Mesoamerica Basics
This area includes modern-day Mexico and Central America.
What is Mesoamerica?
The Olmecs lived near this body of water.
What is the Gulf of Mexico?
The Maya lived in this region (name one place).
What is Southern Mexico, Guatemala, or Belize?
The Aztec capital city was built on this.
What is an island?
Name three things that made Mesoamerica special.
What are good soil, natural resources (jade and obsidian), and different landscapes?
This was the most important Olmec city.
What is San Lorenzo?
Name one famous Maya city.
What is Chichen Itza, Palenque, Tikal, or Copan?
These roadways connected the Aztec island to the mainland.
What are causeways?
These three civilizations lived in Mesoamerica.
What are the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs?
The Olmecs invented this sport that used hips and thighs.
What is the ball game?
This is Mayan picture writing.
What are hieroglyphs?
The Aztecs created these floating gardens to grow food.
What are chinampas?
This resource was sharp and used to make tools and weapons.
What is obsidian?
The Olmecs are called this because they started traditions other civilizations copied.
What is the "Mother Culture"?
The Maya had about this many symbols in their writing system.
What is 800?
The Aztecs made this sword with obsidian edges.
What is a macuahuitl?
This crop was so important it means "corn."
What is maize?
Name three traditions the Olmecs started that other civilizations copied.
What are using a calendar, building religious centers, and playing ball games?
The Maya studied these to create their complex calendar.
What are stars and planets?
The Aztec society had this many social classes.
What is six?