Maya, Aztec, Inca
From which earlier culture did the Mayans develop?
Olmec
Who conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521?
Hernán Cortés.
What two tools helped sailors know their direction and location at sea?
Compass and astrolabe.
What is the movement of plants, animals, and foods between the Old and New Worlds called?
Columbian Exchange.
What economic theory said a nation’s power depended on its wealth?
Mercantilism
What led to the decline of the Maya's
Food shortages, overpopulation, and internal conflict (civil wars)
Who conquered the Incan Empire?
Francisco Pizarro.
What ship was designed to sail against the wind and travel long distances?
Lanteen Sail
Name two crops that came from the Americas to Europe, Asia, or Africa.
Corn and potatoes (others: tomatoes, tobacco, cacao).
Any 2 will do.
What were the 3 motives behind European exploration?
God-the desire to spread Christianity
Gold-the desire to trade (money)
Glory-The desire to find new land (power)
Why did neighboring peoples form alliances with Hernán Cortés against the Aztecs?
They resented Aztec tribute and human sacrifice.
How did the Aztec tribute system both strengthen and weaken the empire?
Tribute provided food and wealth, but heavy demands caused conquered peoples to resent Aztec rule.
Compare how the Maya and Aztecs used writing with the Incan method of record keeping.
Maya and Aztecs used hieroglyphics; Inca used quipu (knotted strings).
Name two foods or animals brought to the Americas from Europe, Africa, or Asia.
Horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, bananas, yams, wheat.
Any 2 will do.
How did an agricultural surplus help the Olmec civilization grow?
It provided extra food that supported larger settlements and allowed some people to become specialized workers.
How did disease contribute to the fall of both the Aztec and Incan Empires?
Smallpox killed large portions of their populations, weakening them against Spanish conquest.
Explain two reasons why the Spanish were able to defeat the Aztec Empire despite being outnumbered.
Steel weapons, horses, and guns; alliances with Aztec enemies; smallpox weakened the population.
What Civilization practiced terrace farming?
Inca's
Why were corn and potatoes especially important for people around the world?
They were cheap, nutritious, and boosted population growth.
What were two reasons Europeans believed Africans were better suited for plantation labor than Native Americans?
Immunity to disease, farming experience, unfamiliar with land, skin color made escape difficult.
How could drought and warfare work together to weaken Maya city-states?
Drought reduced food supplies, while warfare disrupted farming and trade, making it harder for rulers to support their people.
How did the geography of the Andes influence Inca farming methods?
The steep mountainous land led the Inca to use terraces to make farming easier.
If the Ottoman Empire had not taken Constantinople in 1453, how might European exploration have been different?
Europeans may have kept using land routes to Asia instead of searching for sea routes, delaying overseas exploration.
Evaluate how the Columbian Exchange both benefited and harmed societies around the world.
Benefits—new crops improved diets & populations grew. Harms—diseases devastated Native Americans.
How did the Atlantic Slave Trade impact both African societies and the Americas?
Africa—families torn apart, increased warfare, population loss. Americas—labor for plantations, economic growth, foundation of slavery.