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Worksheets

Mayan vocabulary

Total questions: 62

Worksheet time: 31mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Haab is the name of the Mayan what?

(a)  

2.

Some people believe that the Maya vanished because of: (Check all that apply)

a)

Drought

b)

War

c)

Famine

d)

Disease

e)

Environmental problems

3.

Which is the Mayan empire?

a)

red

b)

purple

c)

green

4.

The most important agricultural crop for the Mayans was

a)

bananas.

b)

maize.

c)

tomatoes.

d)

potatoes.

5.

Mayans were the first to use the number:

a)

0

b)

1

c)

2

d)

3

6.

Maize was one of the staple foods of the Maya civilization, an ancient form of (a)   .

7.

The peninsula that separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea

a)

Baja

b)

Yucatan

c)

Florida

d)

Hacienda

8.

Craftsmen made prestigious objects with

a)

emeralds and opals.

b)

sapphire and rubies.

c)

silver and diamonds.

d)

obsidian and jade.

9.

A large area of land that is under the control of one ruler, country, or government.

a)

Empire

b)

Mission

c)

Epidemic

d)

Hacienda

10.

Area in Mayan cities surrounded by public buildings, palaces, and ball courts.

a)

Plazas

b)

Parks

c)

Farms

d)

Zoo

11.

What was at the center of Mayan culture?

a)

Health

b)

Family

c)

Money

d)

Religion

12.

When would the Mayans trade with other cities to obtain maize?

a)

When their crops were destroyed by the enemy

b)

In years where there was not enough rainfall.

c)

When their cities grew larger than the amount of crops they grew

13.

Mayan tools were made of what material?

a)

Iron

b)

Bone

c)

Steel

d)

Stone

14.

A city and the surrounding territory it ruled.

a)

pok ta pok

b)

city-state

c)

archaeologist

15.

A large peninsula in Mexico inhabited by the ancient Maya and their descendants.

a)

Yucatan Peninsula

b)

pok ta pok

c)

archaeologist

16.

A game played by the ancient Maya in which a large rubber ball was volleyed back and forth on a ball court. Sometimes the losers were sacrificed to the gods. This game may have been the first team sport.

a)

Tikal

b)

pok ta pok

c)

temple

17.

A building created in honor of a god.

a)

pok ta pok

b)

glyph

c)

descendants

d)

temple

18.

People who come from a particular ancestor or group of ancestors.

a)

sarcophagus

b)

temple

c)

descendants

d)

city-state

19.
The Mayan history book is called:
a)
The Popol Vuh
b)
The Codex
c)
The Bible
d)
The World Tree
20.

The main crop grown by the Mayans is:

a)

Potatoes

b)

Cotton

c)

Maize

d)

Beans

21.

A farming method which involves cutting steps into the side of a mountain to create more flat land for farming.

a)

Terracing

b)

Slash-and-Burn

c)

Irrigation

d)

Chinapas

22.

Tikal, Chichen Itza, Palenque, and Tulum are all examples of Mayan:

a)

Bodies of Water

b)

Temples

c)

Ajaws

d)

City-States

23.

This building was made of stone and usually found at the center of a city-state. They were built to honor the gods:

a)

Temples

b)

Marketplaces

c)

Ajaw Home

d)

Acropolis

24.
Each Mayan city-state had a leader called:
a)
Papa Inca
b)
Emperor
c)
Ajaw
d)
President
25.

A farming method used by the Mayans which involved cutting down forest trees and burning them to create room for cities and farmland.

a)

Terracing

b)

Irrigation

c)

Slash-and-Burn

d)

Crop Rotation

26.

The study of the stars, moons, and planets is called:

a)

Biology

b)

Chemistry

c)

Anatomy

d)

Astronomy

27.
Wealthy, upper-class men who would help the ajaw rule were called:
a)
Slaves
b)
Nobles
c)
Merchants
d)
Peasants
28.

Which letter best represents the area where the Maya people lived?

a)

A

b)

C

c)

D

d)

G

29.

A set of actions that is always performed the same way as part of a religious ceremony.

a)

Rules

b)

Ritual

c)

Sacrifice

d)

Hieroglyphic

30.

A gift of an animal for slaughter to honor the gods.

a)

Divine

b)

Sustain

c)

Maya

d)

Sacrifice

31.

The region extending from modern Mexico through Central America.

a)

United States

b)

South America

c)

MesoAmerica

d)

Canada

32.

A room or building housing scientific equipment for the study of natural phenomena.

a)

observatory

b)

cenote

c)

jade

d)

rebel

33.

Beautiful green feathers

a)

Litter

b)

Quetzal

c)

Hunab ku

34.

Where did the Mayans live?

a)

Desert of South America

b)

Arctic Circle

c)

Southern Mexico and Central America

d)

Woodlands of North America

35.

When did the Mayan empire exist?

a)

2500 BC - 900 AD

b)

1000 BC - 2012 AD

c)

900 AD - 1350 AD

d)

200 AD - 1800 AD

36.

What was the Mayan religion like?

a)

They believed in one god

b)

They believed in many gods (polytheistic)

c)

They didn't believe in any gods

d)

They didn't believe in animal or human sacrifices

37.

