Mesoamerica

Maya

1500 B.C. to 900 A.D. This is the most advanced civilization of city-states in Western Hemisphere. Famous for its awe-inspiring temples, pyramids and cities.

Conquistador

A Spanish conqueror of the Americas

Mesoamerica

A geographic region in the western hemisphere that was home of the Olmec, Mayan & Aztec civilizations. "Middle" America

empire

A group of states or territories controlled by one ruler

chinampas

Aztec created floating gardens constructed near lake shores to increase agricultural yields; made of reed mats and soil

Quetzalcoatl

Aztec nature god, feathered serpent, his disappearance and promised return coincided with the arrival of Cortes

Yucatan Peninsula

An area of land in Central America where the Mayan civilization settled.

polytheism

Belief in many gods; Olmec, Maya, and Aztec had a belief in many gods.

Tenochtitlan

Capital of the Aztec Empire, located on an island in Lake Texcoco. Its population was about 150,000 on the eve of Spanish conquest. Mexico City was constructed on its ruins.

How old were girls when they were selected to be Chosen Women? What did they learn to do in the covenants?

Girls were selected between ages 8 and 10. They studied the Incan religion, learned to prepare special food and drink for religious ceremonies, and wove garments for the Sapa Inca and the Coya.

What did the Sapa Inca do first when he wanted to include a new group in his empire? Why did he use this strategy?

He sent a delegate to tell the tribe that the Incas wanted to include these people in their empire. In this way, the Incas were able to convince many groups to join them without having to go to war.

Which god was the most important to the Incas and why?

Into, the sun god, because the Incas believed that the emperor descended from Inti and he was also the god of agriculture, the basis of Incan life.

What was the mit'a and how was it paid?

It was a public duty tax, paid in labor by men of the allyu. To pay the tax, men might repair roads, build storehouses, or work in mines.

Valley of Mexico

Location of Lake Texcoco and the capital city, Tenochtitlan, of the Aztecs.

What are 2 ideas that the Incas adopted from the Moches and 2 ideas that the Incas adopted from the Chimus?

MOCHES inspired Incas by building cities, digging irrigation canals, and developing special classes of workers. CHIMUS inspired Incas by building well-planned cities, using elaborate irrigation methods, and creating a message system using runners.

Aztec

Mesoamerican Empire which located in central to southern Mexico and its empire fell in 1521 with the arrival of the Spanish

tribute

Money paid by one country to another in return for protection; Aztec demanded tribute from its conquered tribes

maize

Native American name for corn

Which present-day South American countries did the Inca Empire include?

Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina (Penelope Eats Blue Corn Arrogantly)

What obstacles did the Incas face in managing their empire? list 3 ways they overcame these.

Physical obstacles included tropical rainforest, high mountains, and raging rivers. To overcome these obstacles, they built an elaborate system of roads (about 15,000 miles' worth) that linked all corners of the empire, They sent messages along these roads with an elaborate relay system. They built messenger stations every couple of miles, and shelters were placed every 15 to 30 miles to give travelers a place to rest.

What was the official language of the Incas?

Quecha

What could happen to Chosen Women after age 15?

Some Chosen Women became mamaconas, or teachers, in the covenants. Some left to work in temples or shrines. Others became wives of nobles or the Sapa Inca. A few were sacrificed at important religious ceremonies.

Describe the types of sacrifices the Incas performed in their religious rituals.

Some sacrifices, like throwing corn into a fire, happened regularly. In many rituals, the Incas sacrificed live animals. They also practiced human sacrifice, but only on sacred occasions or in times of natural disaster.

Hernan Cortes

Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs (with help of some other tribes) and conquered Mexico (1485-1547)

What unique belief did the Incas have about the lands conquered by the Sapa Inca? How may this have led the Incas to conquer such a large empire?

The Incas believed that the Sapa Inca continued to rule the lands he conquered, even after death. Each new Sapa Inca had to establish his own source of wealth and power by conquering new lands.

Who owned the land each allyu used? What did the ally members do on this land?

The emperor owned the land, and the Incan government loaned it to each allyu. The allyu grew crops and produced goods on this land.

Who held the top position in Inca society and who was he believed to get his authority to rule from?

The emperor, or Sapa Inca, was at the top of the Incan class structure. His authority to rule came from Inti, the sun god, who the Incas believed was the ancestor of the Sapa Inca.

Olmec

The first Mesoamerican civilization. Between ca. 1300 and 400 B.C.E., these people of central Mexico created a vibrant civilization that included intensive agriculture, wide-ranging trade, ceremonial centers, and monumental construction.

Montezuma II

The last Aztec emperor. He was captured and killed by Cortés in 1520.

smallpox

The overall deadliest known disease in the history of the world. Aztec were decimated/killed by smallpox with coming of the Spanish.

How was the education of the sons of Incan nobles different from that of the children of commoners?

The sons of nobles were tutored by amautas, and learned subjects like religion, geometry, history, and military strategy. The kids of most commoners received no formal education.

Who were the Capac Incas and what jobs did they do?

The were the highest level of nobles and were relatives of the emperor. The governors, or apus, of the 4 quarters of the empire were Capac Incas. So were most of the leaders of government, the army, and the priesthood.

What did the leaders of groups that became part of the Incan Empire have to do?

They had to build a sun temple, Local leaders traveled to Cuzco to learn Incan laws and Quecha, the official language.

What happened to groups that resisted inclusion in the Inca Empire?

They had to fight the Incan army and usually lost. Often the tribe lost many of its men. Sometimes, rebellious groups were forced to move to a different part of the Inca Empire.

Who were the curacas and what were some of their responsibilities?

They were leaders of local groups brought into the Inca Empire. Many collected taxes. Others served as inspectors who made sure everyone followed Incan law. They also managed the allyus.

pok-a-tok

a Mayan ball game that had religious significance

mother culture

a culture, like Olmec, that shapes and influences the customs and ideas of later cultures

What is an apu?

a governor

codex

a manuscript text in book form.

causeway

a road that is raised above water or marshland or sand; Aztec built these to their island capital of Tenochtitlan

glyphs

a type of writing using pictures.

Chichen Itza

an ancient Mayan city located on the Yucatan Peninsula which included many great, architectural features, such as: observatory, ball court, temples, and El Castillo (pyramid) dedicated to Kulkulcan or winged serpent.

Mexica

another name for the Aztecs

Maya number system

based number 20, with a dot for one and a bar for five. A symbol like a shell represented zero.

Mayan trade goods

honey, salt, cotton, feathers, jade, and jaguar pelts

Colossal Heads

large depictions of the head of gods or rulers; built by the Olmec

At what ages did Incan men and women marry? What were the typical steps people followed to find a partner and get married?

men: early 20's women: 16. Sometimes their families would arrange the marriage. When a couple agreed to marry, they held hands and exchanged sandals.

Maya calendar system

ritual with 260 days; solar with 365 days; and long-count