VOCAB
an excess, or an extra amount
surplus
What was the main way the Incas modified their environment to grow more food?
building terraces
What was the purpose of the Iroquois League?
to end the fighting among Iroquois groups
The Renaissance occurred as a direct result of...
trade with the Middle East
Why did the Spanish continue to explore and settle other Caribbean islands?
to bring gold, crops, and slaves to the Spanish crown
adobe
What environmental change allowed people to travel by land between Asia and North America?
falling sea levels uncovered land
How did cultural diffusion effect early North America?
What was the most important historical effect of the astrolabe?
it made possible long voyages beyond sight of land
What was Columbus's most important achievement?
he established contact between the Americas and the rest of the world
a community of people that share common customs, language, and rituals
tribe
What is an Aztec adaptation to their environment?
a system of causeways
What is an example of how early Pueblo Indians modified the environment in which they lived?
they built dams and water tanks for farming
What was a result of the Crusades?
How did Spanish and Portuguese exploration differ?
the Spanish were the first to reach an unknown continent
a navigational instrument used to determine latitude, or location north or south of Earth's equator
astrolabe
What promoted the spread of permanent settlements in the Americas?
the development of farming
How did the political systems of the Natchez and the Iroquois differ?
the Iroquois system was more democratic
they spurred a European desire for Asian goods
What was the greatest short-term effect of the Columbian Exchange on American Indians?
it sharply decreased their population
the global exchange of goods and ideas resulting from the encounter between the peoples of the Eastern and Western hemispheres
How were the Olmecs able to support a civilization and cities?
by cultivating a surplus of food that could feed its large population
How did the Hohokam and Anasazi people adapt to their physical environment?
they built networks of ditches to irrigate the desert
How were China's technologies able to change the world, despite being the most isolated civilization?
they spread through trade
What was a positive consequence of the Columbian Exchange for American Indians in what would become the United States?
American Indians learned to ride horses and used them to carry heavy loads