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Unit test study guide

Total questions: 105

Worksheet time: 2hrs 28mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
The capital city of the Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan, was an island in the middle of Lake
a)
Texcoco
b)
Mesoamerica
c)
Chichen Itza
d)
Gulf of Mexico
2.
Floating gardens that were used to grow food crops in swampy conditions were known as
a)
hieroglyphics
b)
chinampas
c)
mesoamerica
d)
terraces
3.
Which answer correctly shows the Aztec social hierarchy?
a)
Commoners, King, Nobles, Slaves, Serfs
b)
King, Nobles, Commoners, Serfs, Slaves
c)
Nobles, King, Commoners, Slaves, Serfs
d)
King, Commoners, Nobles, Serfs, Slaves
4.
The Aztec Empire lived in central ___________.
a)
America
b)
Mexico
c)
Panama
d)
Cuba
5.
The Aztecs settled where they saw:
a)
A bird on a wire
b)
A gopher eating a turtle
c)
An eagle on a cactus
d)
A snake eating an eagle
6.
The Aztecs settled on a lake called:
a)
Lake Texcoco
b)
Lake of the Aztec
c)
Land o Lakes
d)
Lake Tenochtitlan
7.
The Aztecs believed in human sacrifice because:
a)
they were evil
b)
they believed it would please their gods
c)
they hated blood
d)
they believed that consuming blood was good for you
8.
The Aztecs built Chinampas. What were they?
a)
Mexican food
b)
floating gardens
c)
pyramids
d)
temples
9.
The conquered city of Tenochtitlan is now the modern day city of:
a)
Valdez
b)
Cortez City
c)
Mexico City
d)
Chichen Itza
10.
What does the picture on the Mexican flag symbolize? 
a)
a struggle between the powers of the earth and sky 
b)
the joining of different peoples to make one nation
c)
the strength of Aztec armies to conquer their neighbors
d)
a legend about how Aztecs knew where to build their city
11.
Who conquered the Aztec Empire?
a)
Beyonce
b)
Hernan Cortes
c)
Pedro de Valdivia
d)
Speedy Gonzales
12.
How were the Aztecs able to farm in Tenochtitlan?
a)
built stone walls within the mountains to create a flat surface
b)
alternated crops to keep the soil fertilized
c)
used land outside of the island to grow crops
d)
created floating gardens that were anchored to trees
13.
Why did the Aztecs call themselves the “people of the sun”? 
a)
The peasants often got sunburned.
b)
Their chief god was the god of the sun and war
c)
The sun dried out their crops
d)
The nobles could relax in the sun
14.
Which of these is a geographic feature of Mexico?
a)
Sierra Madre Mountains
b)
Andes Mountains
c)
Atacama Desert
d)
Belize Barrier Reef
15.
In which region was the Aztec civilization located?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
16.
What kind of climate did the Aztec live in?
a)
Jungle
b)
Swampy lake
c)
Highmountains
17.
What were Aztec pyramids used for?
a)
Burial places for great leaders
b)
Religious ceremonies like human sacrifice
c)
Astronomy, to look at the sun, moon, and stars
d)
Places to play their ball game
18.
The Aztec capital city was called . . .
a)
Cuzco
b)
Tenotchtitlan
c)
Chichen Itza
d)
Machu Picchu
19.
Which of these are foods the Aztec would NOT have eaten?
a)
corn
b)
rice
c)
peppers
d)
tomatoes
20.
Who was the leader of the Aztec?
a)
Hernan Cortes
b)
conquistador
c)
Moctezuma
d)
Quetzalcoatl
21.
Who was the leader of the Spanish forces invading the Aztec region?
a)
Moctezuma
b)
Hernan Cortes
c)
Quetzalcoatl
d)
Velasquez
22.
What is a causeway?
a)
A low road over water
b)
The disease that killed many Aztec
c)
An Aztec artificial island
d)
An Aztec religious ritual
23.

The Aztecs had never seen a ______ or _________ before Cortes and his men arrived.

a)

horse; metal weapons

b)

taco; human

c)

boat; garden

d)

baby; donkey

24.
The Aztecs had written language - true or false?
a)
true
b)
false
25.
The Aztecs believed __________________.
a)
the Spanish were gods
b)
the Spanish were not gods
c)
the Spanish would appreciate their sacrifices
d)
the Spanish would make them wealthy
26.

