What was the main building material used by the Maya?
stone, especially limestone
Why did the Aztecs build chinampas?
To create more farmland
Why did the Incas use runners?
To carry messages quickly
Who crowned Charlemagne emperor?
Pope Leo III
What document said the king must obey the law?
Magna Carta
What made it possible for the Olmecs and the Maya to create permanent settlements?
they developed successful farming systems
What were chinampas?
Floating gardens
What were Inca runners called?
Chasquis
Why was Charlemagne important?
United much of Europe
In feudalism, what did a lord give a vassal?
Land (a fief)
What type of writing did the Maya adapt from the Olmecs?
Hieroglyphics
Why did the Aztecs sacrifice humans and birds?
To honor Huitzilopochtli
What did the Incas build to unite their empire?
Roads and bridges
What religion did Charlemagne spread?
Christianity
What did a vassal give a lord?
Loyalty and military service
Who ruled Mayan society?
Kings and nobles
What god did the Aztecs worship with sacrifices?
Huitzilopochtli
The crops of the ayllus were divided into thirds. Who received each 1/3 of the crops?
What is common law?
Laws based on customs and court decisions
Why did towns buy royal charters?
To gain freedoms and self-government
Why was the jaguar important to the Maya?
Symbol of power and the spirit world
What was the capital city of the Aztec Empire built on a lake?
Tenochtitlan
What would a Chosen Woman most likely be doing at the age of 12?
Weaving and religious duties
What did the Magna Carta do?
Limited the king’s power
What helped medieval towns grow?
Trade and farming