Early Americas, Mayan, Aztec, Olmec, and Incas

AP World Mrs. Delany

When did the Olmec civilization exist?

1400 BC to 500 BC

Where was the Olmec civilization located?

Along the Gulf coast of Mexico

What type of structures did the Olmecs build?

Ceremonial centers with pyramid-shaped temples

What significant inventions did the Olmecs create?

A calendar and a system of writing

How did the Olmecs extend their influence?

Through trade links over a large area

What was the role of priests in Olmec society?

They were honored and held a significant place in religion

When did the Maya civilization flourish?

300 to 900 AD

Where was the Maya civilization located?

In southern Mexico and throughout Central America

What was the economic basis of the Maya civilization?

Agriculture, primarily maize, beans, and squash

What role did women play in Maya agriculture?

They were responsible for turning crops into food

What did Mayan farmers pay as taxes?

Taxes were paid in the form of food to cities and temples

What was the social structure of the Maya civilization?

It featured a distinct hierarchy with ruling chiefs, nobles, and farmers

What was the significance of bloodletting in Maya religion?

It was believed to satisfy the gods

What natural feature was important to the Maya for water supply?

Cenotes, which are natural sinkholes filled with fresh water

What architectural contributions did the Maya make?

Large pyramid temples and palaces, along with elaborate paintings and carvings

What agricultural innovation did the Maya develop?

Raised fields capable of holding and draining rainwater

What advancements in learning and science did the Maya achieve?

A hieroglyphic writing system, an accurate 365-day calendar, and a number system

What factors contributed to the decline of the Maya civilization?

Warfare, overpopulation, climate damage, and lack of water access

What name did the Aztecs also go by?

The Mexicas

When did the Aztecs arrive in the Valley of Mexico?

Around 1200 A.D.

What was the Aztecs' origin before settling in the Valley of Mexico?

They were a poor, nomadic people from the harsh deserts of northern Mexico.

What did the Aztecs believe they needed to find to establish their city?

A place where an eagle perched on a cactus, holding a snake in its mouth.

What city did the Aztecs found in 1325?

Tenochtitlan

What modern city is located where Tenochtitlan once stood?

Mexico City

Which three city-states formed the Triple Alliance that became the Aztec Empire?

Mexicas, Texcoco, and Tlacopan

How large was the Aztec Empire in the 1500s?

Covered some 80,000 square miles

What was the basis of Aztec power?

Military conquest and tribute from conquered subjects.

What types of tribute did the Aztecs demand?

Gold, maize, cacao beans, cotton, and jade.

How did the Aztecs respond to local leaders who failed to pay tribute?

They invaded rebellious villages and captured or slaughtered the inhabitants.

What was the structure of Aztec society?

Emperor, Noble Class, Commoners, and Enslaved Persons.

What role did merchants play in Aztec society?

They served as spies for the emperor and gained great wealth.

What was cacao used for in Aztec culture?

It was made into a drink and considered valuable enough to be used as currency.

What engineering feat connected Tenochtitlan to the mainland?

Three raised roads built over water and marshland.

What agricultural innovation did the Aztecs use to grow food?

Chinampas, or floating gardens.

What was the Great Temple in Tenochtitlan dedicated to?

The sun god and the rain god.

How many gods did the Aztecs worship?

Nearly 1,000 gods.

What was the significance of Huitzilopochtli in Aztec religion?

He was the sun god who needed human blood to rise each day.

What led to the increase in human sacrifices in Aztec society?

The need for a constant supply of war captives to nourish the sun god.

Who became emperor in 1502, leading to the weakening of the Aztec Empire?

Montezuma II.

What was Quetzacoatl's significance in Aztec mythology?

He was a god often pictured as a feathered serpent, believed to return as a white-skinned man.

What misconception did the Aztecs have about the Spanish conquistador Cortés?

They thought he was Quetzacoatl returning to them.

Where did the Inca originally live?

In the high plateau of the Andes Mountains, present-day Peru, South America.

What significant event occurred by the 1200s for the Inca?

They established their own small kingdom in the Valley of Cuzco.

Who was the Incan ruler that took the throne in 1438?

Pachacuti.

What was the extent of the Inca Empire by 1500?

The Inca ruled an empire that stretched 2,500 miles along the western coast of South America.

What was the Inca's method for gaining power?

Through a combination of conquest, diplomacy, and military force.

What was the Inca's approach to newly conquered peoples?

They tried to gain loyalty by allowing them to keep their customs and rulers in exchange for loyalty to the Incan state.

How did the Inca consolidate and maintain power?

Through a central bureaucracy, efficient economic and road systems, and a tribute system called Mita.

What was the Mita system?

A tribute system requiring all able-bodied citizens to work for the state a certain number of days each year.

What was the capital city of the Inca Empire?

Cuzco.

What notable features characterized Cuzco?

Temples, plazas, palaces, and a uniform design for government buildings.

What was the Inca road system's extent?

14,000 miles of roads and bridges facilitating movement of people, food, and troops.

What was the Inca's method of record-keeping?

Using Quipu, a set of knotted strings to record numerical data.

What was the primary god worshiped by the Incas?

The Creator God, Viracocha, followed by the sun god, Inti.

How did the Incas practice human sacrifice?

Less frequently than the Aztecs, often leaving sacrifices to freeze in the mountains for preservation.

What led to instability and disunity in the Inca Empire?

A civil war that split the empire in two, ruled by two emperors.

What impact did the arrival of Spanish conquistadors have on the Inca Empire?

They brought smallpox, which devastated indigenous populations, contributing to the empire's downfall.

What was the mortality rate of smallpox in some areas of the Inca Empire?

In some places, it killed up to 90% of the population.

What agricultural technique did the Incas use to adapt to their environment?

Terrace farming.

What was the Inca's approach to education?

They established schools to teach Incan ways and promoted a single official language, Quechua.

What was the Inca's social structure based on?

The Ayllu, an extended family group that undertook large tasks collectively.

What was the Inca's religious focus?

Worship of fewer gods than the Aztecs, emphasizing key nature spirits.

What was Machu Picchu?

An important Incan site that exemplifies their architectural and agricultural achievements.