Exam 4 (Last)

Question 1

A term used to describe a political unit that includes an independently ruled city with its surrounding territory. Early Mesopotamia was characterized by —— political organization during Sumerian period.

Answer 1

City-State

Question 2

A political entity that brings together a diverse and heterogenous group of societies. It’s created through aggressive campaigns of political expansions.

Answer 2

Empire

Answer 3

Hieroglyphics

Question 4

A standing carved stone. In the book it is used to describe monuments in Mesoamerica showing important Maya rulers, gods, or goddesses, and often Maya Glyphic writing as well.

Answer 4

Stela

Question 5

Maya —- are folding books written by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in Maya hieroglyphic script on Mesoamerican bark paper.

Answer 5

Codex (codices)

Question 6

Haab 365 days

Answer 6

Mayan Solar Calander

Question 7

Tzolk’in 260 day

Answer 7

Mayan Sacred Calander

Question 8

Records the days since creation in 3114 B.C. using 5,120-year cycle that repeats. December 21, 2012, end of one cycle.

Answer 8

Long Count Calander

Question 9

Kin - 1 day, Uinal - 20 days, tun - 360 days, Katun, - 7200 days, Baktun - 144,000 days

Answer 9

Units of Time

Question 10

Sewn to a bundle to represent a missing head and had a special motif as a royal “crown” which in later Classic period is recognized as a symbol for rulership.

Answer 10

Jade Death Mask

Question 11

The Mayans practiced —- to indicate the wearer’s rank. Two different styles of cranial deformation were prevalent in Mayan culture. Those who were destined to hold some positions of high status were given what is referred to as “oblique deformations,” which resulted in a high, pointed head shape. The Mayans used different techniques and instruments to deform children’s heads, and the most remarkable morphological alteration is seen in the flattening of the frontal bone.

Answer 11

Royal Cranial Deformation

Question 12

Vigesimal (base 20) using 3 symbols; After 19, the number symbols are in two rows – the upper row is multiples of 20 and the lower one is the one’s row.

Answer 12

Mayan Mathematics

Question 13

Ziggurat, pyramidal stepped temple tower that is an architectural and religious structure characteristic of the major cities of Mesopotamia from approximately 2200 until 500 BCE. The ziggurat was always built with a core of mud brick and an exterior covered with baked brick. It had no internal chambers.

Answer 13

Stepped Pyramids

Question 14

They have stepped sides and flatter tops than Egyptian pyramids. They were used for sacrificial rituals, sacred ceremonies, and astronomical observations. They were also dedicated to different gods and legends. They were mostly made of limestone blocks.

Answer 14

Mayan Pyramid

Question 15

These artificial garden plots are known as —-and some are still farmed to this day (Several crops a year).

Answer 15

Chinampas

Question 16

Aztecs drove into the
swampy lake bottom and
dumped earth and mud within these walls to create dry land for their structures and for plots for farming.

Answer 16

Pilings

Question 17

The ancient Maya civilization built an extensive system of canals and —- to bring water from rivers and cenotes to their cities. The Maya also used these waterways to transport goods and people. The impressive —- system of the Incan empire functioned to irrigate agricultural terraces and bring fresh drinking water into the cities. To control the flow of water to the chinampas, the Aztecs built a complex —- and irrigation system that included dams and gates to control water flow.

Answer 17

Aqueducts

Question 18

Resources and goods that flow from through the empire to its core.

Answer 18

Tribute

Question 19

An Aztec merchant class that travelled internationally and within the Aztec Empire. They served as spies and travelled as armed warriors through the lands of enemies to set up trade and exchange relationships.

Answer 19

Pochteca

Question 20

The basis of the Aztec Empire, it consisted of alliances between three city-states (Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan). Eventually the Mexica of Tenochtitlan dominated the alliance.

Answer 20

Triple Alliance

Question 21

An Aztlan group that migrated into the valley of Mexico in AD 1250. They established the city of Tenochtitlan (the eventual Aztec Empire capital) and became one of the most important groups in the Aztec Empire.

Answer 21

Mexica

Question 22

Groups that began migration into Valley of Mexico in central Mexico around AD 1200. Thought to have either spoken Nahuatl or to have adopted it upon migration.

Answer 22

Aztlan

Question 23

The majority of the empire’s able-bodied citizens sustained its economy with the —–, or service tax in the form of agricultural work or of labor in government-owned mines, and on bridges, buildings, and roads. In return, the system guaranteed that every individual even the old or disabled would receive his or her basic needs.

Answer 23

Mit’a

Question 24

This was an incredible achievement for a people who had no metal tools. They shaped these massive stones using hammerstones.

Answer 24

Royal Inka Masonry

Question 25

30,000 km of roads with two major north-south routes with many smaller east-west from the highlands to coast. included major “highways” Paved and well drained..