What was the social structure of the Mayans?

a)

Farmers on top; warriors and nobles on bottom

b)

President on top; farmers and priests on bottom

c)

Powerful kings and nobles on top; poor peasants and slaves on bottom

d)

Elected officials on top; priests and traders on bottom

38.

Which Mayan crops are part of Mexican food today?

a)

wheat, rice, and barley

b)

lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream

c)

corn, beans, and squash

d)

tortilla chips, beef, and rice

39.

What was true about the Mayan calendar?

a)

The calendar wasn't accurate

b)

The Mayans were not concerned about dates

c)

The Mayans used the wrong stars to calculate their calendar

d)

The calendar had 365 days

40.

Why were the Mayans considered "mysterious"?

a)

They chose not to communicate with their neighbors

b)

They abandoned their cities and disappeared

c)

They didn't leave anything for people today to see or study

d)

They didn't want to be seen or heard

41.

Who was the "mother of civilizations" in the Americas?

a)

Aztec

b)

Maya

c)

Olmec

d)

Inca

42.

What allowed people to have more time for creating art, religion, buildings, etc.?

a)

hieroglyphics

b)

agriculture

c)

math

d)

calendars

43.

Complex societies are characterized by what feature?

a)

The main king or lord of a Maya city state.

b)

A common item traded, a gem

c)

societies with large populations, an extensive division of labor, and occupational specialization

d)

large monument with a square base and four triangular sides

44.

What does 'maize' refer to?

a)

an area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed

b)

large monument with a square base and four triangular sides

c)

Mexico and South America

d)

corn

45.

Mesoamerica

a)

A type of book written by the Maya that was created by one long sheet of paper that was then folded like an accordion

b)

Mexico and Central America

c)

The main king or lord of a Maya city-state.

d)

The Maya solar calendar that was used to measure time and had 365 days.

46.

Pyramid

a)

large monument with a square base and four triangular sides

b)

a common item traded, a gem

c)

an area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed

d)

a shortage of rainfall

47.

What is obsidian?

a)

a building equipped to view astronomical phenomena

b)

colorful tropical bird

c)

corn

d)

a common item traded, a type of rock

48.

What does 'jade' refer to in the context of ancient civilizations?

a)

A type of book written by the Maya that was created by one long sheet of paper that was then folded like an accordion

b)

The main king or lord of a Maya city-state.

c)

A geographic region in the Western hemisphere that was home of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations

d)

A common item traded, a gem

49.

City-state

a)

Mexico and central America

b)

A type of book written by the Maya that was created by one long sheet of paper that was then folded like an accordion

c)

The main king or lord of a Maya city-state

d)

An independent nation comprised of a single town

50.

Worship

a)

The most powerful city-state during the start of the Post-classic period, Chichen Itza is a very popular tourist attraction today.

b)

show devotion to, as a deity

c)

An area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed

d)

corn

51.

drought

a)

a shortage of rainfall

b)

a common item traded, a type of rock

c)

a writing system using picture symbols

d)

Mexico and Central America

52.

slash and burn agriculture

a)

a common item traded, a gem

b)

a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize the land

c)

The main king or lord of a Mayan city state

d)

societies with large populations, an extensive division of labor, and occupational specialization

53.

quetzal

a)

show devotion to, as a diety

b)

a building equipped to view astronomical phenomena

c)

colorful tropical bird

d)

The most powerful city-state during the start of the Post- classical period.

54.

mesoamerica

a)

An area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed.

b)

an independent nation comprised of a single town

c)

corn

d)

A geographic region in the western hemisphere that was home of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

55.

Ahau or Ahaw

a)

The main king or lord of a Maya city-state.

b)

The serpent god of the Maya. One of the primary gods, especially to the Itza peoples of Chichen Itza.

c)

a writing system using picture symbols

d)

The Maya solar calendar that was used to measure time and had 365 days.

56.

Chichen Itza

a)

an independent nation comprised of a single town

b)

The most powerful city-state during the start of the Post-classic period

c)

The Maya solar calendar that was used to measure time and had 365 days.

d)

An area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed.

57.

Codex

a)

A type of book written by the Maya that was created by one long sheet of paper that was then folded like an accordion

b)

a writing system using picture symbols

c)

a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize the land

58.

temple

a)

societies with large populations, an extensive division of labor, and occupational specialization

b)

place of worship

c)

An area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed.

d)

corn

59.

Haab

a)

The main king or lord of a Maya city-state.

b)

An area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed.

c)

colorful tropical bird

d)

The Maya solar calendar that was used to measure time and had 365 days.

60.

Itzamna

a)

a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned to clear and fertilize the land

b)

The main god of the Maya, Itzamna was the god of fire who created the Earth.

c)

The serpent god of the Maya. One of the primary gods, especially to the Itza peoples of Chichen Itza.

d)

a shortage of rainfall

61.

Kukulcan

a)

The most powerful city-state during the start of the Post-classic period, 

b)

The serpent god of the Maya. One of the primary gods, especially to the Itza peoples of Chichen Itza.

c)

a shortage of rainfall

d)

a common item traded, a type of rock

62.

Yucatan Peninsula

a)

An area in southeastern Mexico where some of the Maya civilization developed.

b)

large monument with a square base and four triangular sides

c)

A geographic region in the western hemisphere that was home of the Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

d)

a common item traded, a type of rock