Chapter 1: Early History of the Americas

Social Studies

maize

corn

Palenque

Maya city in which the king Pacal had a temple built to record his achievements

observatories

buildings from which people could study the sky

Tenochtitlan

island city and capital of the Aztec Empire

causeways

Raised roads across water or wet ground

conquistadors

Spanish conquerors

Cuzco

The capital city of the Inca Empire, located in present-day Peru

Quechua

the official language of the Incas

masonry

stonework