Age of Exploration & Pre-Colombian Times

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What were the 3 main motivations for European exploration?

Gold, Glory, God

Who was the first to circumnavigate the globe?

Ferdinand Magellan

What did Christopher Columbus do in 1492?

Sailed west and landed in the Americas

What was the Columbian Exchange?

Transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds

What were the 3 main motivations for European exploration?

Gold, Glory, God

Who was the first to circumnavigate the globe?

Ferdinand Magellan

What did Christopher Columbus do in 1492?

Sailed west and landed in the Americas

What was the Columbian Exchange?

Transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old and New Worlds

What did Vasco da Gama accomplish?

First European to reach India by sea

What were the effects of European colonization on Native Americans?

Disease, death, loss of land, and culture

Who conquered the Aztecs?

Hernán Cortés

Who conquered the Incas?

Francisco Pizarro

What was the significance of the Atlantic Slave Trade?

Millions of Africans were forcibly transported to the Americas

Where did the Maya live?

Central America and southern Mexico

What are the Maya known for?

Advanced writing, astronomy, and calendar systems

What was the capital of the Aztec Empire?

Tenochtitlan

What were the Aztecs known for?

Military strength and human sacrifice

Where was the Inca Empire located?

Andes Mountains in South America

What were the Inca known for?

Road systems, terraces, and quipus (knotted cords for record-keeping)

What religion did these civilizations practice?

Polytheism (belief in many gods)

What was a major achievement of all three civilizations?

Advanced architecture and agricultural systems

Where did the Maya civilization thrive?

Southern Mexico and Central America

What is the Maya civilization known for?

Advanced writing system, calendar, and astronomical knowledge

What were some of the major Maya cities?

Tikal, Chichen Itza, Palenque

How did the Aztecs build their capital city, Tenochtitlan?

On an island in Lake Texcoco, using causeways and canals

What is one major cultural practice of the Aztecs?

Human sacrifice to please their gods

Where was the Inca Empire located?

Along the Andes Mountains in South America

What was the capital of the Inca Empire?

Cuzco

How did the Incas manage their mountainous terrain?

They created terraced farming and an extensive road network

What system did the Inca use for record-keeping?

Quipus – knotted cords to track information

What common feature did all three civilizations (Maya, Aztec, Inca) share?

Polytheistic religions and advanced architecture

What was the social structure like in Pre-Columbian civilizations?

Hierarchical, with kings/emperors at the top, followed by priests, warriors, and farmers

Did the Maya, Aztec, or Inca have writing systems?

Only the Maya had a fully developed writing system (hieroglyphics)