Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations Vocabulary

Study humans, especially their cultural and social qualities.

• Archaeologist

• Anthropologist

• Meteorologist

• Paleontologist

A term used to describe cultural developments in the Americas prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the Spanish conquest of the region

• Post-Colombian

• Pre-Colombian

• Pro-Colombian

• Un-Colombian

Region that covers central Mexico and most parts of Central America. The areas marked as occupied by the Aztec and Maya

• Meso-America

• Pre-America

• South America

• Central America

Refers to regions around the Andes Mountains in South America

• Archaeologist

• Andean

• Anthropologist

• Classical

Another name for an American Indian.

• Anthropologist

• Andean

• Aztec

• Amerindian

A classical civilization of Mesoamerica located in present-day Mexico; declined around AD 900.

• Maya

• Aztec

• Inca

• Conquistadors

A classical civilization of Mesoamerica; destroyed by Spanish conquerors in 1521

• Maya

• Aztec

• Inca

• Conquistadors

A classical civilization located in the Andes Mountains of present-day South America; destroyed by Spanish conquerors in 1537

• Maya

• Aztec

• Inca

• Conquistadors

A civilization marked by great achievements.

• Empire

• Classical

• Conquistadors

• Pre-Colombian

A pre-classical Mesoamerican civilization; earliest known civilization in Mesoamerica.

• Maya

• Aztec

• Inca

• Olmec