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Mesoamerica Civilizations

Total questions: 37

Worksheet time: 19hrs 30mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A successful civilization is often characterized by which of the following?

a)

Strong leadership and organization

b)

Lack of resources

c)

Frequent conflicts

d)

Absence of laws

2.

Define the term 'Civilization:'

a)

A complex human society that has developed urban development, social stratification, forms of government, and symbolic systems of communication such as writing.

b)

A small group of nomadic people who rely solely on hunting and gathering.

c)

A society that exists without any form of government or written language.

d)

A temporary settlement established for seasonal activities.

3.

Define the term 'City-states:'

a)

A city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state.

b)

A large country with many cities under one government.

c)

A rural area with no central government.

d)

A group of villages ruled by a king.

4.

Define the term 'Hieroglyphs'.

a)

A system of writing using symbols or pictures used in ancient Egypt and other cultures.

b)

A type of ancient Egyptian architecture.

c)

A traditional Egyptian musical instrument.

d)

A ceremonial dance performed by Egyptian priests.

5.

Define the term 'Chinampas':

a)

A type of Mesoamerican agriculture which used small, rectangular areas of fertile arable land to grow crops on the shallow lake beds in the Valley of Mexico.

b)

A traditional Andean textile weaving technique.

c)

A ceremonial platform used in Mayan temples.

d)

A type of ancient irrigation canal found in Mesopotamia.

6.

Define the term 'Quipu'.

a)

An ancient Inca device for recording information, consisting of variously colored threads knotted in different ways.

b)

A traditional Japanese musical instrument made of bamboo.

c)

A type of ancient Egyptian writing system using pictographs.

d)

A ceremonial mask used by Native American tribes.

7.

Define the term 'Terraces:'

a)

Step-like landforms created on slopes to allow farming on hilly or mountainous terrain.

b)

Underground channels used for irrigation in deserts.

c)

Circular pits dug to collect rainwater in dry areas.

d)

Tall structures built to store harvested crops.

8.

Fill in the blank: One important part of a civilization is having large ______ or towns.

a)

cities

b)

rivers

c)

mountains

d)

forests

9.

Fill in the blank: A civilization has an organized ______ and laws.

a)

government

b)

forest

c)

festival

d)

animal

10.

Fill in the blank: A civilization has a ______ system for communication.

a)

writing

b)

cooking

c)

dancing

d)

painting

11.

Fill in the blank: Art and ______ are important parts of a civilization.

a)

architecture

b)

weather

c)

sports

d)

furniture

12.

Fill in the blank: Farming and ______ are important for a civilization's development.

a)

trade

b)

dancing

c)

singing

d)

painting

13.

Fill in the blank: Civilizations have religious ______.

a)

beliefs

b)

vehicles

c)

recipes

d)

rivers

14.

Fill in the blank: Social ______ are different groups of people with different jobs in a civilization.

a)

classes

b)

buildings

c)

tools

d)

animals

15.

Where did the Maya civilization live?

a)

Central Mexico

b)

Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, parts of Honduras and El Salvador

c)

Along the Andes Mountains in South America

16.

Where did the Aztec civilization live?

a)

Central Mexico, with their capital Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City)

b)

Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, parts of Honduras and El Salvador

c)

Along the Andes Mountains in South America

17.

Where did the Inca civilization live?

a)

Central Mexico

b)

Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, parts of Honduras and El Salvador

c)

Along the Andes Mountains in South America (Peru, Ecuador, Chile)

18.

All three civilizations chose places near ________, valleys, or forests.

a)

mountains

b)

deserts

c)

oceans

d)

islands

19.

Most early civilizations began near rivers because rivers provide:

a)

Fresh water for drinking and farming

b)

Fertile land (good soil) for crops

c)

Easy transportation for trade

d)

Gold and silver

20.

Match the civilization to its location:

a)

Central Mexico

1.

Aztec

b)

Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, parts of Honduras and El Salvador

2.

Maya

c)

Along the Andes Mountains in South America (Peru, Ecuador, Chile)

3.

Inca

21.

Which civilization is described as the oldest of the three civilizations?

a)

The Maya

b)

The Aztec

c)

The Inca

d)

The Olmec

22.

What type of structures did the Maya build?

a)

Castles

b)

Pyramid temples

c)

Skyscrapers

d)

Domes

23.

The Maya created a writing system using pictures called _________.

a)

hieroglyphs

b)

cuneiform

c)

alphabet

d)

kanji

24.

Who were great mathematicians who invented the number zero?

a)

The Greeks

b)

The Romans

c)

The Maya

d)

The Egyptians

25.

The Maya studied the stars and created accurate _________

a)

calendars

b)

maps

c)

weapons

d)

temples

26.

What was unique about the location of the Aztec capital city?

a)

It was built on an island in a lake.

b)

It was located in a desert.

c)

It was built on top of a mountain.

d)

It was situated in a dense forest.

27.

What were the floating gardens created by the Aztecs called?

a)

Chinampas

b)

Terraces

c)

Pueblos

d)

Cenotes

28.

What did the Aztecs use as money?

a)

Cacao beans (chocolate)

b)

Gold coins

c)

Silver bars

d)

Corn tortillas

e)

Feathered hats

29.

What famous site did the Inca build high in the mountains?

a)

Chichen Itza

b)

Machu Picchu

c)

Great Wall

d)

Stonehenge

30.

The Inca used rope bridges to cross deep valleys.

a)

True

b)

False

31.

What was the name of the counting system invented by the Inca using knotted strings?

a)

Abacus

b)

Quipu

c)

Hieroglyphics

d)

Cuneiform

32.

The Inca were master farmers who grew food on ________ terraces.

a)

mountain

b)

river

c)

desert

d)

forest

33.

Which civilization is known for advanced mathematics, writing, and astronomy?

a)

Maya

b)

Inca

c)

Roman

d)

Viking

34.

Which civilization engineered floating gardens and built a city on a lake?

a)

Aztec

b)

Inca

c)

Maya

d)

Olmec

35.

Which civilization built cities and roads in the mountains without using wheels?

a)

Inca

b)

Aztec

c)

Maya

d)

Olmec

36.

Fill in the blank: Many of their inventions are still used today, such as the _______, road system, and farming practices.

a)

calendar

b)

telephone

c)

microscope

d)

television

37.

Which of the following foods did they grow that we still eat today?

a)

Corn

b)

Chocolate

c)

Potatoes

d)

All of the above