Unit 1-4 Flashcards
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Where did the first large-scale civilization in North America develop?
Mississippi River Valley.
Who was the leader in Mississippian society?
The Great Sun (chief).
What was the social structure of Mississippian culture?
- Great Sun (chief)
- Priests & nobles
- Farmers, hunters, merchants, artisans
- Enslaved people (prisoners of war)
What type of society did the mississippian culture have?
Matrilineal society (women’s family-based).
What are some possible reasons the Mississippian civilization declined?
Environmental problems
Diseases brought by Europeans
What materials did Chaco and Mesa Verde use for building?
Chaco: Stone and clay
Mesa Verde: Sandstone bricks
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A drier climate.
What type of political system did the Maya have?
City-states ruled by kings.
Why did Mayan city-states fight each other?
Tributes & sacrifices.
Who did Mayan kings claim to be descended from?
Gods.
What were key Mayan achievements?
Concept of zero
Writing system
Use of rubber
Astronomy
Very accurate calendar
What was the role of priests in the Americas?
Conduct ceremonies honoring deities like the sun, rain, and corn.
Who was sacrificed in Mayan society?
War captives.
Where did the Aztecs originate?
They were hunter-gatherers from the north.
What was the Aztec capital city?
Tenochtitlan.
What were key features of Tenochtitlan?
Built on an island
Population of 200,000
Aqueducts, pyramids, chinampas (floating gardens), irrigation ditches
What was the Aztec tribute system?
Conquered people paid tributes for protection.
How did the Aztecs maintain control?
Used provinces.
What type of government did the Aztecs have?
Theocracy (ruled by religious leaders).
What was the Aztec social hierarchy?
Emperor (Great Speaker)
Land-owning nobles
Scribes & healers
Craftspeople & traders (pochteca)
Peasants & soldiers
Slaves
What type of religion did the Aztecs follow?
Polytheistic, with human sacrifices.
What was the role of women in Aztec society?
Sacred cloth-making
Some could read/write
What led to the decline of the Aztec Empire?
Lack of agricultural advancements
Too much territory
Heavy tributes led to resentment
