HSIE MESOAMERICA GLOSSARY

Question 1

Mesoamerica (2)

A region where N____ and S____ America meets,

and now includes modern day countries such as Guatemala and M______.

Answer 1

Mesoamerica

A region where North and South America meets, and now includes modern day countries such as Guatemala and Mexico.

Question 2

Tenochtitlan (2)

The capital city of the A____ empire,

built in the centre of Lake T_______.

Answer 2

Tenochtitlan

The capital city of the Aztec empire, built in the centre of Lake Texcoco.

Question 3

Texcoco (4)

Lake T______ was a natural lake

within the Valley of M______.

The Aztecs built the city of T__________

in the centre of the lake.

Answer 3

Texcoco

Lake Texcoco was a natural lake within the Valley of Mexico. The Aztecs built the city of Tenochtitlan in the centre of the lake.

Question 4

Aqueduct (4)

An aqueduct is a w____ supply system

constructed to t_______ water.

The city of T__________ needed an aqueduct to supply f____ water

as it was surrounded by a s___ lake.

Answer 4

Aqueduct

An aqueduct is a water supply system constructed to transport water. The city of Tenochtitlan needed an aqueduct to supply fresh water as it was surrounded by a salty lake.

Question 5

Causeway (1)

A road built across a broad body of w____ or w_____.

Answer 5

Causeway

A road built across a broad body of water or wetland.

Question 6

Chinampa (1)

A small floating piece of f_____ land used for a________.

Answer 6

Chinampa

A small floating piece of fertile land used for agriculture.

Question 7

Maize (2)

Corn that is grown typically in

C_____ and s____ A______.

Answer 7

Maize

Corn that is grown typically in central and south America.

Question 8

Calpulli (3)

Meaning ‘large h____’;

a p_______ unit

of several interrelated f_____ groups.

Answer 8

Calpulli

Meaning ‘large house’; a political unit of several interrelated family groups.

Question 9

Codex

In the Aztec c______, the name given to a document written by the A_____, which uses mainly pictures to tell a s____.

Answer 9

Codex

In the Aztec context, the name given to a document written by the Aztecs, which uses mainly pictures to tell a story.

Question 10

Glyph (3)

A s______

or i_____

used to represent w_____.

Answer 10

Glyph

A symbol or image used to represent words.

Question 11

Sacrifice (5)

An act of ritually k______

an animal or p______

or surrendering a possession as an offering to a deity (a g__).

The Aztecs sacrificed tens of t_______ of people each year to appease their many g___.

Answer 11

Sacrifice

An act of ritually killing an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to a deity (a god). The Aztecs sacrificed tens of thousands of people each year to appease their many gods.

Question 12

Patron god

A god that is a guardian or p_______ of something in particular; for example, Chicomexochtli was the p____ god of a____.

Answer 12

Patron god

A god that is a guardian or protector of something in particular; for example, Chicomexochtli was the patron god of artists.

Question 13

Huitzilopochtli

The p______ Aztec god, he was the god of the s___ and w___. He was also the patron god of T_________.

Answer 13

Huitzilopochtli

The primary Aztec god, he was the god of the sun and war. He was also the patron god of Tenochtitlan.

Question 14

Mexica

Name for the people who lived in the Valley of M_____. This is how the A_____ referred to themselves.

Answer 14

Mexica

Name for the people who lived in the Valley of Mexico. This is how the Aztecs referred to themselves.

Question 15

Nahuatl (2)

The l_______ spoken by the Aztecs.

It is still spoken by some people in c_____ M______ today.

Pronounced ‘now-wat’.

Answer 15

Nahuatl

The language spoken by the Aztecs. It is still spoken by some people in central Mexico today.

Pronounced ‘now-wat’.

Question 16

Mosaic (3)

The art of d________ something

with small pieces of c______ material,

such as s____, g____, ceramic tiles or shells.

Answer 16

Mosaic

The art of decorating something with small pieces of coloured material, such as stones, glass, ceramic tiles or shells.

Question 17

Tribute (2)

Payment, such as g____ or s______,

made by one nation to ensure p_______ by another.

Answer 17

Tribute

Payment, such as goods or services, made by one nation to ensure protection by another.

Question 18

Obsidian (3)

A glassy black r___ formed by rapidly cooling l___.

It had multiple uses in M_________ societies

e.g. w______; t____; artwork.

Answer 18

Obsidian

A glassy black rock formed by rapidly cooling lava. It had multiple uses in Mesoamerican societies e.g. weapons; tools; artwork.

Question 19

Conquistador (4)

Conquistadors is a term used to refer to the soldiers and e_______

of the P_______ and S_____ Empires.

They colonised many areas of the world, particularly in the America,

in the __th - __th centuries.

Answer 19

Conquistador

Conquistadors is a term used to refer to the soldiers and explorers of the Portuguese and Spanish Empires. They colonised many areas of the world, particularly in the America, 15th - 17th centuries.

Question 20

Cortes (3)

Hernan C____

– Spanish c________

who led the e_______ that caused the fall of the A____ empire.

Answer 20

Cortes

Hernan Cortes – Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec empire.

Question 21

Montezuma (2)

Aztec emperor who reigned

during the S______ conquest of T________.

Answer 21

Montezuma

Aztec emperor who reigned during the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan.

Question 22

Smallpox

A h_____ contagious disease;

this d_____ was deadly in the first contact with E_______

to those who were not immune to it right across the A______.

Answer 22

Smallpox

A highly contagious disease; this disease was deadly in the first contact with Europeans to those who were not immune to it right across the Americas.

Question 23

Colonisation (4)

When a d_______ country

takes over another and

establishes c______

over the i_______ population.

Answer 23

Colonisation

When a dominant country takes over another and establishes control over the indigenous population.

Question 24

Encomienda system (4)

A system of land and l_____

distribution developed by the S______

where Indigenous A________

worked for soldiers who would provide them ‘p_______’.

Answer 24

Encomienda system

A system of land and labour distribution developed by the Spanish where Indigenous Americans worked for soldiers who would provide them ‘protection’.