Unit 7: Americas to 1500

Question 1

What was the first area people are believed to have settled in Mesoamerica? How did they develop a permanent settlement?

Answer 1

The first area that humans settled in Mesoamerica was the highlands of Mexico around 7000 BC. People there were originally nomadic, migrating seasonally with the availability of food sources, and they grew local plants, such as squash and chilies, to supplement what they gathered. After the inhabitants of the region created an agrarian culture centered on the cultivation of maize (corn), however, they were able to develop permanent settlements. Villages were able to form due to their newfound ability to produce food.

Question 2

How did maize, a staple in diets throughout Mesoamerica, spread to South America?

Answer 2

Through trade

Question 3

How did the development of agriculture in the highlands of Mexico differ from the development of agriculture in the lowlands of Mesoamerica and the western coastal regions of South America?

Answer 3

In the lowlands of Mesoamerica and along the western coastal regions of South America, agriculture developed differently than in Mexico. There was an abundance of wild food to provide for the inhabitants, and they did not need to farm. Instead of agriculture leading to permanent settlements, people in these regions were able to settle in one place because their humid environment produced a diverse diet of plants and animals. Because of this, the people spent their time on other pursuits such as crafts, religion, and organizing their societies.

Question 4

How did the geography of the Pacific coastal regions contribute to their success in agriculture (which was not initially practiced because their humid environment provided a plethora of food)?

Answer 4

When agriculture developed in the Pacific coastal regions, it was very productive due to the climate and development of the societies. Coastal societies along the Andes Mountains developed fisheries, built irrigation systems, and discovered crops and livestock that were suitable for higher altitudes such as potatoes and llamas.

Question 5

For American civilizations, what did geography dictate?

Answer 5

Access to transportation, food, trade, political structure, and conquest.

Question 6

What was the area that the Olmec occupied?

Answer 6

The Olmec originated in the Veracruz region of Mexico and later spread south into Honduras.

Question 7

What area did the Olmec, originating in Veracruz, settle in c.1200 BCE, and why? How did they adapt to their environment?

Answer 7

Around 1200 BCE, the Olmec settled near the Gulf of Mexico for its fertile land and its ideal location for trade. Because of the jungles of southern Mexico and the hot, humid climate of the Gulf of Mexico, frequent flooding and a lack of sunlight complicated growing crops. To adapt to this, the Olmec used the rivers that ran throughout their Northern Territory to transform the floodplains into fields for growing crops.

Question 8

What materials did the Olmec’s environment give them access to? What did they do with these materials?

Answer 8

The Olmec’s environment gave them access to tar and salt deposits, clay (for pottery), and wood and rubber (from the jungle), which they used for trade, tools, and creating artifacts.

Question 9

What benefits did the Olmec see when they expanded south into Honduras?

Answer 9

When the Olmec spread south into Honduras, the land provided an abundance of resources. Because Honduras provided access to waterways connecting the northern and southern regions of Mesoamerica, the Olmec was ideally situated.

Question 10

What are some examples (3) of Olmec artifacts that archaeologists have found? Think about their relation to the Olmec’s environment.

Answer 10

1. Images of jaguars, rain, and sea rays are commonly portrayed in poetry and carvings
2. Jade and obsidian uncovered in Olmec territory were used to create religious artifacts, status symbols, tools, and commodities to trade with
3. The position of the sun and stars determined where to build religious temples and sculptures, such as the huge five-foot-tall sculptures of heads found in the jungle

Question 11

True or False: The Olmec civilization declined in c.400 BCE, but their nature-centered belief systems, centralized political structure, agricultural methods, and the area they cultivated remained, impacting the future Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec societies.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

What were the Olmec’s major advancements?

Answer 12

• Trade
• Organized religion
• Agricultural advancements
• Obsidian tools
• Irrigation techniques
• Concept of leaders as gods
• Use of available resources

Question 13

Which area did the Zapotec originate in? What is the environment like in that area?

Answer 13

The Zapotec originated in the Valley of Oaxaca in Mesoamerica, located in southwestern Mexico. The geography consists of mountains and valleys, with a mild climate that provides enough rain to create ideal conditions for growing many crops (fertile land).

Question 14

What was the main site of the Zapotec’s civilization and culture? Where is it located, and what was its significance?

Answer 14

The main site of the Zapotec civilization and culture was Monte Albán. It was located on top of a mountain. Monte Albán was the Zapotec center of government and religion, and it was also the site where artisans and craftsmen exchanged goods, crafts, and ideas.

Question 15

In Zapotec society, where were temples located? How was the Zapotec religion similar to the Olmec religion?

Answer 15

In Zapotec society, temples were constructed in the city center as a tribute to the gods, with particular devotion and attention to the sun god. Like the Olmec, the Zapotec religion revolved around nature.

Question 16

Is it known how the Zapotec declined? What is a possible explanation for their fall?

Answer 16

Like the Olmec, it is unknown how the Zapotec fell due to a lack of clear, much less written, records. However, because their fertile land was desirable, a decline in power may have allowed invaders to take over.

