NATIVE AMERICAN CIVILIZATIONS Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is Mesoamerica?
A historical region and cultural area in the Americas, extending from central Mexico to northern Central America.
Who were the Olmec?
An ancient civilization known for their colossal head sculptures and considered the ‘mother culture’ of Mesoamerica.
What are the Maya known for?
An ancient civilization known for their city-states, glyphs, and the Popul Vuh.
What is Tikal?
One of the largest ancient Maya city-states located in present-day Guatemala.
What are glyphs?
Symbolic characters used in writing systems, notably by the Maya.
What is the Popul Vuh?
The creation myth of the Maya, detailing their gods and the origins of humanity.
What is slash and burn agriculture?
A farming method involving cutting and burning plants to create fields, also known as milpa.
Where is the Yucatan Peninsula?
A region in Mexico known for its Mayan ruins and coastal resorts.
What is Chichen-Itza?
A large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization.
What is maize?
A staple crop of the Mesoamerican civilizations, also known as corn.
Who were the Aztec?
A Mesoamerican civilization known for their powerful empire and cultural achievements.
What is Tenochtitlan?
The capital city of the Aztec Empire, located on an island in Lake Texcoco.
What is Lake Texcoco?
A lake in central Mexico where Tenochtitlan was built.
Who is Huitzilopochtli?
The Aztec god of war and the sun.
What are chinampas?
Floating gardens used by the Aztecs for agriculture.
What are pyramids in the context of Mesoamerican civilizations?
Large structures built for religious purposes, often as temples.
What was human sacrifice in Aztec culture?
A religious practice involving the offering of humans to appease the gods.
Who were the Inca?
A South American civilization known for their vast empire in the Andes Mountains.
Where are the Andes Mountains?
A major mountain range in South America, home to the Inca civilization.
What is Machu Picchu?
An ancient Inca city located in the Andes, known for its archaeological significance.
What is terrace farming?
An agricultural practice of creating flat areas on steep terrain for farming.
What are bridges in Inca engineering?
Structures built to connect different areas, often over difficult terrain.
What is Cuzco?
The historic capital of the Inca Empire.
What is quipu?
A system of knotted strings used by the Inca for record-keeping.