Answer 25

Inka Road and Bridge Systems

Question 26

A recording system used by the Inka during the period of the Inka Empire in South America. It was a complex set of twisted and knotted strings of different colors that was used to keep track of material goods, agricultural products, and taxes owed and paid. It likely also recorded stories using a logo-syllabic system.

Answer 26

Khipu

Question 27

A geographic region that covers parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras. The region is characterized by a tropical or sub-tropical climate, abundant rainfall, and diverse ecosystems. The southern lowlands are also home to many ancient and modern Maya cultures, as well as other indigenous groups.

Answer 27

Geography of Southern Lowlands of Mesoamerica

Question 28

It was unusual in that it was truly a bowl and all water drained into the center; no water flowed out of the valley. Because it was a basin, floor of the valley was swampy and consisted of 5 inter-connected shallow lakes.

Answer 28

Geography of Valley of Mexico

Question 29

One of the swampy shallow lakes in the Valley of Mexico.

Answer 29

Geography of Lake Texcoco

Question 30

A geologically young and still rising mountain system that stretches along the western coast of South America. They are discontinuous and folded ranges that form part of the Ring of Fire, a volcanic chain that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. They also descend beneath the sea and form islands in southern Chile.

Answer 30

Geography of the Andes

Question 31

Located in the Altiplano, a high basin of the Andes Mountains, and on the border between Peru and Bolivia. It is located at an elevation of about 12,500 ft. The lake is fed by rainfall and meltwater from glaciers on the sierras that abut the Altiplano.

Answer 31

Geography of Lake Titicaca

Question 32

An important center during the Late Preclassic period in the Maya lowlands of Mesoamerica. Its monumental architecture, including the El Tigre pyramid, is significantly more massive than at later sites such as Tikal.

Answer 32

el Mirador

Question 33

A Maya lowlands center in Mesoamerica that became important after AD 100. —-has abundant evidence for monumental construction (Northern Acropolis, Temple I, Great Plaza) beginning in the Late Preclassic and continuing into the Classic period, when —- became one of the most important of several competing state-like polities.

Answer 33

Tikal

Question 34

The Aztec Empire capital (now under/in Mexico City) in the Valley of Mexico. it was established in AD 1325 by the Aztlan group known as the Mexica.

Answer 34

Tenochtitlan

Question 35

The capital city of the Inka Empire in the Andean highlands of South America. The Inka considered it the center of the world. It had impressive temple, pyramid, fortress, and plaza areas and incorporated significant sacred places in the landscape.

Answer 35

Cuzco

Question 36

(Ahuitzotl) By 1502 had conquered lands as far South as Guatemala.

Answer 36

Motecuhzoma II (Montezuma)

Question 37

First ruler in Inka kings’ list. His estate included Machu Picchu.

Answer 37

Pachacuti

Question 38

Inka prince who made contact with Spanish late in AD 1532. Captured by Francisco Pizzaro and his execution led to battle between Spanish and Inka forces.

Answer 38

Atawallpa

Question 39

What were the most important crops and agricultural practices in Mesoamerica?

Answer 39

Maize, squash, beans. All domesticated during Archaic period. Private “ownership” of agricultural surpluses present after 2000 cal BC.

Question 40

What were the most important crops and agricultural practices in Classis period Maya?

Answer 40

Local households were producers of maize and Ramon nuts.

Question 41

What were the most important crops and agricultural practices in the Aztec Empire?

Answer 41

Built garden plots (chinampas)

Question 42

How do the glyphs in hieroglyphic writing systems represent language?

Answer 42

Glyphs that represent words (logographic) and sounds (phonetic) as well as dots, bars, and a shell symbol.

Question 43

How do the main population centers and other sites built by the Classic period Maya, the Aztec
and Inka compare and contrast to one another?

Answer 43

Maya - Tikal: Abundance for monumental construction, became one of most important of several competing-state like policies. Aztec - Tenochtitlan: King ruler, alliances, large markets. Inka -temples, pyramids, fortress, plaza areas, incorporated significant sacred places in landscape.

Question 44

What were the most important crops and agricultural practices in the Inka Empire?

Answer 44

Beans and potatoes

Question 45

How was intimidation and persuasion used sometimes instead of open warfare by the Aztecs
and Inka to expand and control their empires?

Answer 45

Inka- offered enticements, retention of power, and gifts to local rulers. If resistance led to battle and Inka won the enemies could choose their penalty, deportation, to capture and sacrifice.
Aztec - made subordinate cities pay tribute to empire center (nobility and rulers)

Question 46

How did they manage transportation, communication, and trade?

Answer 46

Aztec - series of markets, market economy + tribute, forms of currency (cacao beans)
Maya -Markets, with rulers collecting taxes on products.
Inka - Expanded empire to get resources, mostly self-sufficient,

Question 47

What factors were involved with the collapse of the Classic Period Maya, and the defeat of the
Aztecs and Inka?

Answer 47

Inka - Arrival of Spanish
Aztec - Arrival of Spanish
Maya - Arrival of Spanish