Unit 7: Americas to 1500 Flashcards
Aztec Definition
a Mesoamerican civilization that existed between 1300 and 1521 CE and became one of the largest and most powerful empires in Mesoamerica
Chavín (Chavin) Definition
a culture in the Andes Mountains that existed between 900 and 200 BCE
Inca Definition
a South American civilization that existed between 1400 and 1533 CE in the fertile Valley of Cuzco
Maya Definition
an advanced Mesoamerican civilization that existed as early as 2000 BCE and peaked from 250 to 900 CE in the northwestern isthmus of Central America
Mesoamerica Definition
a historic and cultural region that extends from central Mexico into Central America
Olmec Definition
the earliest Mesoamerican civilization that existed between 1200 and 400 BCE and influenced many cultures that came after it
Zapotec Definition
an early Mesoamerican civilization that existed between 500 BCE and 900 CE in the Valley of Oaxaca
Aquifer Definition
a layer of rock that holds water underground
Climate Definition
long-term weather conditions
Geography Definition
the study of the features of the earth and the interactions of humans with the earth
Terraced Farming Definition
a method of farming that involves building flat platforms into the side of a mountain for cultivation
Topography Definition
the different features that make up the surface of the earth
Artifact Definition
a human-made object of cultural significance
Avion Definition
a birdlike object; something that flies
Basalt Definition
a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock
Cosmo-magical Definition
a belief system that incorporates mythical creatures with the study of the movements of the sun, stars, and planets
Jade Definition
a hard green stone used for ornaments or jewelry
Obsidian Definition
a dark natural glass formed by the cooling of molten lava
Chinampa Definition
a field reclaimed from shallow, freshwater lake areas using an agricultural technique
Floodplain Definition
a gentle, flat area along a waterway, frequently covered with overflow water
Naturalistic Definition
of the natural world or real life
Seismic Definition
relating to a vibration in the earth caused by earthquakes
Silt Definition
the sediment and nutrients that fertilize crops
Slash-and-burn agriculture Definition
an agricultural practice of burning and clearing land
Zoomorphic Definition
relating to a deity figure having animal-like features
City-State Definition
a political system in which the leaders of the city can make all decisions for the people within their territory and are not overruled by a larger centralized government
Dresden Codex Definition
a Mayan document from the eleventh century that describes local history and astronomy through hieroglyphs and images
Yucatán Definition
a peninsular region of southern Mexico where Mayan civilization originated
Long-distance trade Definition
the exchange of goods across extended trade networks
Step Terrace Definition
a form of agriculture popular in Mesoamerica in which steps are cut into the earth to farm in mountainous regions
Mayan Calendar Definition
the ancient Mayan calendar system that included both a 260- and 365-day year
Climate Change Definition
the slow shifts in overall temperature and weather patterns over long periods of time
Environmental Degradation Definition
the deterioration of elements of the environment, such as soil or wildlife, leading to negative consequences
Mayan Classical Period Definition
the height of Mayan civilization from 250 CE to 900 CE
Overpopulation Definition
when the population of an area becomes greater than the resources in that environment can support
Aztlan Definition
according to Aztec tradition, the original homeland of the Mexica peoples
Huitzilopochtli Definition
initially a Mexica god, who guided the Mexica in their travels toward a promised land; usually associated with war and sun
Migrants Definition
the individuals who move from their home country to another country of residence permanently or for a long period of time
Tribute Definition
a payment to a leader in the form of labor, goods, or money
Valley of Mexico Definition
an area in modern central Mexico, located around Lake Texcoco and surrounded by mountains
Aqueduct Definition
a man made system for moving water
Causeways Definition
the raised roads that allow a dry path above a body of water
Flower Wars Definition
the small, somewhat prearranged conflicts between the Aztecs and their allies, designed to show the Aztec Empire’s strength
Reclaimed Land Definition
the land that is created by filling in areas that had previously been covered with water or wetlands
Horticulturalist Definition
a person who is an expert at knowing how and why different plants and seeds grow
Irrigation Definition
a human-made system of channeling water from a natural source like a river to crops
