Geography
Mayan civilization developed across this large region that includes present-day southern Mexico and Central America.
What is Mesoamerica
This Aztec god of the sun and war was their chief deity, and they called themselves "people of the sun."
Who is Huitzilopochtli
Both the Mayas and Aztecs developed these two types of calendars to manage time.
What are solar (365 day) and sacred (260 day) calendars
This was the title of the Aztec ruler, meaning "he who speaks."
What is tlatoani
At the bottom of both Mayan and Aztec social pyramids was this class of people.
The Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlán was built on this geographical feature.
What is an island in a lake
The Mayas believed in this many gods, making their religion polytheistic.
What is more than 160 gods
More than 1 god
The Mayas developed the most complex system of this in the ancient Americas, using picture symbols to represent sounds, words, and ideas.
What is writing (or hieroglyphics)
In Aztec society, this noble class of people served as government officials, priests, and military leaders to support the emperor.
Who are nobles (or the noble class)
Instead of using money, the Aztecs used this trading system in their markets.
what is barter (or trade)?
This type of landscape covered the southern part of the Mayan lowlands, making farming challenging.
What is thick jungle or rainforest
This Mayan ball game had religious significance and sometimes ended with human sacrifice of the losing team.
What is pok-a-tok
The Mayas were one of the few ancient civilizations to discover and use this mathematical concept in their number system.
What is zero
Unlike many other societies, the position of Aztec ruler was not hereditary. Instead, this group chose the new ruler from the emperor's family.
Who are advisers
This was the mainstay of the Aztec diet because it could be dried and stored for a long time, then ground into flour for tortillas and tamales.
What is maize (or corn)
The Aztecs created these artificial islands to expand the area of Tenochtitlán and grow crops.
What are chinampas (floating gardens)
The Mayas used this 260-day sacred calendar to determine the best days for planting, hunting, and religious ceremonies.
What is the tzolkin or sacred round
The Aztecs raised spoken language to an art form in their society, using the rich vocabulary of this language to create dramatic and flowery speeches.
What is Nahuatl
Aztec commoners could move up in social class by performing brave deeds in this activity or by studying to become priests.
what is war (or warfare/battle)
The backbone of Mayan society was this class, who grew crops, built pyramids and temples, and served as soldiers during wars.
who are peasants
Name the three main geographical regions where Mayan civilization developed, including highlands, lowlands, and this peninsula in the north.
What is the Yucatan Peninsula
The Aztecs practiced human sacrifice on this scale compared to other Mesoamerican groups, with up to several thousand victims per year in Tenochtitlán.
What is a much larger scale
The Mayas calculated their solar year as 365.2420 days, which is remarkably close to the actual length. Name one major scientific tool they built to make these observations.
What are observatories
Both Mayan and Aztec rulers were considered this, combining political and religious authority.
what are god-kings (or semi-divine rulers)
This agricultural technique used by the Mayas in densely forested lowlands involved cutting and burning plants to clear land, but it wore out the soil quickly.
What is slash and burn agriculture