Classic Civilizations in the Americas (Mesoamerica, Maya, Aztec, Inca)

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, peoples, places, gods, social structures, and innovations from Mesoamerican civilizations (Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Aztec) and the Andean Inca civilization, based on the provided notes.

Mesoamerica

Region from central Mexico to Central America where civilizations such as Olmec, Maya, and Aztec arose.

Olmec

Ancient Gulf Coast civilization (Veracruz and Tabasco) known as the 'Mother culture' of Mesoamerica; rubber people; built irrigation, calendars, writing-like glyphs, and colossal heads.

Colossal heads

Large basalt statues created by the Olmec, often weighing up to 18 tons and standing up to 14 feet tall.

Pok-ta-pok

Mesoamerican ritual ballgame, similar to basketball, where players used body parts instead of hands to move a rubber ball.

Zero

Concept of zero in arithmetic understood by early Mesoamerican societies (notably Olmec/Maya in notes).

Teotihuacan

Ancient city in the Valley of Mexico; 'place of the gods' and a major trading and urban center.

Quetzalcoatl

Feathered Serpent God; major deity of Teotihuacan and a foundational element of later Mesoamerican civilizations.

Maya

Mesoamerican civilization of city-states in the Yucatán Peninsula and surrounding regions; highly religious, artistic, and advanced in calendars and writing.

Halach Uinic

'True man'; Maya title for a ruler who expanded religious centers into city-states.

Primogeniture

System where the throne or leadership passes to the eldest son, sometimes with ritual offerings to ancestors.

Aztlan

Legendary homeland or 'land of white' of the Aztecs.

Tlatoani

Aztec supreme ruler or king; the 'speaker' or ruler of the people.

Pipiltin

Aztec nobility; elites who held power, land, and education.

Pochteca

Aztec merchants who traded widely and also served as spies for the empire.

Macehualtin

Aztec commoners; farmers, laborers, and artisans.

Mayeque

Aztec slaves; the lowest social class.

Chinampas

Floating gardens—artificial islands built for intensive agriculture on lakebeds.

Tenochtitlan

Aztec capital on Lake Texcoco; founded 1325; 'Place of Prickly Pear Cactus'.

Aztec Sun Stone

Calendar stone symbolizing the sun and the Aztec calendar system.

Huitzilopochtli

Aztec sun and war god; central to Aztec religion and ritual practice.

Tlaloc

Aztec rain god; associated with water, storms, and agriculture.

Inca

South American empire in the Andes; known for centralized government, vast roads, and monumental architecture.

Manco Capac

Semi-legendary founder of the Inca Empire; associated with founding Cuzco.

Sapa Inca

Emperor of the Inca; considered the 'son of the sun' (Inti) with centralized authority.

Inti

Inca sun god; central to Inca religion and state ideology.

Qhapaq Ñan

Great Inca road system linking the empire across diverse terrains.

Machu Picchu

Inca citadel and architectural marvel demonstrating advanced engineering and urban planning.

Terrace farming

Inca method of farming on steep mountains using stepped terraces to create flat arable land.

Chicha

Maize beer, a common Inca beverage.

Alpaca

Domestic animal used for wool and as a pack animal in the Andean highlands (Inca).

Llama

Domestic animal used for transport and wool in the Andes (Inca).

Quipu

Inca system of knotted cords used for record-keeping and accounting.

Aqueduct

Inca engineering feat used to transport water across long distances.

Chasquis

Inca relay runners (not explicitly named in notes, referenced in context of Inca infrastructure).