The Olmec and Maya
This early Mesoamerican civilization is famous for its enormous carved stone heads.
The Olmec
This city was the capital of the Aztec Empire.
Tenochitlán
The Inca Empire developed in this mountain range in South America.
The Andes Mountains
This crop, also called corn, was an important food for the Olmec and Maya.
Maize
This civilization used knotted cords called quipus to keep records.
The Inca
This geographic region stretches from central Mexico into northern Central America.
Mesoameica
The Aztec capital was built on an island in this lake.
Lake Texcoco
This city was the capital of the Inca Empire.
Cuzco
These raised farming beds helped the Aztecs grow crops in shallow lake areas.
Chinampas
This civilization had many cities, each with its own king, rather than one ruler controlling a single united empire.
The Maya
Maya cities traded valuable goods such as jade and these beans, which were used to make a chocolate drink.
Cacao beans
These raised roads connected the Aztec island capital to the mainland.
Causeways
This system of knotted cords helped Inca officials keep records.
Quipus
Inca farmers created these step-like fields on mountainsides to grow crops on steep slopes.
Terraces
Explain one way trade helped the Olmec influence other Mesoamerican peoples.
Trade brought people into contact with Olmec goods, ideas, traditions, and achievements, helping spread Olmec influence.
Explain one way the tropical forests helped the early Maya meet their needs.
Accept one: forests provided animals for food, wood and vines for building materials, or plants and other resources.
Explain why chinampas helped support the large population of Tenochtitlán.
Chinampas increased the amount of productive farmland near the city, helping farmers supply food for its population.
Explain two ways the Inca road system helped the empire function.
Roads helped move soldiers, carry messages, transport goods and supplies, or connect distant parts of the empire.
Explain how Aztec chinampas and Inca terraces were both examples of adapting to the environment.
Both methods created useful farmland in challenging environments. Chinampas expanded farming into shallow lake areas; terraces created level fields on steep mountain slopes.
Compare Maya political organization with Inca political organization.
Maya cities had their own kings and governments. The Inca governed a large empire under a powerful central ruler.
Explain two pieces of evidence showing that the Olmec developed a complex civilization.
Accept two: large building projects, pyramids, enormous sculptures, religious and government centers, social classes, writing, calendars, or extensive trade networks. Scholars must explain how their examples show organization or specialized skills.
Explain one benefit and one challenge of building a capital city on an island in a lake.
Benefit: access to water, transportation, or natural protection. Challenge: limited land for building and farming or the need to connect the city to the mainland. Accept other accurate explanations.
Explain how roads and quipus helped Inca leaders govern a large empire.
Roads connected distant communities and allowed officials, messages, soldiers, and supplies to move. Quipus helped officials organize numerical information and records. Together, they supported communication and administration.
Compare the environments of the Maya and Inca. Explain how each civilization adapted to its environment.
Maya: tropical forests provided resources, and people cleared areas to farm. Inca: mountainous terrain limited flat farmland, so farmers built terraces and used irrigation. Require an environment-and-adaptation connection for each.
Choose two civilizations from this module. Identify one achievement from each and explain how it helped that civilization.
Answers vary. Examples: Olmec trade networks spread goods and ideas; Aztec chinampas increased farmland; Inca roads connected the empire; Inca quipus supported recordkeeping. Require two civilizations, two achievements, and an explanation of each achievement’s usefulness.