Food
The most common food among all groups was this staple crop, domesticated from wild grasses over the centuries and perfected by the Olmecs 2,000-3,000 years ago
Maize (corn)
These people lived in Mexico 2,000-3,000 years ago, farmed and traded and built massive stone heads as monuments to past rulers
Olmec
This ancient culture developed in Mexico and Central America 2,000 years ago, built massive cities connected by trade, farmed and fished and traded and was advanced in engineering, math and science
Mayans
This ancient civilization was located high in the Andes Mountains, is remembered for exceptional engineering skills, making beautiful silver jewelry, developing the potato and their powerful emperors
Incas
This ancient city was once the one of the largest in the world and can still be visited today in central Mexico and features pyramids and the Avenue of the Dead
Teotihuacan
The Olmecs in Mesoamerica were the first to use this bean and make a drink from it, though it was bitter and not sweet like most people eat or drink it today
The cacao bean (chocolate)
Most ancient Mesoamerican groups practiced this type of religion in which they worshipped many different gods
Polytheistic
This ancient ball game was developed by the Mayans and involved a heavy rubber ball that could be moved using hips, knees and elbows
Ulama!
The Inca built stone roads and buildings without the use of the adhesive building material
Mortar
This ancient city on the Yucatan Peninsula is a popular tourist destination and features the Great Pyramid, temples, observatories and a ball court
Chichen Itza
In ancient Mesoamerica many people grew these peppers that are still used in traditional Mexican food today
Chili peppers
The ancient people of this civilization in central Mexico built a massive city with pyramids and wide avenues and practiced human sacrifice as part of their religion
Teotihuacan
The Mayans built temples at the tops of these structures, including the Great one in Chichen Itza
Pyramids
This island in the Pacific is famous for the massive stone heads that are still found on the island to this day.
Easter Island
Very little of this ancient capital of the Aztecs remains, but some ruins can be seen in Mexico City today, which was built over the top of it
Tenochtitlan
The Incas of South America domesticated this tuber and grew it on terraces in the Andes Mountains; it served as a staple food source due to being high-carbohydrate
Potatoes
This shiny black volcanic stone was used by Mesoamerican civilizations for tools and ceremonial pieces
Obsidian
This ancient civilization rose up in Central Mexico, built the grand floating city of Tenochtitlan, worshipped many gods, had a vast empire ruled by a powerful emperor and was quite wealthy from gold
Aztecs
Instead of humans, the Incas were more likely to offer these sacrifices to their gods
food, coca leaves, chicha (corn beer) or animals
The ruins of this ancient Inca city were discovered by American Hiram Bingham high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, and are a fantastic glimpse in Inca life 600 years ago
Machu Picchu
This animal was domesticated by the Inca for its wool, as a beast of burden and as meat
Llama
The name Teotihuacan translates to mean this in English
Birthplace of the gods
This green stone was highly prized as a trade good in Mesoamerica
Jade
This final Inca emperor was this man who was captured and murdered by the Spanish in 1532
Atahualpa
These massive glyphs in the desert of Peru are in the shapes of animals, plants and geometric shapes and are best seen from above
Nazca Lines