People
A scientist who studies human origins, societies, and cultures.
Anthropologist
The Great Temple located in the center of Tenochtitlan.
Templo Mayor
What is a "Codex"?
A Maya book made of screen-folded bark paper
What did the Maya use to make trumpets for battles and rituals?
Animal horns, shells, and bones
A type of plaster used to coat buildings and sculptures.
Stucco
A Spanish conqueror of the 16th century.
Conquistador
The city of ___________________________ was the grand capital of the Aztec Empire
Tenochtitlan
Which material was used by the Olmecs to carve giant stone heads?
Basalt
A wall built to prevent flooding; The Aztecs used this to separate fresh water from salt water in their lake.
Dike
To enter the city of Tenochtitlan from the mainland, people walked across a ______________________________.
Causeways
A Maya priest whose name means "He of the Sun."
Ah Kin
One of the largest and most important Maya city-states.
Tikal
Which farming method involves cutting down trees and burning them to clear land and fertilize the soil?
Slash-and-burn
A sharp, glass-like volcanic rock used for blades.
Obsidian
Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native--People who are ___________________________ are those who are native to a specific region, such as the Mayas in the Yucatan.
Indigenous
Who was the Aztec emperor at the time of the Spanish arrival?
Montezuma II
The Aztecs built their capital city, Tenochtitlan, in which specific location?
Lake Texcoco
What was a "cenote" to the Maya people?
A deep natural well or sinkhole used for water and sacrifice
To travel from their island city to the mainland, the Aztecs built raised roads called:
Causeways
A Spanish _____________________ arrived in Mesoamerica seeking gold, glory, and land for Spain; also known as a conqueror
Conquistador
What is the name of the Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire?
Hernando Cortes
A major Olmec religious and political center.
La Venta
The Aztecs expanded their gardening space by creating floating plots of mud and reeds called:
Chinampas
The Olmecs invented this from the cahuchu tree
rubber
The Spanish priest ___________________________ is known for both recording Maya history and burning many of their sacred books.
Diego De Landa