Cultures of the Americas Before Columbus

These flashcards cover various important cultures, events, and concepts in the Americas before and during European contact, helping students prepare for their exam on this subject.

What were two cultures that visited the Americas before Columbus besides the Vikings?

Polynesians and West Africans.

Why were the Vikings a good fit for coexistence with Native Americans?

They had advanced seafaring skills, farming knowledge, and experience in settling new land.

What evidence was found to prove the contact between Vikings and Native Americans?

Tools, iron nails, and the remains of structures.

Describe three aspects of the Aztec capital at Teotihuacán.

1) Big city with multi-room apartment complexes and a population over 100,000. 2) Large pyramids and temples. 3) Adoption of its religious ideas linked to their gods.

What was Ulama?

A ball game played in ancient Mesoamerica involving a rubber ball, where players used their hips, elbows, or knees to keep the ball in play.

Name two Aztec inventions.

Chinampas and the Aztec calendar.

Why has so little of the Maya culture survived?

Much was deliberately destroyed during the Spanish conquest, including burning books and tearing down temples.

What invention allowed the Maya to perform complex calculations?

The concept of zero.

How did crops serve the Incas in relation to ceremony and empire-building?

Crops were central to religious ceremonies and were collected as tribute to sustain the empire.

What are two inventions of the Incas?

Quipu for record-keeping and terrace farms for growing crops.

What are Nasca lines?

Large geoglyphs in southern Peru, possibly used in religious ceremonies or as an astronomical calendar.

How did the Anasazi develop powerful, permanent cities?

By using advanced farming methods and building multi-story stone and adobe dwellings.

What were two theories about the disappearance of the Anasazi?

A long drought or conflict with neighboring groups.

What are two reasons for setting a controlled forest fire?

(Specific reasons from the notes are not provided. It could be for ecosystem management or agricultural benefits.)

What is the actual name of the Iroquois Confederacy?

Haudenosaunee.

Name the Iroquois Confederacy from West to East.

Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca.

How did the Iroquois Confederacy influence the first Constitution?

It showed how separate groups could unite under one government while keeping local control.

How is Native history mostly passed down?

Through oral tradition via stories, songs, and ceremonies.

What is the difference between matrilineal and patrilineal systems?

Descent is traced through the mother in matrilineal, and through the father in patrilineal.

How did Orenda influence the Iroquois treatment of the earth and others?

It represented spiritual power and emphasized cooperation and balance in communities.

How do Iroquois ceremonies reflect the seasons?

They held rituals for planting and harvesting, marking seasonal changes.

What are False Faces?

Wooden masks used in Iroquois healing and religious ceremonies.

What are the 'Little People' believed to be?

Hairy, tiny creatures with evidence found on Flores Island, Indonesia.

What is the evidence of Giants as described in mythology?

Ancient accounts noted in articles, such as those from Ancient Origins.

Why were the Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash) grown together?

They have a symbiotic relationship; corn supports beans, beans replenish soil, and squash provides ground cover.

How were Northern and Southern Plains Indians similar?

Both relied heavily on bison for resources, facilitating movement across the plains.

What could bison hide be turned into?

Clothing, blankets, or tipis.

What is the Great Serpent Mound?

A large mound shaped like a snake, stretching over 1,300 feet, built of carefully piled earth.

What were two reasons Columbus sailed?

To find a new trade route to Asia and seek wealth from spices and gold.

What was the Spanish Encomienda system?

A labor system where Spanish settlers demanded work from Native Americans in exchange for protection and education.

What was the impact of pestilence after European contact?

Deadly diseases like smallpox devastated Native American populations due to lack of immunity.

Why was the transatlantic slave trade introduced?

To provide a labor force for European colonies after the decline in Native populations.

What was the Columbian Exchange?

The transfer of plants, animals, and diseases between the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

What is syncretism?

The blending of different religions and cultures into a new system.

How did Native American culture differ from European culture?

Native Americans lived in harmony with nature and shared resources, while Europeans emphasized land ownership for profit.

Why did Portugal claim Brazil in 1500?

It was part of land assigned by the Treaty of Tordesillas and had fertile land and resources.

How did Hernan Cortes defeat the Aztecs?

By forming alliances with enemy tribes and using superior European weapons and diseases.

How did the French build alliances with the Huron and Algonquin?

By trading European goods, especially metal tools and weapons.

What was the joint-stock company?

A group that pooled money to start a colony, sharing costs and risks while allowing for profits.

What crop saved Jamestown in 1609?

Tobacco.

What major events occurred in Jamestown in 1619?

The first African slaves were brought, and the first representative assembly was established.

Describe two key events from the Anglo-Powhatan Wars.

Opechancanough led an attack killing colonists, and retaliation involved English raids on Native villages.

What was the Mayflower Compact?

Rules for self-governance established by the settlers on the Mayflower, forming a Civil Body Politic.

How were the Dutch similar to the French?

Both traded furs with Native Americans and established small settlements focused on commerce.