State Building In The Americas And Africa Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is the first large civilization in North America?
Mississippian Culture
The Mississippian Culture is known for its complex societies and mound-building practices.
What did the Mississippian culture build mounds for?
Religious and ceremonial purposes
These mounds were often referred to as ‘hiusides’.
Who was referred to as the Great Sun in Mississippian culture?
Chief / Leader
The Great Sun held significant power and authority.
Where was Cahokia located and what was its social structure?
Southern Illinois; had a class system (hierarchical)
Cahokia was one of the largest urban centers of the Mississippian culture.
What regions are associated with Chaco and Mesa Verde?
Located in what is now the Southwestern United States
These sites are known for their unique architectural styles.
What was the capital of the Aztec Empire?
Tenochtitlan (Current day Mexico City)
Tenochtitlan was a large and complex city built on an island.
What system did the Aztecs follow to maintain political dominance?
Tribute system
This system involved collecting money, land, military service, and goods.
What was the Maya civilization characterized by?
A collection of city-states destroyed by war
The Maya sought to rework tributary states as they expanded.
What belief system did the Maya have regarding human sacrifice?
The sun needed energy, so they sacrificed people
This was part of their religious practices.
What economic system did the Aztecs establish?
Commercialized economy
This included trade and tribute collection to support their empire.
Where were the Inca capitals located?
In the Andes Mountains
The Incas expanded their territory using military power.
What was the Mit’a system in the Inca state?
Required labor every year for military service
This system was a form of forced labor that helped maintain the Inca military.
What characterized the political systems in the Americas during the 13th-15th centuries?
The Americas largely showed continuity, with tribal and clan-based systems, but also more well-organized political systems.
What type of agriculture was practiced by most tribes in North America?
Most tribes practiced maize-based agriculture.
What were the Mississippian cultures known for?
The Mississippian cultures exhibited great regional variation and had defined social hierarchies.
What was the capital of the Aztec Empire?
The capital of the Aztec Empire was Tenochtitlan.
What empire thrived in the mountains of South America?
The Inca Empire developed a complex network of roads.
What was the Mit’a system in the Inca Empire?
The Mit’a was a mandatory public service system that supported the empire.
How was Africa’s political structure similar to that of the Americas?
Africa, like the Americas, was primarily tribal and clan-based.
Who was a notable leader of the Mali Empire?
Mansa Musa was a notable leader of the Mali Empire.
What significant structure did Mansa Musa build?
Mansa Musa built a library at Timbuktu.
What trade routes did merchants in the Mali Empire use?
Merchants traveled using the trans-Saharan trade routes as well as Indian Ocean maritime routes.
What are Chinampas
A technique used in Mesoamérica agriculture that are small spread of land in the middle of lakes for crops to grow
