Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations Vocabulary

What is Mesoamerica?

• A farming method using fire

• An empire in South America

• A region in southern Mexico and Central America

• A sacred Mayan text

What is maize?

• A volcanic rock

• A crop first grown in Mesoamerica

• A floating garden

• A Mayan calendar system

Who were the Olmec?

• An early civilization near the Gulf of Mexico

• A group that conquered the Inca

• Spanish soldiers

• Rulers of Tenochtitlan

What is slash-and-burn agriculture?

• A way to build terraces

• A type of floating farm

• A method of clearing land for farming

• A system for record-keeping

Who were the Zapotec?

• Creators of the Mayan calendar

• Spanish invaders

• An early group in Mexico with a writing system

• A South American tribe

Who were the Maya?

• People who built floating gardens

• A civilization known for cities and calendars

• Spanish conquerors

• Inca rulers

What is obsidian?

• A sacred Aztec text

• A sharp volcanic rock

• A type of food

• A farming method

What is the Yucatán Peninsula?

• A landform in Mexico nearly surrounded by water

• A volcanic mountain range

• A sacred Mayan city

• A system of farming

What is an observatory?

• A type of writing

• A place to study the stars

• A garden

• A record system

Who was Pacal?

• An Aztec priest

• A Mayan king of Palenque

• An Incan soldier

• A Spanish explorer