Meso-America (Maya, Aztec, Inca)
What are two structures made by the Mayans?
Stone pyramids and temples.
When do the Conquistadors finally take over the Aztecs?
1521
When was the classic age of Mayan society?
250 AD to 900 AD.
About what year did the Mayans disappear?
900 AD.
What is a Chinampa?
A floating garden.
If there are no merchants or markets, how did the Incas get food?
A food distribution system.
Who did the Aztecs think Cortes was?
A god.
What is Mita?
A labor tax system.
About how many human sacrifices occurred in the Aztec empire yearly?
About 10,000
What were some Mayan achievements?
Astronomy, two calendars, math, architecture, art, and a writing system.
Who won the war?
Atahualpa won, but the army was weakened.
When and What does Cortes come back to the Aztecs with?
Better weapons, 1521.
What was Tenochititlan?
Capital of the Aztec Empire, 200,000 people.
In early Mayan society, villages turned to ___.
Cities
What happened to the Inca empire during the late 1520s?
Civil War.
What was the caste system for the Aztec empire?
Emperor, nobles, priests/warriors, merchants/artisans, farmers.
Who were the upper class of the Incas?
Emperor, priests, government officials.
What was Mayan the lower class?
Farmers and slaves.
Who starts the Aztec Empire?
Farmers who migrate north.
Who were the lower class of the Incas?
Farmers, artisans and servants.
Why did the conquistadors come to the Aztecs?
For gold, land and to spread Christianity.
Who led the conquistadors against the Incas?
Francisco Pizarro.
What did the Emperor give Cortes?
Gold
What did Pachacuti do for the Incas?
He expanded the empire.
How did Atahualpa try to win his freedom?
He offered Pizarro riches. He took them, but killed Atahualpa.
What sacrifices were conducted by the Mayans?
Human and animal.
What were some theories for the Mayan decline?
Internal rebellion, warfare, food shortage, drought, natural disaster, UFOs.
What were some Aztec achievements?
Jewelry, Great Temple, calendar, education.
What was the entire caste system in Mayan society?
King, Priest/Merchants/Noble Warriors, Farmers, Slaves.
What was the upper class of Mayan society?
Kings, priests, merchants, and noble warriors.
Where did the Aztec Empire begin?
Lake Texcoco
What were some examples of Mayan crops?
Maize, avocado, beans, and squash.
List five achievements of the Inca.
Masonry, art, roads, weavers, architects.
What other things did the Incas worship?
Mountaintops, rocks, and springs.
The first Inca ruler was ___.
Pachacuti.
Were the Aztecs polytheistic or monotheistic?
Polytheistic.
Were the Mayans monotheistic or polytheistic?
Polytheistic.
What power did the Mayan kings have?
Religious and political.
How did Pachacuti keep his people from having too much power?
Removed local leaders, replaced them with those he trusted.
In the beginning of Mayan society, what method was used for farming?
Slash and burn.
Where did the Incas begin their empire?
The Andes in Peru.
Who caused the Aztec decline?
The Conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes.
What happened in 1537?
The Incas were defeated by Pizarro.
How did the Incas help support the government?
They strictly controlled the economy and instructed households on
Why did the Incas think their rulers never died?
They thought they were descendants of the sun god.
What did Pachacuti require the children of the conquered leaders to do?
They were sent back to govern the area in the Inca way of life.
What kept cities unified?
Trade
What happened when the Incas and conquistadors met?
War
What did the Aztecs believe to be the keys of power?
War, trade, and tribute.
Do the Aztecs kick the Spanish out the first time?
Yes
