Chapter 2 Flashcards
an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of government, social structure, religion, technology, and agricultural practices have been reached.
Civilization
a cultural region centered around southern Mexico in which a number of early American civilizations developed.
Mesoamerica
the belief in or worship of more than one God.
Polytheistic
a self-governing region consisting of a city and it’s surrounding territory.
City-State
closely watched the stars to keep track of yearly patterns such as seasons.
Astronomy
to keep track of the days and what you have going on at the moment.
Calendars
approximately 800 different symbols, or pictographs.
hieroglyphs
Farming where trees are cut down, burned, and then new crops are planted in rich soil in rotating fields.
Slash-and-burn
people arrived in South America around 1200 C.E.
Inca
a group of countries or region controlled by one ruler.
Empire
include a variety of geographic features.
Andes Mountains
The plateaus were important to the Inca society just as they are important today.
plateaus
to preserve a body by embalming it and wrapping it in cloth.
mummify
powerful ruler
Emperor
The only Inca
Sapa Inca
family unit, usually more than one family
allyus
carved flat land in the side of hills or mountains for planting crops
terraces
a farm that you plant one a terrace
terrace farming
a human-made channel across land that moves water from its source to where its needed for growing crops
Irrigation canal
a vehicle consisting of a chair or bed carried on two poles by people or animals
litter
a channel or canal made for moving water across land
aqueduct
a great city built on an island in the lake
Technochtitlan
the 9th and last true emperor of the ancient Aztec civilization
Montezuma II
floating garden
chinampas
homes of commoners made from logs or clay bricks
adobe
a raised roadway across a swamp or body of water
causeways
a widespread outbreak of a contagious disease
epidemic
planting one crops, harvesting it and then immediately planting another crop
multi-cropping
planting multiple types of crops together
intercropping
a fence, commonly made of wooden poles standing on end, that surrounds a settlement to protect it from attack
palisade
a wide, water-filled ditch built to surround a settlement or building to protect it from attack
moat
a high cliff often overlooking a river
bluff
usually square or rectangular built with dirt and packed hard and flat on the top
earthen mounds
a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked according to status or authority
hierarchy
an offering or payment to a leader or ruler
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