Adapt and Survive
Name one way early humans who migrated to the Americas protected themselves from the cold and kept warm in new environments.
Wore animal skins/furs, built shelters (skins, huts), made fires.
List one characteristic that civilizations share.
Religion, job specialization, cities, government, language/writing, technology, social hierarchy.
Name one crop that the Taino tribe grew.
potatoes, beans, squash, corn, yuca fruit, pineapple, etc...
What is a large stepped structure used by Maya and other Mesoamerican civilizations for religious ceremonies and as community centers?
Pyramid (or stepped pyramid)
What is a glyph?
A glyph is a picture or symbol used in a writing system. The Maya and Aztec used glyphs to record words, ideas, and important events.
Explain why agriculture (growing plants and domesticating animals) helped early humans survive.
Produced steady food supply, supported larger populations, allowed settled life and job specialization.
What is a city‑state?
A city-state is a single city with its own government that controls surrounding land.
About how long ago did the earliest humans migrate to North America?
10,000-20,000 Years ago
Name one building material that the Maya used when constructing temples and city foundations.
Lime plaster (also acceptable: stone or clay used in construction)
Give one example of how technology or tools helped a civilization produce food.
Irrigation, chinampas, and simple garden tools helped a civilization become more efficient with their farming techniques.
We know the Haida people lived on islands in the Pacific Northwest and hunted elk and seal. Describe one adaptation the Haida developed because of their environment.
built boats/canoes, carved objects for trading and hunting, constructed houses suited to island life.
Explain one difference between the Aztec political system and the Maya political system.
Aztec had a unified empire under an emperor (Huey Tlatoani); Maya were organized into independent city-states ruled by noble families.
What part of "America" were the Aztec, Inca, and Maya civilizations located?
Meso-America
Describe one way architecture showed social organization in Maya or Aztec cities (give a short 1–2 sentence answer appropriate for 5th grade).
Important buildings like temples and palaces were large and in the center of the city, showing that rulers and priests had higher status than most people.
What does the Pacific Coast Migration Theory say about how humans reached the Americas?
It says humans followed the Pacific coastline, possibly using boats, from Asia down into the Americas.
Explain two ways early peoples adapted to different geographic settings.
(examples: rivers, deserts, mountains)
River settlers used irrigation/fishing; desert groups used trade and water-conserving techniques; mountain groups used terraced farming.
The Maya used intensive agriculture that hurt the environment and led to conflict. Identify one social effect this caused.
Population decline, increased violence between city-states, abandonment of cities.
What are chinampas and which civilization used them?
Chinampas are floating gardens—man-made islands for growing crops—and were used by the Aztec.
Describe two reasons why the physical construction of Maya cities may have contributed indirectly to environmental damage.
Deforestation and clearing land for building materials and fuel
Use of lime plaster and heavy construction altered the soil and local ecosystems
Give one example from the assessment that shows how people used their environment to make tools or goods for trade.
carved wood and slate the Haida sold to traders/tourists; pottery produced by the Adena; tools or boats used for fishing and travel.
Describe how environmental changes (for example, drought or deforestation) could force a civilization to change where and how it lives.
Drought and deforestation led to food shortages, disease, conflict, and abandonment (Maya).
Describe two ways a society might organize their government? (Who are the "leaders" in these societies)
Examples: farmers, artisans, rulers; governments as monarchies, city-state leaders, or empires.
What are two migration theories that are associated with the Paleo-Indian people?
Pacific Coast or Coastal Migration theory, Land-Bridge theory
Explain how construction choices (like using lime plaster) can leave traces that scientists detect today.
Materials like lime plaster change the soil and vegetation over time; scientists can spot these changes from satellite images because plants grow differently over buried ruins.
Explain how the use of Chinampas allowed for increased populations to thrive?
Chinampas and irrigation allowed larger food supplies and denser populations.