Indigenous Civilizations of the Americas Vocab/Map

What is Mesoamerica?

• A region that includes the southern part of what is now Mexico and parts of the northern countries of Central America

• The official language of the Inca

• A type of corn, the main crop of the Aztec

• Ancient Maya writing system

What were chinampas?

• Raised gardens in swampy conditions of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan

• Buildings to study astronomy

• The book where Aztecs kept historical records

• Stonework by Inca workers

What is a codex?

• A type of corn

• The book where Aztecs kept historical records

• Official language of the Inca

• A royal retreat for the Inca rulers

Who were the conquistadors?

• Official members of Inca society

• Spanish soldiers who conquered the Aztecs and Incas

• Ancient Maya scribes

• Aztec warriors

What is Quechua?

• A type of corn

• A book of historical records

• The official language of the Inca

• A writing system

What is Machu Picchu?

• A type of corn

• A book of historical records

• A royal retreat for the Inca rulers built on sacred mountain peaks in the Andes

• A writing system

What is masonry as defined by the Inca?

• A type of corn

• A book of historical records

• Stonework cut so precisely that they didn't have to use cement to hold them together

• A writing system

Who were the "memorizers" in Inca society?

• The rulers of the Inca

• The builders of Machu Picchu

• Official members who learned long poems about Inca legends and history

• The Spanish soldiers who conquered the Incas

What is the significance of obsidian in the context of the Aztecs?

• It was used to make the raised roads across water or wet ground

• It was the material used to build observatories

• It was a highly traded sharp, glasslike volcanic rock used for spearheads and sacrifices

• It was the official language of the Inca

What was the purpose of Inca observatories?

• To serve as a retreat for Inca rulers

• To study agriculture and farming techniques

• To keep historical records of the Aztecs

• To study astronomy, or the movement of the stars