Maya Mysteries
This peninsula in Central America was the heart of the Maya civilization.
What is the Yucatan Peninsula?
This capital city of the Aztec Empire was built on an island in Lake Texcoco.
What is Tenochtitlán?
The Inca Empire stretched for thousands of miles along this South American mountain range.
What are the Andes Mountains?
This high-altitude "Lost City of the Inca" was built on a mountain ridge and rediscovered in 1911.
What is Machu Picchu?
This Spanish conquistador conquered the Inca Empire and captured their leader, Atahualpa.
Who is Francisco Pizarro?
The Maya developed a sophisticated writing system using these picture-symbols.
Question: What are hieroglyphs (or glyphs)?
The Aztecs expanded their farmland by building these "floating gardens" in the swampy lake beds.
What are chinampas?
Lacking a written language, the Inca used these knotted strings to record data and census information.
What is a quipu?
This civilization used "slash-and-burn" agriculture to clear dense rainforests for farming.
Who are the Maya?
All three civilizations—Maya, Aztec, and Inca—shared this religious belief in many gods.
What is polytheism?
In mathematics, the Maya were among the first to develop this concept, represented by a shell symbol.
Question: What is the concept of zero?
He was the Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that overthrew the Aztec Empire.
Who is Hernán Cortés?
This was the capital city and "holy center" of the Inca Empire.
What is Cusco?
This is the specific body of water that surrounded the Aztec capital.
What is Lake Texcoco?
This biological factor, brought by Europeans, killed more indigenous people than actual warfare.
What is disease (specifically Smallpox)?
Unlike the Aztec or Inca, the Maya were organized into these independent political units, each with its own ruler.
Question: What are city-states?
This Aztec social class was at the very top of the hierarchy, led by the Huey Tlatoani.
Who are the Nobles (or the Emperor and his family)?
To farm on steep mountain slopes, the Inca carved these flat "steps" into the hillsides.
What is terrace farming?
The Inca built over 25,000 miles of these to connect their vast empire across difficult terrain.
What are roads (The Royal Road)?
This civilization was known for its highly accurate 365-day solar calendar.
Who are the Maya?
This Maya city is famous for its massive Step Pyramid, known as El Castillo.
Question: What is Chichén Itzá?
The Aztecs believed this ritual was necessary to provide energy to the sun god and prevent the end of the world.
What is human sacrifice?
This labor tax required Inca citizens to work on government projects like roads or buildings for part of the year.
What is the mita system?
Because they lived in the mountains, the Inca relied on these animals for wool and transporting goods.
What are llamas (or alpacas)?
The Aztecs and Maya both grew this "bean" which was used as currency and to make a bitter chocolate drink.
What is Cacao?