Olmecs, Maya, Aztec, & Incas Vocab and Events
Allowed people to stop migrating as hunters/gatherers and begin to live in permanent settlements
Agricultural Revolution
Large lake, upon which the Aztecs built their capital city of Tenochtitlan (after seeing an eagle, perched on a prickly pear cactus, eating a snake, which was a symbol told to them by the gods)
Lake Texcoco
Formed during last ice age between Siberia and Alaska, and allowed people to cross from Asia to the Americas (after following migrating animals).
Land Bridge
The Mayan "Fort City"
Palenque
Where was the Inca empire located?
Peru
Mayan ball game, which had religious significance and sometimes resulted in the sacrifice of a team-captain
Pok-a-Tok
What type of religion did the Mayans have?
Polytheistic
Major crop of the Inca
Potatoes
Language of the Inca, still spoken in some areas of Peru and Chile
Quechua
Feathered serpent god, who was said to have been cast out into the Gulf of Mexico and promised to return in the Aztec year "1 Reed" (same year, 1519 CE, Hernan Cortes arrived
Quetzalcoatl
Knotted, colored pieces or string, used by the Inca to keep records
Quipus
What was the most important part of Aztec society?
Religion
Leader of the Inca empire
Sapa Inca
Technique, used in jungles of the Yucatan, to create and fertilize farmland
Slash-and-Burn
Deadly disease, brought to the Americas by the Conquistadors, that caused the death of millions of Native American people
Smallpox
One possible explanation for why the Maya left their cities around 900 CE, this means to overuse farmland, without fertilizing it
Soil Exhaustion
How did the Incas farm?
Step Terraces
What were some Incan achievements?
Surgery, System of Roads
Capital city of Aztec people, featuring causeways connecting it to the mainland, along with aqueducts that brought fresh water to the city
Tenochtitlan
Large pre-Aztec civilization, who left behind ruins of their city, which featured enormous temples of the sun and moon
Teotihuacan
Step cut into mountainsides to create flat farmland
Terraces
How did the Mayans record history?
They carved it into pillars
How did the Incan Military treat people?
They said they could keep all of their customs and ruler, as long as they were loyal to the empire
How did the Aztec decide where to build their empire?
They were told the gods to look for a sign, an eagle on a cactus with a snake in its mouth. When they found the sign near Lake Texcoco, they built stuff
Inca Sun God
Inti
Spanish explorers that explored/conquered parts of the Americas
Conquistador
Early Mesoamerican society, famous for building temples, having a polytheistic religion and creating giant stone heads
Olmecs
Andes Mountain range where the Inca society developed
Cuzco
Why did the Mayans leave their city?
1. Warfare changed farming 2. Over farming ruined soil 3. Disease
Long, bridge-like structures, that brought fresh water to Tenochtitlan from the surrounding hills
Aqueduct
Mesoamerican society, located in the Valley of Mexico, dominated much of the area around Lake Texcoco and performed massive amounts of human sacrifice
Aztecs
To trade goods or services in exchange for other goods or services
Barter
Long, straight road, connecting the city of Tenochtitlan to the mainland
Causeway
Inca relay messengers, who lived in huts one mile apart from one another
Chasquis
Mayan city that features large pyramid known as "El Castillo", as well as an observatory, pok-a-tok court, and many other buildings
Chichen Itza
Artificial islands, built by the Aztecs, in order to create additional farmland
Chinampa
Servants to Inti and the Sapa Inca, who made clothing and golden plates/utensils
Chosen Women
Independent political units, made up of a city and its surrounding lands
City-State
Mayan books, made of bark, used to keep records
Codex
How did the Aztecs farm?
Floating Gardens
Spanish conquistador that conquered Inca empire
Francisco Pizarro
Written/carved inscriptions that represent words, phrases, or sounds
Glyph
South American civilization that conquered much of Andes region in 1400-1500s
Incas
The roads, bridges, buildings, etc that need to be built in order for a society to function properly
Infrastructure
What was the emperor's power like in the Aztec empire?
He was the ultimate ruler and was treated like god
What were some Aztec accomplishments?
Herbs & Medicine, Fix broken bones, Treat Cavities, Accurate calendar
Spanish leader that led 500 conquistadors to victory over Aztecs (by taking advantage of other tribes' anger towards Aztecs, better weapons/armor, and small pox
Hernan Cortes
Bodies found atop Andes, which have been preserved due to the low temp
High Mummies
Sun God of Aztecs
Huitzilopochtli
How did the Aztecs please the Gods?
Human Sacrifice
Animals, domesticated by the Inca, used for carrying goods, wool, meat, etc.
Llamas and Alpacas
5,125 year period of time, based on the combination of Religious and Solar calendars
Long-Count Calendar
"Lost" city of the Inca, located high atop Andes Mountains
Machu Picchu
Major crop of the Maya and Aztecs
Maize
Mesoamerican society that lived on the Yucatan peninsula and mysteriously left their large cities around 900 C.E.
Mayas
What were some Mayan achievements?
Number system, Glyphs, Concept of Zero, Solar Calendar
Volcanic glass, which can act as a sharp cutting tool/weapon
Obsidian
Last Emperor of the Aztecs
Moctezuma II
Aztec language
Nahuatl
Where was the Aztec empire located?
Northern Mexico
What was the largest empire in the Americas?
The Incan Empire
How did the Mayans make money?
Through trading
Largest of the Mayan cities
Tikal
Payment paid to the Aztecs from a conquered region, in order to allow for that region to continue to exist and not be destroyed by the Aztec forces
Tribute
Mayan city located on the coast of the Yucatan
Tulum
Where was the Mayan Empire located?
Yucatan Peninsula