What does the picture on the Mexican flag represents?

a)

The struggles between the powers of the earth and the sky

b)

the joining of people

c)

the strength of the Aztec aremies to conquer their neighbors

d)

a legend about how Aztecs knew where to settle, build a great city and live

27.

Why did the Aztecs call themselves the "people of the sun"

a)

the nobles could relax in the sun

b)

the sun dried out their crops

c)

their main god was the sun god

d)

the peasants often for sunburned

28.

Why did Aztec markets have guards and judges?

a)

to make sure sellers were honest

b)

to collect taxes

c)

to make sure valuable items were not traded

d)

to keep the best items for the emperor

29.

Which of these was a task usually left for Aztec men?

a)

weaving cloth

b)

preparing meals

c)

tending the garden

d)

building the house

30.

Who within Aztec society does the following: study the sky, run the schools, and predict the future

a)

a judge

b)

a priest

c)

a peasant

d)

a commoner

31.

What was an Aztec farmer most likely to eat?

a)

winged ants

b)

oats porridge

c)

corn tortillas

d)

fresh peaches

32.

What animals dis some Aztec Families raise?

a)

goats

b)

sheep

c)

horses

d)

turkeys

33.

Governments officials, military leaders and priests can also be called

a)

nobles

b)

peasants

c)

commoners

d)

artisans and craftsman

34.
What group was at the bottom of the social pyramid?
a)
slaves
b)
farmers
c)
merchants
d)
warriors
35.
Slaves in Aztec civilization
a)
could own land and have possessions
b)
were not allowed to marry or have children
c)
were in charge of religious ceremonies
d)
were not allowed to use canoes to travel in Tenochtitlan
36.
The Aztecs believed that many gods controlled nature and human activities.
a)
True
b)
False
37.
The Aztecs sacrificed thousands of people a year.
a)
True
b)
False
38.
The Aztec people could move from one social class to another
a)
True
b)
False
39.
There were two shrines at the top of the temple. These shrines were dedicated to _______.
a)
The Sun God and the Rain God
b)
The Goddess of Love and the Rain God
c)
For the Goddess of the Sun and the God of Rain
d)
The GOd of Love and the Goddess of Rain
40.
Which word best describes the Aztec religion?
a)
monotheistic
b)
Catholic
c)
Christianity
d)
polytheism
41.
The disease that killed 1/3 and weakened the Aztecs was called  ______.
a)
the flu
b)
stomach bug
c)
tonsilitis
d)
small pox
42.
Why did the Aztecs in Tenochtitlán need the technologies listed below?
• aqueduct
• dike
• causeways
• canals
a)
because they lived on islands 
b)
because they traveled frequently 
c)
because they ruled a large empire 
d)
because they followed the seasons
43.
The Aztec Empire was based on tribute. This means that the people who lived in the empire 
a)
worshipped Aztec gods.
b)
had to speak the Aztec language.
c)
rebelled against the Aztec leaders. 
d)
paid goods to the Aztec government.
44.
Which group within Aztec society did the tasks listed below?
• studied the sky
• ran schools
• predicted the future 
a)
priests
b)
judges
c)
peasants 
d)
commoners 
45.

Which color represents where the Aztec civilization was?

a)

blue

b)

red

c)

gray

d)

