Maya
The Mayan pyramids were topped by ______ so that kings and priests could be closer to the gods in heaven
Temples
The two main social classes of Aztec society were
Nobles and Commoners
_____ is a symbol derived from a picture that stands for a word, idea, or sound
Hieroglyphic
A ________ is a bowl-shaped area
Basin
A _______ is a written transfer of property
Grant
______ is the civilization group that introduced the mathematical concept of zero to the Americas
Maya
Birds
In Spanish colonial society, the group in the highest position were the
Peninsulares
Fertile volcanic soils and water flowing from the mountains around it made the _________ a good place to settle
Valley of Mexico
As a result of Spanish conquest of the Americas, many American Indians ______ because they could not fight diseases from Europe
Died
The Maya developed a complex calendar system which best illustrates their knowledge of ________
Astronomy
The Aztec built _______ or artificial islands to have more land for farming
Chinampas
______ were American-born descendants of Spanish settlers
Creoles
______ is a farming method in which trees and other plants on a plot of land are cut down and burned to enrich the poor soil of the rain forest.
Slash-and-burn agriculture
An ______ was a grant from the Spanish government giving a colonist the right to demand labor or tribute from nearby American Indians
Encomienda
The Maya built ______ or buildings for observing the sun, moon, and other objects in the sky
Observatories
The Aztec engaged in human sacrifice because they believed
The chief god needed blood to be strong
A lower-ranked social group of African and European descent were called
Mulattoes
The Olmec farmers were able to support a civilization and build cities cultivating a surplus of food that could
The exchange of people, other living things, and ideas between the two hemispheres is called
Columbian Exchange
The Maya had _______ societies. The three main groups were nobles, a middle class, and commoners
Complex
The Aztec built a _______ or a wall to hold back water
Dike
A lower-ranked social group of mixed American Indian and European descent were called
Mestizos
The first Mesoamerican civilizations began once people learned how to
Farm in poor rain forest soils
The Council of the Indies in Spain ______ the colonial government to make sure it did not become too powerful
Monitored
A colorful tropical bird or _______ was traded between the Maya and merchants.
Quetzal
The Aztec built _______, which are canals of pipes that carry fresh water
Aqueducts
When Cortes and his soldiers first arrived in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec ruler named ______ welcomed them as guests at first
Moctezuma
The Olmec farmers moved their farms from time to time because the
Soil would wear out and could no longer support farming
Spanish conquistadors came to Mexico to find
Gold and riches