Olmecs
Historians place the Olmec civilization in this early Mesoamerican time period.
What is the Preclassic Period?
These structures were built for religious ceremonies and worship.
What are temples?
This city built on an island in Lake Texcoco was the capital of the Aztec Empire.
What is Tenochtitlan?
This South American mountain range was home to much of the Inca Empire.
What are the Andes Mountains?
This modern-day country contains the ancient city of Tikal.
What is Guatemala?
The Olmecs are often called the “mother culture” of this larger region.
What is Mesoamerica?
This ancient Maya city in modern Guatemala is known for its towering temples.
What is Tikal?
This Spanish conquistador led the expedition that conquered the Aztec Empire.
Who was Hernán Cortés?
The name of the accounting system that the Incas used to keep track of resources?
What is the QUIPU?
This animal, related to the camel, was used by the Incas for wool and carrying goods.
What is a llama?
The Olmecs likely used this sticky material from rubber trees to make balls for games.
What is rubber?
Maya kings often performed this painful ritual to honor the gods.
What is bloodletting?
The Aztecs built these floating gardens to grow crops.
What are chinampas?
This farming method allowed the Incas to grow crops on steep mountain slopes.
What are terrace farms or agricultural terraces?
This lake surrounded the island city of Tenochtitlan.
What is Lake Texcoco?
This food combination formed the basis of most Maya meals.
What are corn, beans, and squash?
This writing system used symbols and pictures.
What are glyphics?
This crop was one of the Aztecs’ most important food sources.
What is corn (maize)?
This system required citizens to provide labor for public works projects.
What is the mita system?
This system required farmers to give part of their crops or labor to rulers.
What is tribute?
This is the name given to the Olmecs by the Aztecs
What is the Rubber People?
The Maya used these plants to make clothing and fabric.
What is cotton?
This epidemic disease helped devastate the Aztec population after Spanish contact.
What is smallpox?
This Spanish conquistador captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa in 1532.
Who was Francisco Pizarro?
Olmec society likely depended on this system of exchanging goods without money.
What is trade or barter?