Global 8th Grade ACC: Assignment #5 Latin America

Describe early Latin American civilizations

• Regional kingdoms

• Hunting and gathering societies

• Monarchies controlling a large territories

• advanced civilizations that adapted their environment and advanced innovations

How were the Aztec, Maya, and Inca's agricultural systems similar?

• they required a system of slavery that endured for centuries.

• because it allowed them to develop coffee plantations.

• adapted to allow for a high level of productivity

• led to warfare

Using document 1, explain how geography affected settlement in the Central and South America.

• According to document 1 chinampas were adaptions to mountains to increase arable land

• According to document 1 chinampas were floating island agricultural adaptions that allowed for a surplus of food

• According to document 1 chinampas allowed for the flooding of land

• According to document 1 chinampas allowed for sustainable housing

Document #2

Although​ ​the​ ​rugged​ ​Andes​ ​Mountains​ ​create​ ​extreme​ ​weather​ ​conditions​ ​and​ ​make​ ​transportation difficult,​ ​they​ ​have​ ​hidden​ ​advantages​ ​that​ ​Andean​ ​people​ ​learned​ ​to​ ​​exploit​.​ ​The​ ​difference​ ​in​ ​altitude between​ ​the​ ​peaks​ ​[created]​ ​wide​ ​variations​ ​in​ ​temperature​ ​and​ ​rainfall​ ​at​ ​different​ ​​altitudes​.​ ​The varying​​ ​​topography​​ ​of​ ​the​ ​mountains​ ​creates​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​​ecological​ ​niches​,​ ​which​ ​are​ ​zones​ ​stacked one​ ​on​ ​top​ ​of​ ​another​ ​where​ ​different​ ​types​ ​of​ ​animals​ ​and​ ​plants​ ​can​ ​survive.​ ​So,​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​having​ ​to travel​ ​hundreds​ ​of​ ​miles​ ​to​ ​arrive​ ​in​ ​a​ ​different​ ​climate,​ ​Andean​ ​people​ ​can​ ​walk​ ​as​ ​little​ ​as​ ​60​ ​miles​ ​to go​ ​from​ ​a​ ​tropical​ ​forest​ ​in​ ​the​ ​lowlands​ ​to​ ​the​ ​frozen​ ​tundra​ ​of​ ​the​ ​highlands….Plants​ ​with​ ​different planting​ ​and​ ​harvesting​ ​times​ ​can​ ​be​ ​grown​ ​at​ ​different​ ​altitudes.​ ​Families​ ​farmed​ ​various​ ​plots​ ​of​ ​land at​ ​each​ ​altitude​ ​that ​might​ ​be​ ​two​ ​or​ ​three​ ​days​ ​apart​ ​by​ ​foot.

This​ ​system,​ ​called​ ​a​ ​“vertical​ ​economy,”​ ​had​ ​many​ ​advantages​ ​in​ ​the​ ​harsh​ ​Andean​ ​climate.​ ​First,​ ​it gives​ ​a​ ​community​ ​access​ ​to​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​foods​ ​and​ ​other​ ​products.​ ​Second,​ ​it​ ​protects​ ​them against​ ​the​ ​impact​ ​of​ ​harsh​ ​and​ ​unpredictable​ ​weather​ ​conditions—if​ ​frost​ ​or​ ​drought​ ​destroys​ ​the​ ​crop at​ ​one​ ​elevation,​ ​the​ ​community​ ​can​ ​fall​ ​back​ ​on​ ​the​ ​harvest​ ​in​ ​another​ ​ecological​ ​niche.​ ​Andean farmers​ ​also​ ​plant​ ​several​ ​(sometimes​ ​dozens)​ ​of​ ​varieties​ ​of​ ​one​ ​crop​ ​like​ ​potatoes​ ​in​ ​a​ ​single​ ​field​ ​so that​ ​at​ ​least​ ​some​ ​plants​ ​will​ ​survive​ ​the​ ​season’s​ ​unpredictable​ ​temperature​ ​and​ ​rainfall.

Source:​ ​Adapted​ ​from​ ​​Machu Picchu: Unveiling the Mystery of the Incas, Carol​ ​P.​ ​Merriman.​ ​Dept.​ ​of​ ​ Public Education​ ​Peabody​ ​Museum​ ​of​ ​Natural​ ​History,​ ​Yale​ ​University

Using Document 2, identify the purpose of settling in mountainous regions

• According to Document #2 settling in mountainous regions allowed for protection against weather.

• According to Document #2 settling in mountainous regions allowed for larger access to water

• According to Document #2 settling in mountainous regions allowed for a decrease in food prodcution

• According to Document #2 settling in mountainous regions allowed for religious freedom