Name that vocab term!
Social Studies Skills
The Olmec
The Maya
Characteristics of Civilization
100
Identify the vocabulary term.
The stage of human, social and cultural development and organization that is considered most developed.
What is a civilization?
100
Quickly looking over text for key words or phrases rather than reading the entire text. This strategy is used to help save time and focus your research.
What is skimming and scanning?
100
The ancient Olmec civilization is considered to be one of the earliest great civilizations in Mesoamerica, often referred to as the ____.
What is Mother Culture?
100
The Mayan civilization grew rapidly due to their agricultural methods of cutting down and burning the forest and then using the ashes as fertilizer.
This method is called what?
What is the slash-and-burn method?
100
Identify the characteristic.
A large town at the center of the civilization located near fresh water sources. Usually there is a high population and important buildings.
What is geography?
200
Identify the vocabulary term.
A shift from hunting and gathering food to farming and herding.
What is the Agricultural Revolution?
200
What do we call marking the text and making notes in the margins to help us deepen our understand the reading.
What is annotation?
200
Based on the map, why were the Olmec primarily farmers and fishermen?
What are the geographical features of rivers, lakes, and oceans?
200
Each Mayan city-state had what type of ruler?
What is a king?
200
Identify the characteristic.
Dividing society based on social and economic status with an upper class at the top and a lower class at the bottom.
What is social structure?
300
Identify the vocabulary term.
A writing system using pictures.
What are glyphs?
300
The steps include observing, questioning and inferring the source followed by thinking about the historical context, audience, purpose and point of view.
What is H.A.P.P. or source analysis steps?
300
The Olmec are well-known for their colossal heads made out of volcanic rock. These heads are believed to be depictions of who?
What are Olmec rulers or famous ballgame players?
300
The Maya worshipped the most important elements of their daily lives, who were the three most important gods?
Who are the rain god, sun god, and corn god?
300
Identify the characteristic.
Creates and keeps order in society through laws. Their responsibility is also to provide protection through the military.
What is politics?
400
Identify the vocabulary term.
An independent city which has its own government, completely separate from nearby countries.
What is a City-State?
400
These are objects that are created by humans, some examples are stone tools, pottery, weapons, and personal adornment like jewelry.
What are primary source artifacts?
400
The Olmec are responsible for the many advances, especially a ritual ballgame called _____.
What is Pok-a-Tok or Mesoamerican Ballgame?
400
To ensure that the gods would be good to the people, the Maya were required to practice what ritual?
What is human sacrifice?
400
Identify the characteristic.
The Maya and the Olmec did not have formal currency. Instead, they traded items of value such as jade, obsidian and gold.
What is economy?
500
Identify the vocabulary term.
A land that rules itself and others
What is an empire?
500
These are tools such a bold letter, highlights and headings, provided in non-fiction texts to help readers navigate information.
What are text features?
500
Olmec culture and customs shaped succeeding Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Zapotec, the Aztec, and especially the Maya. These are examples of what?
What is cultural diffusion?
500
Identify the Mayan "food of the gods"?
What is chocolate?
500
Identify the characteristic.
Examples include art, architecture, technology, music and communication. Lasting works that impact future civilizations.
What are achievements?
600
Identify the vocabulary term.
A cultural region that extends south and east from central Mexico to include parts of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua
What is Mesoamerica?
600
These are resources we use to learn about our past such as textbooks, biographies and encyclopedias.
What are secondary sources?
600
Unfortunately, we don't know what the Olmec actually called themselves, their name was given to them by material they harvested and shaped into balls for their infamous ballgame.
What are the People of Rubber?
600
The longest reigning classic period belongs to which Mesoamerican civilization?
Who is the Maya?
600
Identify the characteristic.
The Olmec and Maya were both polytheistic and worshiped many gods.
What is religion?