Mesoamerica Before European Arrival

This was only ancient American civilization that had a fully-written system of language.

• Aztec

• Maya

• Inca

• Zapotec

Floating gardens, small, stationary, artificial island built on a freshwater lake for agricultural purposes

• terraces

• chinampas

• cuzcos

• quipu

One of the most impressive aspects of this civilization was their complex network of roads and bridges to connect their mountainous empire.

• Aztec

• Maya

• Inca

• Zapotec

At least during some Mayan ball games, the losers were

• forced into slavery.

• sacrificed in a ritual.

• made servants of the winners.

• forced into military service to the emperor.

To grow crops like potatoes and quinoa, this culture used large-scale terrace farms in their mountainous terrain.

• Aztec

• Maya

• Inca

• Zapotec

Warriors in this society were given great honor and status for expanding their empire and providing captives to use for human sacrifice rituals.

• Aztec

• Maya

• Inca

• Zapotec

Maya astronomers created three

• star charts.

• mathematics.

• observatories.

• calendars.

Many Maya pyramids were topped by

• observatories.

• palaces.

• temples.

• tombs.

Maya writing was written on folding pages called a ____________

• calendar

• codex

• chinampas

• quipu

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

• in the middle of a harsh desert.

• on a small island in a shallow lake.

• at a high altitude in the mountains.

• in the middle of a dense jungle.