Mesoamerican Civilizations Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards about the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Inca civilizations.

Olmecs

The earliest known Mesoamerican civilization (1500–400 BCE); ancestors of the Mayans.

Olmec Achievements

Giant carved head statues and innovations in writing, calendars, and athletics.

Mayan Location

Yucatán Peninsula; modern-day Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.

Mayan Political System

Independent city-states ruled by divine kings.

Role of Religion in Mayan Life

Influenced politics, sports, and daily life; rituals like sacrifice and ball games honored gods.

Mayan Crops

Corn, sunflower seeds, and cotton.

Mayan Farming Techniques

Terrace farming, raised fields, and irrigation.

Mayan Innovations

Writing system (glyphs), concept of zero, 365-day calendar, and advanced astronomy.

Aztec Settlement

On Lake Texcoco; prophecy of an eagle on a cactus eating a snake.

Capital of the Aztec Empire

Tenochtitlan.

Aztec Adaptation to Swampy Environment

Built chinampas—artificial floating islands for farming.

Chinampa Composition

Layers of mud and vegetation anchored with willow trees.

Crops Grown on Chinampas

Maize, squash, tomatoes, chilies, and more.

Importance of Chinampas Today

Sustainable farming method still used in Xochimilco; support high biodiversity.

Symbolism of Flowers in Aztec Culture

Life, death, the gods, art, poetry, and status.

Moctezuma’s Gardens

Huge botanical collections (Huaxtepec, Chapultepec); featured exotic plants and pools.

Spanish Conquistadors' Description of Aztec Gardens

As the most beautiful and advanced they had ever seen.

Unique Aspect of Aztec Botany

Scientific naming system based on plant traits and uses.

Major Aztec Gods

Huitzilopochtli (sun god) and Quetzalcoatl (Plumed Serpent).

Aztec View of the Afterlife

Violent deaths led to paradise; peaceful deaths led to the underworld.

Inca Location

Andes Mountains in South America (modern-day Peru).

Inca Economy

High-altitude agriculture and a cashless system with labor taxes.

Inca Crops

Potatoes, maize, squash.

Inca Farming Techniques

Terracing, irrigation, aqueducts, water storage.

Inca Recordkeeping System

Quipu — a knot-based method used instead of writing.

Inca Sun God

Inti.

Inca Belief About Their Emperor

He was partly divine.

Inca Religion

Polytheistic and animistic, with sacrifices and mummification.

Inca Infrastructure

Extensive road and bridge networks, aqueducts, and runners for communication.