The Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Flashcards about the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations based on lecture notes.

Corn

According to the Popol Vuh, the Maya believed that they were created from this material.

Maya Calendar

A dual system and hundreds of hieroglyphics were used to track time.

Tracking time

Like the Olmec, the Maya were outstanding at this.

Temples

The Maya built these to worship gods, study the stars and keep track of time.

Astronomers and priests

In Maya culture, these two professional roles were highly respected.

Pitz

Name of the Maya ball game recorded in the Popol Vuh.

Losing teams

These were sacrificed to the gods when states played pitz instead of warfare.

Chichen Itza and Tikal

Two of the most famous Maya cities.

The ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks

The Maya shared political similarities to these two ancient civilizations

Gods

Like the Egyptians, the kings of the Maya city-states were believed to be descendants of these.

Jade, obsidian, salt, pottery, and cloth

Valuable trade items within the Maya civilization.

900 CE

Around this time, the Mayan empire declined.

Drought, deforestation, civil war, or disease

Some historians believe that these issues led to deurbanization of the Maya empire.

The Toltec

Some historians believe the northern Maya integrated with this Mesoamerican group.

The Toltec

The predecessors of the Aztecs.

The early 14th century

The Aztecs dominated central Mexico beginning in this century.

Tenochtitlan

The Aztec capital, located on Lake Texcoco.

Agriculture

Besides calendars, writing and construction, this was the Aztec's greatest strength.

Canals and aqueducts

These were used to irrigate the outlying crops.

Chinampas

These were invented to sustain agriculture on top of the lake.

Tributes

Taxes demanded by the Aztecs including humans for sacrifices.

Constant demand for tributes and human sacrifices

A reason for the Aztec downfall was the antagonistic feelings forming in cities as a result of this.

The Peruvian highlands

The Incas emanated from this area.

Divine

Like the Maya, the Inca leader was believed to be this.

The sun

The Inca thought that their leader was the son of this.

Cusco

Bureaucracy was based in this Inca capital.

Sophisticated road system

The Incas were able to connect with their empire via this.

Pre-Columbian empires in the Americas

The Inca Empire became the largest and richest of these.

Quipu

Records of the Inca census were kept via this system.

Mortar

The walls designed by Incan engineers did not need this to be held together.

Pre-Columbian empire

The Inca Empire was the last of this type in the Andes Mountain region.

Pre-Columbian empire

The Aztec Empire was the last of this type in Mesoamerica.

European explorers

The arrival of these people in the 16th Century CE altered the local course of history forever.