to bless their crops

What are two examples of the animals the Peruvian people raised for food? a. turtles and frogs b. turkeys and hamsters c. guinea pigs and llamas d. horses and cows e. camels and sheep

c. guinea pigs and llamas

Among the pre-Columbian Amerindians, the Aztec were probably the most accomplished in which of the following areas? a. record keeping and literacy b. commerce and agriculture c. military organization and warfare d. architecture and plastic arts e. mathematics and astronomy

c. military organization and warfare

Why did Pachacuti Inca institute the practice of split inheritance in the 1450s? a. to divide the Inca b. to destroy kinship groups c. to develop an Incan empire d. to keep regional dominance e. to weaken the Inca

c. to develop an Incan empire

How did ancient Andean civilizations calculate and record data? a. used books known as codices b. used astrological projections c. used quipus d. used papyrus scrolls e. used cuneiform tablets

c. used quipus

Why does our knowledge of ancient Andean societies come mainly from archeological evidence? a. They lacked a literate population to record events. b. They placed a greater emphasis on warfare. c. The conquering civilizations destroyed all written records. d. They had no writing system. e. Their oral traditions were destroyed by conquering societies.

d. They had no writing system.

What was the main role of women in ancient Andean civilizations? a. They were responsible for carrying water to the village. b. They participated in elaborate religious rituals. c. They were the recordkeepers for the society. d. They spun and wove all textiles. e. They irrigated the fields to grow crops.

d. They spun and wove all textiles.