Central America/The Mayas
Who were some of the first people to build cities in Central America?
The Olmec Empire
Why did the Aztecs build their city on an island in the middle of a lake?
it was easy to defend and provided them with water for farming. This city, called Tenochtitlán, became the center of their powerful empire.
What is a conquistador?
Conquistadors were Spanish explorers and soldiers who claimed land for Spain.
What is slash-and-burn agriculture?
a way of clearing land for farming by cutting down trees and burning them. This method helps prepare the soil for planting crops,
What was an achievement of the Aztecs?
The Aztecs built the Temple Mayor, a large structure in the center of Tenochtitlán, which was used for religious ceremonies and symbolized their power and culture.
Why did many Native people die when people from Spain arrived?
Many Native people died because they were exposed to new diseases like smallpox and measles, which they had no immunity to. These diseases spread quickly and caused widespread death.
What did the Mayans use hieroglyphics for?
The Mayans used hieroglyphics as a writing system made up of symbols and pictures. They used it to record history, keep track of important events, and write stories.
What were classes of the Aztec society?
Nobles and commoners
What was the Columbian Exchange?
The Columbian Exchange was the sharing of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas and Europe after Christopher Columbus's voyages. It changed diets and farming around the world but also led to the deaths of many Native people due to disease.
What math achievement was first discovered by the Mayans?
The Mayans were the first to understand and use the number zero (0). This was an important discovery that helped them create their calendar and develop their advanced math system.
What type of religion did the Aztec practice and what did they do?
Polytheism, worship of many gods. They made sacrifices to try and please them.
What was the Mexican Cession?
The Mexican Cession happened after the Mexican-American War, when Mexico gave some of its land to the United States. This land included present-day California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
What did all the Mayan pyramids have at the top of them?
The tops of Mayan pyramids had a temple, where priests performed religious ceremonies and made offerings to their gods.
The kings of Aztec cities were called the Triple Alliance. What did the Triple Alliance do?
The Triple Alliance was a group of three city-states that worked together to support and protect each other’s cities. This made the Aztec Empire strong and helped them expand their territory.
What was important about the Panama Canal? And why did it get built?
The Panama Canal was important because it allowed ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans faster. This made trade and travel much easier and faster for the whole world. The United States agreed to help Panama gain independence from Spain in exchange for control of the Panama Canal.