Conquistador Definition
a Spanish soldier who came to the western hemisphere with the Spanish Empire to conquer territory and gain profit
Inca Empire Definition
a fifteenth-century civilization located in the Andes Mountains
Mit’a Definition
the mandatory public labor for able-bodied men in the Inca Empire
Mitma Definition
the Inca policy of forced resettlement of ethnic groups
Quipu Definition
an Inca accounting system using colored threads and knots
Sapa Inca Definition
the unique name given to the king of the Inca Empire
Tiwanaku Definition
a Pre-Columbian civilization in the Andes Mountains known for its megalithic structures
Chasquis Definition
the messengers of the Inca Empire
Quechua Definition
the official language used in the Inca Empire
Vertical Archipelago Definition
an agricultural and economic system used by the Inca Empire
Bureaucracy Definition
a government administration managed by departments staffed with non-elected officials
Huaca Definition
the astronomical and religious shrines in the Inca Empire
Ayllu Definition
a small community in the Inca Empire that was a common administrative unit; a family clan that also served as a government administrative unit in the Inca
Suyu Definition
the four administrative districts created by the Inca as a way to govern the vast empire
Bloodletting Definition
a practice of withdrawing blood from a person’s veins
Continuities Definition
a connection over time of similar aspects of society that stay the same
Hieroglyphs Definition
a system of writing using images to represent sounds
Tlachtli Definition
an ancient ball game played in Mesoamerica prior to European arrival
Inti Definition
an Incan sun god
Mamakuna Definition
a young woman who provided religious work and service to the Incan state
Pochteca Definition
a state-sponsored merchant who spied and traded goods for Aztec royalty
Triple Alliance Definition
a political unit that led the Aztec Empire
Yamacuna Definition
a young man who provided religious work and service to the Incan state
Ashlar Definition
a finely cut stone
Calpullis Definition
a district within an Aztec city zone
Campan Definition
a zone within an Aztec city
Copacochas Definition
a child offered for tribute and sacrifice
Dike Definition
a barrier to hold back water
Nahuatl Definition
a name for Aztec language
Viracocha Definition
a god that created the world in Incan origin story
Chicha Definition
a fermented maize beer drunk in pre-Columbian Peru
Pikillaqta Definition
an archeological site for the Wari and their capital
Pre-Columbian Definition
a time period prior to the arrival of Columbus in the Americas
Tampus Definition
a building constructed for travelers on Inca roads
Encomienda System Definition
a system in which a Spanish soldier was given the rights to the labor of a certain number of Indigenous people who lived in the area
Great Dying Definition
the period of the seventeenth century in which Indigenous populations were reduced by as much as 90 percent by Eurasian diseases
Kiowa Definition
a tribe of Indigenous Americans in the Great Plains in the modern-day United States
Seasoning Definition
a period of time in which newcomers to an unfamiliar land acclimated to the new surroundings
Smallpox Definition
a contagious virus, eradicated by 1980, that led to flu-like symptoms, a rash, and often death
Wampum Definition
beads used as currency among Indigenous peoples of the Americas
Hacienda System Definition
a Spanish colonial land-grant system in which colonists were given land, and the people on it, to make productive, often in an agricultural manner
Atahuallpa Definition
the ruler of the Inca Empire at the time of Spanish conquest
Codices Definition
traditional native books, or manuscripts, that recorded the history of and information about the Aztec Empire
Encomendero Definition
the holder, or owner, of an encomienda
Encomienda Definition
land granted by the Spanish crown; included the right to extract labor from Indigenous populations residing on the land
Francisco Pizarro Definition
a Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire
Hernán Cortés Definition
a Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire
Hispaniola Definition
an island in the West Indies
Empire Definition
a system of government where there is one authority (individual or group) who rules over a large territory
Panapa Definition
elite nobility of the Inca Empire, connected by blood to the king
Iron Age Definition
a period of history characterized by the use of iron tools
Macuahuitl Definition
a weapon used by the Aztec that resembled a paddle with several obsidian blades
New World Definition
The Americas
Smallpox Definition
a disease similar to the flu that can result in death; vaccines today prevent it from occurring
