Reading 116 - CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS CONQUEST

Bering Straits

A narrow passage about 80 km wide, frozen for part of the year, allowing possible land migration from Siberia to Alaska.

Plausible Migration Theories

Theories suggesting that ancient migration to the Americas occurred via the Bering land bridge or by island-hopping across the Pacific.

Olmec Civilization

Mesoamerica's first complex society known for cities, social hierarchy, and monumental architecture, existing from 1500-300 B.C.

Maya Civilization

An advanced culture in the Yucatan Peninsula, known for its population, agriculture, sophisticated writing system, and religious practices.

Aztec Empire

A powerful empire in Mesoamerica centered in Tenochtitlán, characterized by militarism and religious integration.

Inca Empire

An extensive empire in the Andes, known for its advanced administrative systems and large population of about 16 million.

Transatlantic Slave Trade

The forced migration of millions of Africans to the Americas from the early 16th to late 19th centuries.

Middle Passage

The horrific journey experienced by enslaved Africans during the transatlantic slave trade, characterized by overcrowding and high mortality.

Agricultural Innovations

Developments in farming practices, such as maize domestication and the use of chinampas and milpa systems, central to complex societies in the Americas.

Genetic Evidence for Migration to the Americas

Modern research supporting the plausibility of ancient migration patterns through genetic data.

Indigenous Terminology

Contested terms used to refer to Native peoples, including 'Native Americans' and 'First Peoples,' reflecting a lack of a universally accepted label.

Teotihuacán

A major urban center in Mesoamerica with monumental pyramids and a population of around 200,000 by 450 A.D.

Cahokia

A major North American archaeological site known for its earthen mounds and a peak population around 38,000.

Human Sacrifice in Aztec Religion

A crucial element of Aztec belief, particularly involving sacrifices to the sun god Huitzilopochtli.

European Collective Identity

A modern construct that has evolved through history, influenced by migration, myth, and integration efforts.

Maize Domestication

The process of cultivating maize from teosinte in Mexico through selective breeding, leading to its global prominence.

Environmental Influence on Civilizations

How diverse climates and terrains shaped human settlements and agricultural developments in North, Central, and South America.

Yucatan Peninsula

The region where the Maya civilization thrived, marked by advanced cultural achievements.

Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala

An indigenous nobleman whose manuscript documented Inca history and Spanish abuses, providing valuable cultural insights.

Agricultural Practices of the Incas

Included forced relocations, tribute labor from subjected peoples, and assimilation of conquered communities into the imperial structure.

Economic Motivations for Enslavement

Reasons including lack of indigenous immunity to diseases and the economic interests of African elites and European traders in the Atlantic slave trade.