green

46.
The letter A on the map indicates the empire of which of the following Native American civilizations?
a)
Aztecs
b)
Incas
c)
Inuits
d)
Cherokee
47.
The letter C on the map indicates the empire of which of the following Native American civilizations?
a)
Aztecs
b)
Incas
c)
Inuits
d)
Cherokees
48.
What physical feature is located near the letters A and B?
a)
Andes Mountains
b)
Amazon River
c)
Sierra Madre Mountains
d)
Atacama Desert
49.
__________________ is a term used to refer to the soldiers and explorers of the Spanish and Portugal.
a)
Sailors
b)
Penal colonies
c)
Conquistadors
d)
Monarchs
50.
Capital of the Aztec Empire... It was in modern day Mexico City.
a)
Tenochtitlan
b)
Cuzco
c)
Havana
d)
Guadalupe
51.
Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca
a)
Hernan Cortes
b)
Francisco Pizarro
c)
Ferdinand Magellan
d)
Vasco da Gama
52.
Ruler of the Incas that was captured and executed by the Pizarro and the Spanish.
a)
Atahualpa
b)
Montezuma
c)
Tomichichi
d)
Lightfoot
53.
The last Aztec emperor. He allowed Hernan Cortes into Tenochtitlan believing Cortes was a god but was later killed by Cortes and his men.
a)
Montezuma II
b)
Atahualpa
c)
Tomichichi
d)
Chief Chastain
54.
Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro were explorers from which European nation?
a)
Spain
b)
Italy
c)
Portugal
d)
France
55.
Maya = Maize = ____________
a)
Squash
b)
Fruit Punch
c)
Corn
d)
Beans
56.
Where did the Incas live?
a)
Western South America
b)
Eastern North America
c)
Eastern South America
d)
Western North America
57.
One of the Mayans' many creations that we use today is
a)
365 day calendar
b)
Human Sacrifice
c)
The Wheel
58.
What kind of farming technique did the Mayans use in the Mountains?
a)
crop rotation
b)
terraces (staircase)
c)
raised-earth platforms
d)
they didn't
59.
Why did the Mayans abandon their city-states?
a)
To avoid the Spanish
b)
Overly populated
c)
Disease & warfare
d)
No one really knows
60.

During what years did the Olmec thrive?

a)

4000-1400BCE

b)

1400-1800 CE

c)

1400-100BCE

d)

1200-400 BCE

61.

Which civilization was known as being "blood-thirsty"

a)

Olmec

b)

Maya

62.

This civilization was found in the lowlands of Mexico:

a)

Olmec

b)

Maya

63.

The Spanish may have destroyed many of their records when they invaded:

a)

Olmec

b)

Maya

64.

We don't know why they disappeared:

a)

Olmec

b)

Maya

65.

This civilization created a calendar that measured time in blocks over 5,000 years:

a)

Olmec

b)

Maya

66.

______ are written signs that represent concepts and objects.

a)

slash-and-burn

b)

hieroglyphs

c)

elite

d)

surplus

67.

The Olmec grew _____

a)

maize (corn)

b)

beans

c)

avocados

d)

all of the above

68.

The Olmec valued ______ above all else.

a)

gold

b)

diamonds

c)

jade

d)

rubies

69.

What is something that showed the Olmec were complex?

a)

religion

b)

trade

c)

agriculture

d)

all of the above

70.

What was the name of one of the most important gods worshiped by the Olmec?

a)

The Lion God

b)

The Jaguar God

c)

The Leopard God

d)

The Cheetah God

71.

Which class of the Maya people had the largest population?

a)

Kings

b)

Farmers & Slaves

c)

Merchants & Craftsman

d)

Priests & Warriors

72.

Which society was considered to be the "Mother Culture"?

a)

Zapotec

b)

Inca

c)

Maya

d)

Olmec

73.

a period when the Mayas built many great cities

a)

Yucatan Peninsula

b)

Mayas

c)

pre-classic era

d)

classic era

74.

period when the Mayas lived in fishing villages

a)

pre-classic era

b)

classic era

c)

post-classic era

d)

Tikal

75.

What allowed the Mayas to move inland?

a)

they found fish in streams

b)

they learned to plant crops

c)

they began hunting

d)

they found an Olmec city

76.

The Mayas had an advanced civilization. Choose 2 correct answers.

a)

True, they improved agriculture methods.

b)

False, they did not have a writing system.

c)

True, they had advanced mathematics.

d)

False, they did not leave any lasting ruins or artifacts.

77.

What animal represented the rain god for the Olmecs?

a)

elephant

b)

jaguar

c)

lizard

d)

python

78.

The Olmec civilization developed in the __________ of Mesoamerica.

a)

lowlands

b)

highlands

c)

mountains

d)

desert

79.
Which food crop did the Maya nobles control?
a)
corn
b)
chocolate
c)
beans
d)
tobacco
80.

Which Mesoamerican society was known for carving massive stone heads?

a)

Olmec

b)

Maya

c)

Aztec

d)

Inca

81.

