Topic 3 Middle America Study Guide (My World Geography)

Maya pyramids were topped by

• observatories.

• temples.

• giant stone heads.

• tombs.

A farming method that used cutting and burning plants on a plot of land. The ash was then used to fertilize the soil.

• hunting and gathering

• Corns, beans, and squash

• Slash-and-burn agriculture

• irrigation

A colorful tropical bird, whose feathers were used in Mayan trading.

• quetzal

• parrot

• warbler

• robin

Which civilization developed the farming in Mesoamerica?

• The Olmec

• The Zapotec

• The Maya

• The Aztec

Why did Olmec farmers move their farms from time to time?

• As their families grew, people needed larger farms.

• Maya invaders took over their farmlands.

• Heavy rains flooded their fields and forced them to find new land.

• The soil would wear out and could no longer support farming.

Read the text:

"The Aztecs settled in the Valley of Mexico - where Mexico City now is - in the 1300s. they build their capital, Tenochtitlan, on an island in the middle of a lake. With 150,000 people, the city was the largest ever build by American Indians. It was, in fact, one of the largest cities in the world at that time. It had advanced engineering and a complex economy."

Based on this passage and on what you think Spanish explorers thought when they first saw Tenochtitlan?

• They might have thought the city was rich and worth conquering.

• They might have thought the city was too large to attack successfully.

• They might have thought the city was not worth invading.

• They might have thought the city's location made it too dangerous to attack.

Which statements describe features of Aztec society and governments? Choose the TWO correct answers.

• The Aztec king formed and alliance with other kings.

• Some people were born into slavery and had no rights.

• Priests made all decisions, especially relating to war.

• Most people were commoners.

Why were the Aztecs able to take control of the basin known as the Valley of Mexico?

• They were the first people to settle in the area.

• They built a strong defense that protected Lake Texcoco from invasion.

• They had a powerful army that allowed them to conquer their neighbors.

• They produced trade goods that made them wealthy

Many feats of Aztec engineering were made necessary by Tenochtitlan's location

• in the middle of a harsh desert.

• at a high altitude in the mountains.

• on a small island in a shallow lake.

• in the middle of a dense jungle.

Study the graph showing the value of trade between the United States and the countries that signed the CAFTA-DR free-trade agreement in 2004.

Which statement describes the economic impact of this trade agreement?

• The agreement led exports to the U.S. to increase but led to a decrease in imports.

• The agreement caused imports from the U.S. to increase but led to a decrease in exports.

• The agreement caused both exports and imports to decrease over time.

• The agreement caused both exports and imports to increase over time.