Kramer Pre Columbian America

What civilization did the stone heads correspond to

Olmecs

How many stone heads were built by the Olmecs?

17 stone heads

What is the earliest Mesoamerican civilization?

Olmecs

TRUE OR FALSE. The Olmecs only worshipped one god, a Jaguar-man.

False

What language did the Olmecs speak?

Mixe Zoquean

What crops did the Olmecs grow?

Maize, beans, chili peppers, squash

What goods did the olmecs trade?

Jade, serpentine, obsidian tools, ceramic pottery

What would Olmecs create out of stone to represent their beliefs?

Idols

__________ is a sacred Olmec color

Purple

What are two things the Olmecs are known for?

MASSIVE stone heads and Complex religious iconography that eventually FADED away

From what years did Olmec civilization flourish?

1500 BCE to 400 BCE

What popular cult were many Toltecs a part of?

Quetzalcoatl Cult

Toltec society was very

militaristic

Toltec economics were mainly built around

agriculture and trade

Instead of currency, Toltecs would trade lots of

textiles

What was the capital of the Toltecs?

Tula

What kind of game did the Toltecs develop?

Ball game

What civilization is associated with these achievements 1. Sophisticated Writing 2. Advanced Mathematics 3. Complex Astronomy

Mayan civilization

How did Mayan Civilization keep records?

They used hieroglyphics to record history & royal lineages

From what years did Mayan Civilization thrive?

300 BCE to 900 CE

TRUE OR FALSE. The Mayans had a concept of 0.

True

What was Mayan architecture like?

Impressive city

Capital of the Mayans

Teotihuacan

Tools, weapons, and other goods were made out of what material?

Obsidian

What is the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas?

Teotihuacan

How were the streets laid out in Teotihuacan?

Grid based

Kukulkan is the god of

sky and thunder

What are Kukulkan’s features?

Feathered, serpent looking

Huracan is the god of

wind, storm, and fire

Huracan is important to Mayan mythology because he is

one of the creators of humanity

Chaac is the god of

rain

What were chiefs of Mayan civilization called and what does it mean?

ajaw/ahau meaning lord

The two well known Religious books of Mayan culture

Popol Vuh and Books of Chilam Balam

Priests and nobles could __________ and _________

read and write

List the Mayan social structure from most to least important

Chief, priests, nobles, merchants, artisans, peasants, slaves

What occupation were the majority of peasants?

Farmers

Power in Mayan civilization was ___________ between ________

split up, city states

Mayan priests could _____________, making them powerful

contact gods

Mayan nobles are

military chiefs/enforcement officials

Merchants would trade across what areas?

Mexico/Central America

What social class would often be sacrificed in ceremonies?

Slaves

Mayans would make _____________ pottery and dyed _________

polychrome, textiles

Mayans used what two minerals to purify water?

Zeolites and quartz

How would irrigation systems & aqueducts help Mayan civilization?

transport water long distances

When did the Aztec Empire fall?

1521 CE

When did the Aztec Empire start?

1325 CE

Capital of the Aztec Empire?

Tenochtitlan

What is Tenochtitlan known as today?

Mexico City

What lake was Tenochtitlan built on?

Lake Texcoco

What is a chinampa

floating garden found in the Aztec Empire

What are some achievements of the Aztec Empire

Complex social hierarchy, tribute system and a sophisticated education system

What was often practiced in the Aztec empire?

human sacrifice

What type of religion was the Aztec empire

Polytheistic

What is the largest Pre

Columbian empire in South America

When was the reign of the Inca Empire

1438 CE

What region were the Incas located?

Andes Mountains

What modern day countries did the Inca empire span to and from

Ecuador to Chile

What would be a common way in Inca civilization to get across mountain gaps

Rope Bridges

How did the Inca Empire keep records

Quipu

What is Quipu

A knot based record

Name two achievements of The Inca Empire

Efficient centralized government and advanced stone masonry techniques

Name 4 key domesticated crops

Maize(corn), potatoes, squash, beans

What is the name of the ancient pueblo people

Anasazi

Who are mound builders

Cultures in eastern North America that built large earthen mounds for ceremonial and burial purposes

What time period did the Mound Builders thrive

1000 BCE to 1500 CE

What time period did the Anasazi people thrive

100 BCE to 1600 CE

Name three forms of currency that may have been used in Pre Columbian Society

shells, metal, cacao beans

Name three things that may have been exchanged through trade routes

goods, ideas, and cultural practices

Name three types of monumental architecture

Pyramids, temples, and palaces

What was the Aztecs writing system

Pictographs

What would ancient American civilizations use for historical and religious records?

codices

Ancient American foods that contributed to modern world cuisine

Chocolate, potatoes, corn