Theories
What was the Solutrean Hypothesis?
People came from Europe, crossing ice to America.
One defining characteristic shared by civilizations in the Western Hemisphere was _______________.
Job specialization
What does "MESO" mean? So Mesoamerica means?
middle. Middle America
The Aztecs had one ruler, the ____________, who controlled many different groups and lands.
emperor
How did the Mayan people adapt to the environment around them and build their homes?
The Mayan people made their homes of mud, stone, and thatched roofs.
What was the Coastal Migration theory?
People traveled by boat along the Pacific coast.
Customs, beliefs, values, and languages gave early culture groups their________.
identity
Mesoamerica was known for being home to the ancient civilizations like the _________ and the _________.
Aztecs and the Mayans
What was the KEY DIFFERENCE between the Maya and the Aztecs?
The Maya were separated into many small city-states, but the Aztecs were united under one powerful empire.
What type of government/leader did the Mayan people have?
Powerful kings, city-states ruled separately
What was the Bering Land Bridge Theory?
People walked from Asia to North America on a land bridge.
Early culture groups develop forms of __________ and ___________ to manage their societies.
organization, government
The Maya lived in ______ _______.
city-states.
Where did the Aztecs do their farming?
On chinampas (floating gardens)
What type of government/leader did the Aztecs have?
Emperor ruled the empire, strong military power.
How did early Americans adapt to living in different environments is the Americas?
They developed distinct ways of life based on their environment.
Native American groups __________ to their environments in different ways to __________.
adapted, survive.
The Mayan city-states had their own ______ and made their own _______.
king, rules
How did the Incan people farm on the side of a mountain?
They used terrace farming in the Andes Mountains.
What type of government/leader did the Incas have?
Sapa Inca ruled as emperor, centralized empire.
All civilizations share some common characteristics, such as:
- Organized religion
- job specialization
-social hierarchy
A political organization that is characterized by a city with a government that controls the surrounding territory is called a _______________.
city-state
The Aztecs built a large ________.
empire.
How did the Maya people farm?
They used the slash-and -burn method of farming.
The ancient civilizations were all polytheistic, what does that mean?
Polytheistic is the belief in many Gods.