Semester A Unit 7 Flashcards
- Around 500 CE, Teotihuaćan reached the height of its power and influence. The city was the center of an advanced civilization that had developed in the Valley of Mexico between 150 and 750. Briefly describe Teotihuaćan.
At its height, Teotihuaćan was one of the largest cities on earth. A structure called the Pyramid of the Sun served as a place of worship. Most people lived in apartment buildings. The city’s streets were laid out in a grid pattern. The city’s temples attracted religious pilgrims, and Teotihuaćan was also a center of manufacturing and trade
- The Toltec, who rose to power after the decline of Teotihuaćan, were a militaristic people. What does this mean?
They were a war-like people.
- Were the Toltec monotheistic or polytheistic?
Polytheistic
- What is the name of the island on which the Aztecs settled and which eventually became a great city?
Tenochtitlan
The Aztec nobility was open to _____.
The Aztec nobility was open to COMMONERS.
Commoners included _____, _____, and _____.
Commoners included FARMERS, LABORERS, and CRAFTSMEN.
Most slaves were either _____ or _____; some were paying off _____.
Most slaves were either CRIMINALS or PRISONERS OF WAR; some were paying off DEBTS.
- The Aztecs achieved a high degree of civilization
Recording the past
They recorded their past through pictures in vividly illustrated books.
- The Aztecs achieved a high degree of civilization
Time-keeping
They created accurate calendars in stone
- The Aztecs achieved a high degree of civilization
Medicine
They practiced medicine as advanced as that in Europe at the time.
- The Aztecs had a religion that matched their militaristic ways. Complete the following to describe their religion.
Priests
Made up a _____ class in Aztec society; were the best _____ group in society
Made up a POWERFUL class in Aztec society; were the best EDUCATED group in society
- The Aztecs had a religion that matched their militaristic ways. Complete the following to describe their religion.
Aztec Gods
The Great Temple was dedicated to the gods of _____ and _____; the gods preserved the order of the _____.
The Great Temple was dedicated to the gods of WAR and RAIN; the gods preserved the order of the UNIVERSE.
- The Aztecs had a religion that matched their militaristic ways. Complete the following to describe their religion.
Sacrifices
Aztec religion demanded _____ sacrifices to the gods; believed their gods survived on a diet of human _____
Aztec religion demanded HUMAN sacrifices to the gods; believed their gods survived on a diet of human BLOOD
- The Aztecs had a religion that matched their militaristic ways. Complete the following to describe their religion.
Effects
People under Aztec rule were filled with _____ and _____.
People under Aztec rule were filled with DREAD and ANGUISH.
- Briefly describe the decline and fall of the Aztec Empire.
The Aztec Empire began to decline in 1502 when a new emperor, Montezuma II, took the throne. By leading new wars of conquest and demanding more tribute, more and more people came to hate the Aztecs. The end came when Hernán Cortés arrived in 1519 with Spanish soldiers. He allied himself with peoples subject to the Aztecs. Cortés and his native allies conquered the Aztecs, and the Aztec Empire became the Spanish colony of New Spain.
- How did the religion practiced by the Aztecs contribute to their fall?
The Aztec religion, which included sacrificing people (many of which were captured
prisoners from nearby tribes), fostered dread and anguish among subjected peoples. When the Spanish arrived, people subjected to Aztec rule decided to ally themselves with the Spanish in hopes of being liberated from their Aztec rulers.
- Complete the following to describe the “what, when, where, and how” of Cuzco
What
Capital city of the Inca
- Complete the following to describe the “what, when, where, and how” of Cuzco
When
Around the year 1200
- Complete the following to describe the “what, when, where, and how” of Cuzco
Where
Mountain valley in the Andes;
modern-day Peru
- Complete the following to describe the “what, when, where, and how” of Cuzco
How
Hundreds of workers using
llamas as pack animals
- What did Pachacuti do to grow and maintain his empire?
He slaughtered conquered groups who refused to submit to Inca rule. He allowed those who submitted to continue worshipping their own gods.
- Under whose rule did the Inca Empire reach its greatest extent?
Pachacuti’s son
Complete the following to illustrate how the Inca were able to maintain a large and diverse empire.
Language
Incas made Quechua the official language
of the empire.
Complete the following to illustrate how the Inca were able to maintain a large and diverse empire.
Infrastructure
Inca rulers sponsored the building of more
than 15,000 miles of road, along with inns
and storehouses.
Complete the following to illustrate how the Inca were able to maintain a large and diverse empire.
Taxation
Each clan group owed one-third of what it
produced to the Sapa Inca, and one-third to priests.
Complete the following to illustrate how the Inca were able to maintain a large and diverse empire.
Labor
Every head of a household had to work for
the government for a certain period
each year.
Complete the following to illustrate how the Inca were able to maintain a large and diverse empire.
Communication
Trained runners called chasquis carried
messages and news.
- How was trade carried on within the Inca Empire?
through bartering (exchanging goods and services for other goods and services)
- With no written language, how did the Inca maintain the records of their empire?
They used quipus—cords with colored strings that were used to convey information.
- Complete the following to describe some of the cultural aspects of Inca society.
BUILDING
Used _____ chisels to fit _____ tightly together.
Many buildings remain.
Moving some stones required _____ of workers.
Used BRONZE chisels to fit STONES tightly together.
Many buildings remain.
Moving some stones required THOUSANDS of workers.