Inca Empire
What mountain range was home to the Inca Empire
Andes Mountains
Which civilization is known as the "Mother Culture" of Mesoamerica?
Olmec
What was the primary reason the Aztecs practiced human sacrifice?
To appease the gods and maintain cosmic balance
What massive stone structures did the Olmec create?
Colossal stone heads
Which European nation conquered both the Aztecs and the Inca?
Spain
What agricultural technique did the Inca develop to farm in the mountains?
Terracing
What was the name of the Aztec capital city?
Tenochtitlán
What powerful ingredient was used in Incan sacred ceremonies?
Cacao
What is the famous Incan site that served as a religious center and elite retreat?
Machu Picchu
Who was the Spanish conquistador who led the fall of the Inca Empire?
Francisco Pizarro
What was the name of the Incan capital city?
Cusco
What civilization built step pyramids and created a written language?
Maya
The Maya believed in cyclical time—what did this mean?
The universe went through repeated creations and destructions.
The Aztecs built what type of structures to honor their gods and rulers?
Step pyramids and temples
What was one way indigenous people preserved their heritage after Spanish conquest?
Hiding important sites like Machu Picchu, blending indigenous and European architecture, continuing traditional ceremonies, etc
How did the Inca keep records without a written language?
Quipus - knot-based record-keeping system
What were the floating gardens used by the Aztecs called?
Chinampas
What famous feathered serpent god was worshiped by the Aztecs?
Quetzalcoatl
What material did the Inca use to build their earthquake-resistant buildings?
Precisely cut stone without mortar
Why did many indigenous tribes ally with the Spanish against the Aztecs?
The Aztecs had oppressed many neighboring tribes through forced tribute and human sacrifice
What was the state-run labor system used to build infrastructure?
Mit’a system
Name one major Mesoamerican civilization that thrived before the Aztecs.
Olmec, Maya, or Teotihuacan
What did the Spanish conquistadors introduce to South America that significantly changed indigenous religious practices?
Catholicism
What famous Maya artifact shows a king sitting on his throne and is made of jade?
Mayan jade carvings
What is the name of the Incan-style bridge still rebuilt each season using grass and animal hide that Ms. P shared with the class?
Q’eswachaka Bridge