Inca Insights
This ancient mountain civilization built the famous complex city of Machu Picchu.
Who are the Incas?
The Aztecs built their famous capital city, ________, on an island in the middle of a lake.
What is Tenochtitlan?
The Maya created an accurate calendar by carefully studying _____ and the patterns of the stars.
What is astronomy?
Civilizations changed how they lived and farmed to fit their mountain, rainforest, or island surroundings.
What is adapting to their environment?
All ancient civilizations had these authority figures who made laws and important decisions.
Who are leaders?
Instead of written letters, the Incas recorded important numbers and information using knotted colored strings called what?
What is quipu?
To grow crops on waterlogged land and lakes, the Aztecs created floating island gardens called?
What are chinampas?
The Maya writing system used picture symbols called _____ to record their history.
What are glyphs?
Floating garden plots used by Aztec farmers to grow food on marshy water.
What are chinampas?
Ancient societies developed these to communicate, write down history, and record data.
To grow crops on steep mountain slopes, the Incas carved flat, step-like fields called terraces into the land.
What are terraces?
The powerful ruler who governed the Aztec empire and controlled many cities held this title.
What is an emperor?
Maya farmers cleared dense rainforest vegetation for crops using this method of clearing and burning trees.
What is slash-and-burn farming?
Step-like fields cut into steep mountain slopes by Inca farmers to hold soil in place.
What are terraces?
Ancient civilizations held these large community gatherings and celebrations to bring people together.
What are festivals?
The supreme ruler of the Inca empire held this special title.
Who is the Sapa Inca?
The Aztecs recorded historical events and kept records in special picture books called what?
What are Codices?
True or False: The Maya civilization did not have a writing system to record information
True or False: People in ancient civilizations had only one single type of job for everyone.
What is false?
Wide pathways constructed by the Incas across mountains to link distant cities together.
What are roads?
The Incas built thousands of miles of _________ across steep mountains to connect their huge empire and make travel easier
What are roads?
Ancient Aztec cities like Tenochtitlan served as busy centers for trade and this aspect of community life.
What is culture?
This major ancient Maya city was a famous center of trade and culture.
What is Tikal?
Maya farmers cut down vegetation and set fire to the brush to clear fields for growing crops.
What is slash-and-burn farming?
Busy ancient cities like Tikal and Tenochtitlan were major centers for these two key activities.
What are culture and trade?