1.4 Developments in the Americas Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the political, religious, and social structures of the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations based on lecture notes.

Chinampas

Floating gardens used in the Americas.

Maya City-States

A collection of approximately $40$ political units where populations ranged from $5000$ to $50,000$ people.

Maize

Corn; one of the most important Mayan gods along with sun and rain.

Mexicas

The name the Aztecs were known by.

Tenochtitlan

The capital city of the Aztecs founded in $1325$ at the site of present-day Mexico City.

Theocracy

A system of government ruled by religious leaders, as seen in the Aztec empire.

Pachacuti

The leader who in $1438$ conquered tribes near Cuzco, Peru, to begin the Incan Empire.

Mit’a system

A mandatory public service requirement for people conquered by the Inca.

Inti

The Incan sun god, considered the most important deity for the "people of the sun."

Quipu

Incan achievement consisting of knotted strings used to record numerical information.

Terraces

Used by the Inca for growing crops in mountainous terrain.

Francisco Pizarro

The leader whose troops defeated the Inca in $1532$ following an Incan civil war.

Concept of zero

A scientific and mathematical achievement of the Mayans.

Rubber

A material the Mayans created using liquid collected from rubber plants.