One major breakthrough of the Maya was developing the mathematical concept of _________.

a)

zero

b)

algebra

c)

pi

d)

fractions

82.

Which Mesoamerican civilization came first?

a)

Inca

b)

Olmec

c)

Aztec

d)

Maya

83.

In the Mayan civilization, who was responsible for studying the stars and creating a calendar?

a)

the king

b)

the farmers

c)

Maya women

d)

priests

84.

Which early civilization created a calendar that measured time in blocks over 5,000 years?

a)

the Olmec

b)

the Maya

c)

the Egyptians

d)

the Aztecs

85.

What is a 'glyph'?

a)

a symbol used to represent a specific sound or word in a language

b)

a type of amphibian found in underwater caves

c)

the name for a god that controls the harvest

d)

a set of rules that a priest must follow during a human sacrifice

86.
What does the term "mesoamerican" mean?
a)
Middle Passage
b)
Middle America, between North and South America
c)
Middle America, including states like Texas and Oklahoma
d)
Messy America
87.
Why did the Mayans honor the gods?
a)
The gods were funny
b)
The gods played good music
c)
The gods could help the city grow and could also destroy it
88.
Mesoamerican farmers had to move their farms from time to time because the ______ would wear out & couldn't support farming.
a)
cows
b)
llamas
c)
soil
d)
muscles
89.
The Mayan government was made up of independent _______________.
a)
city states
b)
armies
c)
countries
d)
men
90.
Which of the following was NOT a similarity of the Maya and Aztec cultures?
a)
They each developed calendars.
b)
The each had a single ruler.
c)
They each believed in many gods.
d)
The each had various social classes.
91.

The Olmecs came to Mexico more than....

a)

20 years ago

b)

200 years ago

c)

2000 years ago

92.

Olmec homes were basically made from...

a)

bricks and wood

b)

palm leaves, logs and mud

c)

stones

d)

iron

93.

The Olmecs knew how to write and count.

a)

true

b)

false

94.

What was one of the requirements of Inca citizens?

a)

They had to breed llamas

b)

They had to pay gold for taxes

c)

They had to run messages through out the empire

d)

They had to work part of the year for the government

95.

The Inca used this farming method which allowed them to farm on the steep mountainsides

a)

Crop rotation

b)

Terrace farming

c)

Drip irrigation

d)

Permanent crops

96.

How did the Inca learn about their history and legends?

a)

It was passed down in texts

b)

There was one person who recorded all of it

c)

It was passed down by song and poems

d)

It was passed down by griots

97.

The Maya system of glyphs looks more like _____________than____________.

a)

Pictures/Words

b)

Numbers/Letters

c)

Numbers/Words

d)

Words/Letters

98.

What best describes the Inca government?

a)

It allowed people to vote

b)

It allowed for upward movement in the social structure

c)

It collected money for taxes

d)

It controlled most aspects of social and economic life. Citizens had to work and give food to the government

99.

The Mesoamericans used _____________________ to farm the rainforest.

a)

Contour plowing

b)

Silt Fences

c)

Slash-and-burn agriculture

d)

Crop Rotation

100.

What is the best explanation for the remarkable success of the Incan empire?

a)

They were constantly conquering rivals and never lost a battle.

b)

They convinced other peoples to join them peacefully.

c)

They lived in the middle of an abundance of resources.

d)

They had a well-organized, highly efficient society and government.

101.
The Maya civilization was after the Aztec civilization.
a)
TRUE
b)
FALSE
102.
* Chinampas
*conquered by Spanish
*365 day calendar
*stone temples without cement
*writing
a)
Mayan
b)
Aztec
c)
Inca
103.

What is maize?

a)

a structure that you need to find your way through

b)

one of the staple (most important) crops of MesoAmerica

c)

dough to make a pizza

104.

What is slash and burn?

a)

the way that zombies are usually killed

b)

a fighting technique in war

c)

done by cutting down and burning trees and plants in order to clear an area of land and grow crops on it for usually a brief time

105.

What is trade?

a)

a skateboarding trick

b)

the steepness of a hill

c)

the activity or process of buying, selling, or exchanging goods or services

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