Indigenous Americas: Mesoamerica, Andean Civilizations, and North American Cultures

A set of Q&A flashcards covering key concepts from the Indigenous Americas notes, including migrations, major civilizations (Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Aztec, Inca), Andean centers, Southwestern and Eastern Woodlands cultures, and hallmark technologies and structures.

What is the Beringia Theory?

The idea that the first inhabitants of the Americas migrated from Asia across a land bridge (Beringia) during the last glacial maximum, roughly 15,000–20,000 years ago.

Who were Paleo-Indian societies and what characterized them?

Early mobile hunter-gatherer groups in the Americas, skilled at tracking megafauna such as mammoths and mastodons.

Which civilization is often called the 'mother culture' of Mesoamerica and what are its key traits?

The Olmec (c. 1500 BCE – 400 BCE), known for monumental stone heads, elaborate religious sites, early writing, and development of irrigation and large-scale agriculture.

What are the core features and timeframe of the Maya civilization?

Maya civilization spanned roughly 2000 BCE–1500 CE in Mesoamerica; renowned for advanced mathematics, astronomy, calendars, monumental architecture, and early writing.

What was Teotihuacan and why is it significant?

Teotihuacan (c. 100 BCE–650 CE) was a massive urban center in the Valley of Mexico, famous for the pyramids of the Sun and Moon and its extensive trading and cultural influence.

Describe the Aztec Empire (Mexica) and its capital.

Aztec Empire (c. 1345–1521 CE) built through military conquest and tributary relationships; capital city Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City) with chinampas and a complex religious system including human sacrifice.

What are the key features of the Inca Empire?

Inca Empire (c. 1400–1535 CE) was the largest in pre-Columbian America, with centralized government, vast road networks, terrace farming, quipu for records, and Cuzco as the capital; no writing system.

What is Chavín de Huantar and its significance in Andean culture?

Chavín de Huantar (c. 900 BCE–200 BCE) was a major religious/cultural center in the Peruvian highlands, known for distinctive art and early production of metallurgy and textiles.

What is Caral (Caral-Supe) known for?

Caral (c. 3000 BCE–1800 BCE) is one of the oldest urban centers in the Americas, located in coastal Peru.

What was Cahokia and why is it important?

Cahokia (c. 1050–1200 CE) was a major Mississippian city near modern St. Louis with Monk’s Mound; a trade hub and political center; maize agriculture and mound-building.

What characterizes the Indigenous cultures of the North American Southeast and East (Algonquian and Iroquoian)?

Diverse groups in coastal forest regions with mixed economies (hunting, fishing, gathering, horticulture); many Iroquoian societies were matrilineal.

What were the Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi) known for in the Southwest?

The Ancestral Puebloans built advanced irrigation systems, farmed maize, and constructed cliff dwellings and multi-story adobe structures, with Kivas as ceremonial chambers.

What is a Kiva and which culture used it?

A Kiva is an underground ceremonial chamber used by Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi) in the Southwest.

What are Mississippian mound-builders known for?

Cultures such as Adena, Hopewell, and Mississippian built earthworks for ceremonial and defensive purposes; Cahokia was a major site with large mounds and extensive trade networks.

What were the characteristics of the Eastern Woodlands economies and societies?

Algonquian and Iroquoian-speaking peoples of the eastern forests with mixed economies; many societies were matrilineal (Iroquoian examples).

Did the Inca use a writing system?

No; the Inca kept records using quipu, knotted cords for accounting and messaging.

What agricultural techniques did Andean and Southwestern civilizations master?

Andean civilizations used terrace farming and advanced irrigation; the Inca perfected terracing to farm in steep mountainous terrain.

How did climate stabilization and population growth influence Indigenous societies in the Americas?

Population growth and climate stabilization facilitated diversification and settlement across continents, leading to immense linguistic and cultural diversity and groundwork for regional societies.

Name some major Mesoamerican centers mentioned and their significance.

Tikal and Chichen Itza; important Maya centers with monumental architecture and cultural influence; Tikal is in present-day Guatemala; Chichen Itza is in Yucatán.

What is the relationship between Olmec and later Mesoamerican civilizations?

Olmec are often considered the 'mother culture' of Mesoamerica, influencing later civilizations with religious motifs, monumental architecture, and possibly early writing.

What is the significance of Monks Mound at Cahokia?

Monks Mound is a massive earthwork at Cahokia, reflecting the city’s political and ceremonial importance and its scale relative to other ancient pyramids.