Vocab 5

Tenochtitlan

The capital city of the Aztec Empire, known for its complex system of canals and chinampas.

Chinampas

Artificial islands created from mud and plant material, used for agriculture in lake regions, notably by the Aztecs.

Flowery Death

A term referring to the honorable death in battle, viewed as a noble end for warriors in Aztec culture.

Split inheritance

A practice among the Incas whereby new rulers inherited political power but not the wealth, which remained with the deceased ruler's kin.

Inca socialism

An economic system where the state controlled resources for communal benefit and distribution among the population.

Mita

A labor tribute system in the Inca Empire that required communities to provide labor to the state.

Quipu

A system of knotted strings used by the Incas for record-keeping and communication.

Mississippian

A term referring to the mound-building Native American cultures that flourished in the southeastern United States.

Anasazi

An ancient Native American culture located in the Southwestern United States, known for its cliff dwellings and pottery.

Stateless societies

Social groups without centralized political authority, often organized around kinship and informal leadership.

Mali

A prominent empire in West Africa that flourished from the 13th to 16th centuries, known for its wealth in gold.

Mansa Musa

The most famous ruler of the Mali Empire, known for his pilgrimage to Mecca and lavish wealth.

Songhay

A powerful empire that succeeded Mali in West Africa, noted for its trade and prosperous cities like Gao and Timbuktu.

Griots

West African oral historians and storytellers who preserve history, culture, and traditions through storytelling.

Ibn Batuta

A Moroccan traveler and scholar known for his extensive travels throughout the Islamic world and beyond in the 14th century.

Timbuktu

A historic city in Mali, renowned as a center of trade, culture, and Islamic scholarship.

Great Zimbabwe

A medieval city in southeastern Africa known for its impressive stone ruins and as a center of trade.

Zanj

A historical term used to describe the East African coast and its inhabitants, particularly in relation to the slave trade.

Benin

A powerful kingdom located in what is now Nigeria, recognized for its artistic contributions and trade networks.