Mayans
Where was the Mayan civilization located?
Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras
Where did the Mexica/Aztecs believe they come from a mythical place called?
Aztlan
Major sites for the Olmecs
San Lorenzo and La Venta
The Zapotecs were primarily located in:
The Valley of Oaxaca
What are the key features of Mayan writing?
Advanced hieroglyphics
Aztecs had floating gardens in the shallow lake beds of the Valley of Mexico used for intense agriculture called:
Chinampas
Which did the Olmec civilization produced to represent their elite rulers?
colossal stone heads
Name two important Zapotec cities
Monte Albán and Mitla
What items were traded by the Mayans?
Obsidian, cacao, and quetzal feathers
What was the main economic feature of the Aztec Empire?
The tribute system from conquered states and chinampa farming
What was the Olmecs political system?
"theocratic chiefdom"
How did the Zapotecs innovate in agriculture?
They developed irrigation system
Main innovation first attributed in this list to the Mayans in which the losing team was offered as a sacrifies for their Gods
ballgame
What were the two main gods of the Aztecs and what did they control?
Huitzilopochtli - War; Tlaloc - Rain
Religious practice of the Olmecs involving the worship of were-jaguars
"Jaguar cult"
What was the Zapotec god Co Boijn associated with?
Seeds and wind
Explain the significance of the "Concept of Zero" in Mayan culture
It allowed for advanced mathematics and precise astronomical calculations
What was the social hierarchy of the Mexica?
Pipiltin/Nobles, Macehualtin/Commoners, and Serfs
What led to the decline of the Olmecs?
Environmental shifts
The Zapotecs had an elite ruling class vs.
artisans and farmers