Question 17

What were some of the Zapotec’s major advancements?

Answer 17

• Expanded their influence through military conquest
• Endured due to their ability to utilize their natural resources
• Trade
• Crafts

Question 18

Where did the Chavin originate and what was the geography of the region they inhabited?

Answer 18

The Chavin originated in Peru and inhabited a region between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It was mostly desert, with little rain and water except for a few rivers, with a plain that emptied out into the Pacific. The first settlements in Peru began along these waterways. Next to this plain are the Andes Mountains.

Question 19

How did the Chavin adapt to life in the Andes mountains?

Answer 19

The Andes posed many challenges for the Chavin. They were rocky and steep, covered in snow year-round (at certain elevations), provided poor soil, and the climate was extreme. To adapt to these conditions, the Chavin created fisheries along the coast and irrigation systems stemming from the river. They grew crops and raised livestock that were well adapted to high elevations, namely potatoes and llamas.

Question 20

How did the terrain of Peru influence Chavin architecture, religion, and government?

Answer 20

The terrain of Peru greatly influenced Chavin architecture, religion, and government. Gold found in the region was a sign of status and used for trade as well as in religious art. Cities were built in U-shapes with terraced mounds built into the mountains for homes and fields. A pyramid was in the center as a temple for worship. Religion centered on the worship of nature, and depictions of jaguars caiman lizards, and exotic birds are found in their artifacts.

Question 21

What are the Nazca Lines, which were developed by the Chavin? What are their significance?

Answer 21

The Nazca Lines are a series of more than 1,000 mound drawings created by the Chavin civilization, depicting the shapes of animals, humans, and geometric patterns. While their meaning is unclear, it is speculated that they are either tributes to the gods or indicators that mark the location of resources, such as water sources.

Question 22

What were some of the Chavin’s major advancements (4)?

Answer 22

• Trade
• Gold
• Complex cities
• Irrigation

Question 23

Where did the Maya originate and what was the geography of the region they inhabited?

Answer 23

The Maya originated from an area spanning Mexico and El Salvador, encompassing a region from the lowlands of the Yucatan Peninsula to the highlands of southern Mexico and into El Salvador. The climate and geography ranged from the dry forests in the Yucatan to the hot and humid jungles in northern Guatemala to the mountains in the South.

Question 24

How did the Maya differ from the previous Olmec and Zapotec civilizations (government)?

Answer 24

Although the Maya retained some religious characteristics of the earlier Olmec and Zapotec, they did not have a similar centralized government. Their territory was expansive and geographical obstacles made forming a central seat of power challenging.

Question 25

How did the Maya’s environment influence their ability to produce and trade?

Answer 25

The diverse environments of the Maya civilization allowed for a variety of crops to be grown, goods to be crafted, and resources to be harvested. Maize, beans, and squash were staples in their diets because of these crops’ ability to grow in raised beds created out of swampy areas. Terraced hills provided additional fields for cultivating. As farming became more efficient, less people were needed to produce food, allowing them to pursue crafts, arts, and trade. Regional resources such as salt, flint, shells, honey, jade, and cotton were exchanged throughout the civilization, with cacao beans serving as a form of currency.

Question 26

How did the Mayan writing system reflect their environment?

Answer 26

The Maya created a writing system that reflected their environment, featuring the shapes of plants and animals found around them in the lexicon. Objects such as the sun and animals found in the area, including jaguars and eagles, represented power.

Question 27

True or False: The Maya used the locations of the stars, sun, and moon to create a calendar.

Answer 27

True

Question 28

How did the Maya’s environment influence their creation of the concept of zero (for mathematical and analytical purposes)?

Answer 28

The Maya developed the concept of the number zero (as an accounting figure representing the absence of an amount), which was a result of trade made possible by the variety of resources in their environment.

Question 29

True or False: The Maya religion was centered on the worship of numerous gods who were associated with different directions, colors, seasons, weather, crops, and war.

Answer 29

True

Question 30

What were some of the Maya’s major advancements?

Answer 30

• Written Language
• Calendar
• Math
• Trade

Question 31

What was the largest civilization in Mesoamerica?

Answer 31

The Aztec Empire

Question 32

Where did the Aztec originate and what area did they later expand into and occupy?

Answer 32

The Aztec originated in the Valley of Mexico, later spreading into central Mexico in an area from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Question 33

How did the Aztec have to adapt to their environment in order to build their capital Tenochtitlan?

Answer 33

Tenochtitlan was built on an island in a floodplain. To adapt, the Aztec developed an advanced system of engineering that resulted in the construction of an elaborate system of causeways, canals, and roadways, all of them leading to Tenochtitlan. The city itself was surrounded by floating gardens, called chinampas, that were created to provide food for its inhabitants.

Question 34

What was traded at the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan?

Answer 34

Tenochtitlan was the Aztec center of government, religion, and trade. Gold from South America, maize, cacao, cotton, and jade were traded here.