Inca, Maya, and Aztec

Learn all about the Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs in these amazing flashcards. For 5th graders.

Mesoamerica

The region where North America and South America meet, extending from central Mexico through Central America.

When had people reached Mesoamerica?

By about 12,000 B.C.

When had people reached the southernmost point in South America?

by 8,000 B.C.

When was the Preclassic or Formative era?

2000 BC to 250 AD

When was the Classic era?

250 AD - 900 AD

When was the Postclassic era?

900 AD - 1500 AD

What did Mesoamerican people eat?

Corn, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Meat and fish were consumed, but grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables mad up the main diet of most people. Insects, tortillas

Who were Mayan rulers?

Almost always men, they were called ahaw, or mahk’ina.

How did families use Mesoamerican homes?

As workplaces, to gather, eat, and sleep.

Warfare was important to who?

Mayans and Aztecs

Aztec warriors who distinguished themselves in battle might be invited to become a ________ or an ____________.

Jaguar knight Eagle Knight

What is a codex?

A folded book read from top to bottom and left to right. Scribes created thousands of codices. These intricate books recorded everything from historical events to religious rituals and daily life.

Why did the Mesoamericans sacrifice to the gods.

They believed that these gods directly influence human lives and that the gods would look on the people favorably if they offered the gods gifts and sacrifices.

What instruments did the Mesoamericans use?

They created instruments from the natural materials available to them and used these frequently in festivals and celebrations.

What did Mesoamericans play.

A ball game. They also played a board game

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Archaeology

This is the study of human history and culture through the objects that were left behind by the people being studied. Archaeologists carefully unearth artifacts at ancient sites and use those objects, along with information about where thy were found and what they were located near, to learn about the lives of people in the past.

What was the system of roads used for?

Official government business.

What did Incan craftsmen make objects from.

Bone, stone, wood, clay, fibers, gems, and precious metals.

What about the Incas attracted the attention of the Spanish conquistadors?

The gold and silver

What did the Incan religion focus on?

Inti, the god of the sun, as well as other gods, and the Incas celebrated as many as 150 festival throughout the year.

How did the Incas record systems of numerical data?

With the Quipu.

What did the Incas domesticate?

The llama and alpaca and used the animals as beasts of burden also for their fiber and meat.

When did Hernan Cortes lead the Spanish invasion of Mesoamerica?

1519

when did Mexico become a Spanish colony?

1535

When did Spanish invaders reach Mayan areas?

1523

When did they conquer Tayasal, the last independent city-state in that region?

1697

When did Francisco Pizarro lead the Spanish invasion of the Incas?

1532

When did Incan resistance end

1572

When was Incan resistance revived?

1700s