Geography
Why did it take centuries before archaeologists learned about the civilizations of Mesoamerica?
Forests and trees hid the ruins of the ancient civilizations for centuries.
This civilization was the first great civilization of Mesoamerica.
Olmec
What civilizations influenced the Aztecs?
The Olmec and the Maya.
Peninsula
Where did Cupid come from?
The chubby baby with wings and a bow and arrow that we call Cupid has been associated with Valentine’s Day for centuries. However, before he was renamed Cupid, he was known to the ancient Greeks as Eros, the god of love. Eros, the son of Greek goddess Aphrodite, would use two sets of arrows—one for love and another for hate—to play with the emotions of his targets. It wasn’t until stories of his mischief were told by Romans that he adopted the childlike appearance that we recognize today.
What are two bodies of water that border Mesoamerica?
Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
Why is the Olmec culture called a "Mother Civilization"?
All the Mesoamerican civilizations that followed were influenced by the Olmec.
What was the name of the capital of the Aztec empire?
Tenochtitlan
Chinampa
What did the "sweethearts" candies start out as?
The iconic chalky heart-shaped candies that have been passed out lovingly every Valentine’s Day started out as lozenges.
What was the interior of Mesoamerica like?
Plateau and volcanoes.
Why is it surprising that the Maya were able to keep such accurate records of the length of the year and movements of the moon and the planets?
The Maya did not have telescopes, yet they were able to divide the year into 365 days based on the Earth's orbit.
Why did Moctezuma II allow Cortes into Tenochtitlan?
Moctezuma II allowed Cortes into Tenochtitlan because he thought he was Quetzacoatl.
an agreement
Alliance
This Valentine’s Day tradition started in the 19th century by Richard Cadbury.
The tradition of giving a box of choclate candy.
How are cenotes created in the Yucatan Peninsula?
Rainwater dissolves limestone, forming underground streams and caves. The roofs of these streams collapse and create sink holes, or natural wells.
What are the Olmec most famous for?
The Olmec were most famous for their giant sculptures, their development of a number system, a calendar and a form of writing.
How did the Aztecs build their empire?
The conquered neighboring city-states and formed alliances with others.
They built Tenochtitlan by creating chinampas to expand their land for people to live on.
A sacred well.
cenote
Where was the first Valentine written?
History’s first valentine was written in perhaps one of the most unromantic places conceivable: a prison. Charles, Duke of Orleans wrote the love letter to his second wife while captured at the Battle of Agincourt. As a prisoner for more than 20 years, he would never see his valentine’s reaction to the poem he penned to her in the early 15th century.
Why were there differences among the cultures in Mesoamerica?
Different cultures lived in different physical environments, and they made different choices about how to adapt to and modify their surroundings in order to meet their basic needs.
Why were cenotes important to the Maya?
There were considered sacred because the Maya relied on them as a source of water.
What became of the Aztec empire?
The Aztec empire ended when the Aztecs were conquered by the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes.
This is a form of government in which the rulers are believed to know the will of the gods.
theocracy
How did ‘X’ come to mean ‘Kiss’? (for example: xoxox)
The use of “X” came to represent Christianity, or the cross, in the Middle Ages. During the same time, the symbol was used to sign off on documents. After marking with an X, the writer would often kiss the mark as a sign of their oath. As the gesture grew among kings and commoners to certify books, letters and paperwork, these records were described as having been “sealed with a kiss.”