World History Test: Mesoamerica
What was the purpose of the Iroquois League?
- To create an alliance and the idea of a joint defense or cooperation among tribes
The Maya based their calendar on careful observations of things?
- The planets, moon and the sun
That is a Codex?
- A book with pages that can be turned and be written on bark-paper
What is the Triple Alliance?
- The Aztecs joined with two other city-states to form an alliance or team
What is Mita?
- A required labor service where tribute (tax) is paid in the form of labor or service
Why did conquered provinces resent Aztec rule?
- Montezuma demanded for more tribute (tax) and sacrifice
Who part of the noble class in Aztec society?
- Government officials, military leaders and priests
What is Tikal?
- It’s the major city of the Maya
What is the PopolVuh?
- A book containing a version of the Mayan story of creations
The Incan system of government was similar to what other system of government?
- Ancient form of socialism
How did the Inca gain or add territory to their empire?
- Military force and diplomacy
How did early North American peoples view the land?
- You could not buy or sell the land as they thought that it was sacred
In what way were the early North American peoples and the Maya similar?
- Both had an extensive or complex trade system
What was the potlatch ceremony?
- It was a way that the people of the Northwest displayed or showed off their personal wealth
What led to the decline of the Maya?
- It ended in mystery 100s of years before the Spanish came
Who was Pachacuti?
- He was a powerful Incan leader who is best known for expanding the kingdom into an empire
What is the ayllu?
- A small group or “family structure” who do work projects together
What did the Inca use quipu for?
- To keep data or records
What led to the decline of the Inca Empire?
- The two brothers who fought for the throne after their father’s death which eventually lead to a civil war which tore the empire apart
Explain the importance of human sacrifice in the Aztec culture.
- Begin with an introduction sentence
- Explain why they performed human sacrifices
Ex: Human sacrifice was a huge part of the Aztec culture. Some reasons that it was so important are…….
- Social life revolved around elaborate public religious ceremonies
- According to the Aztec belief the sun rose every day. To make sure that the sun was strong enough to rise, the Aztec believed that he needed nourishment in the form of human blood
- If the sun would not rise the world would be plunged into darkness and all would perish
Compare and contrast the three major Mesoamerican civilizations. Provide two similarities between them and two differences.
Similarities:
All 3 were polytheistic
All 3 had some form of sacrifice
All3 are Mesoamerican civilizations
All 3 value the sun god
All 3 fell due to some interaction with the Spanish
Differences:
Polytheistic:
Aztecs - had the most gods, well over 1,000
Mayan - had the 2nd greatest amount
Incans - had the fewest gods
Sacrifice
Mayas and Aztecs - performed a lot of human sacrifices
Incas - performed animal sacrifices with just a few human sacrifices
Mesoamerica civilizations
Incas – lived in the mountains of South America
Aztecs – built their civilization on a lake in southern Mexico
Mayas – lived in the jungle in Central America
Sun god –
Maya and Aztecs – sun god was their number 1 god
Incans – sun god was the number 2 god
Decline
Maya – a mystery prior to the Spanish coming
Aztecs – decline due to the coming of the Spanish
Incas – decline after civil war over the throne prior to the Spanish coming