West African Empires
What were the two most valuable trade goods in Ghana and Mali?
Gold & Salt
What system of writing did the Maya develop?
Hieroglyphics
What was the capital of the Aztec Empire?
Tenochtitlan
What mountain range did the Inca Empire develop in?
The Andes Mountains
Who led the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire?
Hernán Cortés
What was the name of the famous Malian king who made a pilgrimage to Mecca?
Mansa Musa
What type of farming technique did the Maya use in mountainous regions?
Terrace farming
What farming method did the Aztecs use on lakes?
Chinampas, or floating gardens
What system of record-keeping did the Incas use?
Quipu - knotted strings
What weapon did the Spanish have that the indigenous people had never seen before?
Guns and steel swords
What city became a center of learning and trade in Mali?
Timbuktu
What was the name of the ball game played by the Maya?
Pok-A-Tok
Who was the main god the Aztecs worshipped?
Huitzilopochtli, the Sun and War god
How did the Incas farm in the mountains?
Terrace farming
What disease helped the Spanish conquer the Aztec and Inca Empires?
Smallpox
What trade route connected West Africa to the Mediterranean world?
The Trans-Saharan Trade Route
How did the Maya use astronomy in their society?
To create an accurate calendar and plan religious events
What was the Aztec tribute system?
Conquered peoples had to provide food, goods, and labor to the Aztec rulers.
What was the Mit’a system?
A labor tax where people worked on government projects instead of paying money
Who was the last emperor of the Inca Empire?
Atahualpa
How did Ghana and Mali become wealthy?
By controlling and taxing trade routes
What happened to the Maya civilization?
They mysteriously declined, possibly due to drought, war, or overuse of resources.
How did the Aztec Empire fall?
Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, alliances with enemies of the Aztecs, disease, and superior weapons.
What was one reason for the fall of the Inca Empire?
The Spanish conquest by Francisco Pizarro, smallpox, or internal conflict.
How did the Spanish defeat large empires with so few men?
Weapons, alliances with enemies of the Aztecs/Incas, and disease.