1. Africa & the Americas 300 – 1492 CE
TERMS for Quiz
The Bering Strait
Mesoamerica
The Maya
Raised Fields
Social Hierarchy
Chichen Itza
The Aztec
Tenochtitlan
Floating Gardens
The Inca
The Andes Mountains
Terrace Farming
Machu Picchu
The Empires of Meso-America

2. I. Ancient Americans
Label 1.
Draw a path in color to show early man’s crossing into the Americas
People known as Native Americans originally came from Asia
Over thousands of years migrated (walked) across the Bering Strait
1st Americans settled all over North & South America, the most advanced civilizations developed along the equator (Label the Equator)

3. Bering
Strait

4. I. Ancient Americans Mesoamerica = “Middle” America
Modern day Mexico, Central America, & Peru
Without interaction w/ the rest of the world, 3 major empires came to dominate the region
The Maya (300 – 900AD)
The Aztec (1200 – 1519)
The Inca (1438 – 1533)
Label 2: Label the 3 civilizations
on the map with dates

5. Label 2 Identify the 3 Native Civilizations & Color the areas1 3

6. Effects of Geography of Meso-America
The Maya, Aztecs, & Inca will each have to overcome challenges created by the diverse topography of Meso-America to survive
Mountains, swamps, jungles
However the Meso-American empires share much in common with many of the Neolithic & Classical Era civilizations that had developed in Africa, Asia, & Europe
Centralized Governments
Social Classes, Belief Systems, & Written Languages
Traditional Economies based on Agriculture & Trade
Domesticated unique crops like Maize (corn), Potatoes, Squash

7. II. The Maya Empire(300 – 900AD)
Geography:
Located in the Rainforest (Jungles) & Swamps of Southern Mexico & Central America
Social:
Strict social classes (hierarchy)
Polytheistic religion:
Pyramids: Chichén Itzá
365 day calendar, understood the concept of zero
Political:
City-states ruled by kings
Written records
Economy
based on agriculture and trade
Create Raised Fields
change swamp land into farm land

8. Maya Achievements
Chichen Itza

9. III. The Aztec Empire (1200 – 1521AD)
Geography: Located in arid valley in central Mexico
Political
Capital: Tenochtitlan-advanced island city
Ruled by an emperor
Creating Chinampas or Floating Gardens to farm in their capital city which was located on a lake
Economy
based on agriculture and tribute (taxes) from conquered peoples & trade
Social
Polytheistic religion: Pyramids, rituals

10. THE MAYA & AZTEC EMPIRES

12. IV. The Inca Empire (1438 – 1535 AD)
Geography: Located in the Andes Mountains of South America (Draw in the Andes Mountains)
Political:
Capital city Machu Picchu (mtns)
Ruled by an emperor
Economy
based on high-altitude agriculture (terrace farming)
Road system
Social: Polytheistic religion

14. Inca Roads & Footbridges

15. Summative Assessment
(P) = Paragraph Form/Complete Sentences
Describe how each of the 3 Mesoamerican empires adapt to challenging geography using the following terms:
Maya – Swampland - Raised Fields – Aztec – Tenochtitlan – Chinampas (Floating Gardens) – Inca - Andes Mountains - Terrace Farming