Vocabulary
Early Peoples
Anasazi & Inuit
Civilizations & Empires
The Maya, Aztec, and Inca
100

What does “migrate” mean?

To move from one place to another.

100

Why did early people migrate to the Americas?

To follow animals for food.

100

How did the Anasazi bring water to their crops?

By digging ditches from streams to their crops. 

100

What is an empire?

A large area of land and people ruled by one leader.

100

What was one achievement of the Maya?

They created a calendar and wrote with symbols.

200

What is an artifact?

An object made in the past.

200

What helped early people spread across the Americas?

Farming and hunting.

200

How did drought affect the Anasazi?

It made it hard to grow crops, leading many to leave their homes.

200

What is a civilization?

A group of people with laws, religion, and ways of learning.

200

What was one major achievement of the Inca Empire?

Building roads to connect their empire.

300

Who studies artifacts to learn about the past?

An archaeologist.

300

What happens during a drought?

There is little or no water for a long time.

300

What kind of food did the Inuit depend on most?

Animals from hunting and fishing.

300

What does it mean to have a surplus of food?

Having extra food beyond what is needed.

300

Why were roads important to the Inca Empire?

They helped move armies and send messages. They also connected people of different cultures and helped with trade.

400

What is a ceremony?

A special event or celebration.

400

What is irrigation?

A method of bringing water to crops.

400

What did the Inuit use to build homes in cold areas?

Snow and ice.

400

What did the Aztecs call the goods they made conquered people give them?

Tribute.

400

Which empire built its capital city on an island in a lake?

The Aztec Empire.

500

What does it mean to specialize in a job?

To learn one skill very well.

500

What do we use artifacts for?

To learn about how the people in the past used to live. 

500

What kind of homes did the Anasazi build?

Homes in cliffs or stone pueblos.

500

What is one way civilizations showed achievements?

By developing writing, art, or science.

500

Which empire built terraces (steps) in the mountains to grow crops?

The Inca Empire.