Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations

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Maya

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Mesoamerican civilization concentrated in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula but never unified into a single empire. Major contributions were in mathematics, astronomy, and development of the calendar.

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Aztecs

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Also known as Mexica, they created a powerful centralized empire in central Mexico (1325-1521 C.E.). They forced defeated peoples to provide goods and labor as a tax.

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Tenochtitlan

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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.

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Chinampas

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Floating farming islands made by the Aztec.

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Tributary State

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Independent state that has to acknowledge the supremacy of another state and pay tribute to its ruler.

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Incan Empire

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Largest and most powerful Andean empire. Controlled the Pacific coast of South America from Ecuador to Chile from its capital of Cuzco.

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Quipu

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An arrangement of knotted strings on a cord, used by the Inca to record numerical information.

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Ayllu

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In Incan society, a small community or family group whose members worked together for the common good of the peoples.

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Terrace Farming

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A farming system that is in the form of steps going up a mountain to increase farm land.

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Machu Picchu

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Abandoned city high in the Andes mountains that showcases the architectural genius of the Inca.