Inventions
How were the buildings of Machu Picchu constructed?
Precisely cut and placed stones made to withstand earthquakes.
On which continent was the Aztec Empire located?
North America
True or false: The messengers DID NOT carry quipus in case they got tangled and to ensure their messages did not get distorted.
False: The messengers probably carried quipus to ensure that their messages did not get distorted by frequent repetition.
True or False: The Triple Alliance (Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan) made up the Aztec empire.
True
What were chinampas?
Floating gardens, which made it possible to create areas of cultivation in the shallow parts of the lake.
On which continent was the Inca Empire located?
South America
The knotted cords used by the Incas to count resources and record data were called what?
How did inhabitants of the empire pay taxes?
Usually paid in cacao beans and cotton mantas (woven cloth), which the Aztecs used for money.
How did the Aztecs prevent flooding in Tenochtitlan?
They constructed and used a dike.
What two animals were/are commonly found in the mountains of the Inca Empire?
llamas and alpacas
Fill in the blank:
The Inca Empire was organized in a strict ______ starting with the emperor and reaching all the way down to individual households.
Hierarchy
What was the purpose of Aztec Sun Sacrifices?
Only a very few had to be sacrificed to keep the sun moving in the sky, but the sacrifice must never be neglected, or the human race would die from the fire caused by a motionless sun.
How did terraces help the Inca adapt to their environment?
- Allowed for multiple crops to be grown at different elevations
- Drainage system to prevent mudslides
What modern-day city is now sinking as a result of the Aztecs settling on Lake Texcoco?
Mexico City
What is the system being described?
"As soon as a man married, he became the head of a household and was obligated to perform mita work. Each person was assigned a specific job according to his skills. For example, a skilled weaver would be assigned to make cloth, and a fast runner would be assigned to be a chasqui runner. The foot soldiers in the Inca army were farmers who were serving their mita labor obligation."
The mita system
Allowed to rule themselves as they had before in exchange for military loyalty and taxes
States that were conquered by the Aztecs
How were Incan bridges constructed? How many exist today?
Grass was braided into thick cables and anchored on both sides by stone. Only one exists today.
Identify three bodies of water that were located near the Aztec Empire.
Lake Texcoco, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Ocean
Describe the origin story of the Inca people. How did they come to found their capital in the Cuzco Valley?
Guided by the Golden staff, when it impaled the soil, it meant this is where they should settle, as it meant fertile soil.
What is the story behind the Eagle with the snake and the cactus?
The ancestors, according to the Aztec story, were guided by the god Huitzilopochtli, who told them to look for an eagle perched on a cactus and to build their home there. They saw this sign on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco.