Locations and Geography
The Maya and Aztec Civilizations were both located in this geographic region.
What is Mesoamerica?
The Aztec solved the problem of limited flat land on Lake Texcoco by building these artificial, raised garden plots.
What are chinampas (or floating gardens)?
This Spanish explorer led the expedition that resulted in the fall of the Aztec Empire.
Who is Hernán Cortés?
In the sentence "The cardinal was easy to see because of its distinct red feathers," distinct means this.
What is different in a noticeable way (or clear/easily seen)?
Combine these two sentences logically using a conjunction: "The Inca roads were steep. Relay runners moved messages quickly."
What is using the word "but"? ("...steep, but relay runners...")
Unlike the Maya and the Aztec, the Inca Empire was located on this continent along the Andes mountains.
What is South America?
The Maya relied on these natural underground freshwater sinkholes for drinking water in dry areas.
What are cenotes?
This Spanish conquistador led the invasion that brought about the fall of the Inca Empire.
Who is Francisco Pizarro?
In the Andes, the wooly coat gathered from livestock to spin warm clothes is called this.
What is fleece?
The prefix il- means "not." If handwriting cannot be read at all, it is described using this word.
What is illegible?
This capital city of the Aztec Empire was built in the middle of Lake Texcoco, where present-day Mexico City sits today.
What is Tenochtitlan?
To connect their massive mountain empire, the Inca engineered a 25,000-mile system of these, along with rope suspension bridges.
What is a road network (or highway system)?
Name two natural factors that scientists believe contributed to the early decline of classic Maya cities.
What are drought (lack of rainfall) and epidemics (disease outbreaks)?
In the sentence "The men went into the woods to hunt wild game for dinner," game refers to this.
What are wild animals hunted for food?
The prefix inter- means "between" or "together." Which word means to communicate or work with others at a market: intersect, interact, or intercede?
What is interact?
High in the Andes Mountains, this city serves as the administrative capital of the Inca Empire.
What is Cuzco?
The Maya used this agricultural technique to clear dense rainforest land for planting crops.
What is slash-and-burn farming?
The Aztec Empire expanded its territory primarily through this aggressive strategy against neighboring groups.
What is waging war (or military conquest)?
If two players get into a heated verbal argument on the basketball court, they are having a quarrel. Define quarrel.
What is an argument or disagreement?
The root word tract means to "pull" or "draw." Which word completes the sentence: "The colorful murals ________ many visitors to the temple."
What is attract?
This civilization thrived in the dense rainforest and lowlands of Mesoamerica, building major cities like Tikal and Palenque.
Who are the Maya?
The Maya used picture-symbols called glyphs to write down their history in folding books made of tree bark called this.
What are codices (singular: codex)?
Both the Aztec and Inca empires required conquered peoples to pay a goods tax known by this term.
What is a tribute system?
"The gardener waters and weeds the bed daily to nurture the young seedlings." Explain what nurture means here.
What is to care for and encourage growth?
Complete the sentence with the correct il- word: "Breaking a law set by the emperor was completely ________."
What is illegal?