Unit 8 Study Guide
Mayans
1. What modern-day countries was the Mayan civilization located in?
2. What kind of government did the Mayans have?
3. How did 90% of the Mayan people live their lives?
4. What sort of work did slaves usually do in Mayan society?
5. How many calendars did the Mayans have? How many days long?
6. Did the Mayans have a writing system? If so, what type was it?
7. What kind of religion did the Mayans practice?
8. Did the Mayans practice human sacrifice? If so, how often?
9. Around what year did the Mayan civilization disappear?
10. What are the most likely reasons that the Mayan civilization ended?
Aztecs
1. What was the original name of the Aztecs?
2. Around what year did the Aztecs arrive in the area of Mexico City?
3. What was the Aztec capital city called?
4. What kind of government did the Aztecs have?
5. What kind of relationship did the Aztecs have with surrounding tribes?
6. Did the Aztecs have a writing system? If so, what type was it?
7. Did the Aztecs practice human sacrifice? If so, how often?
8. How was Aztec religion different from Mayan religion?
9. In the Aztec creation story, how did the gods create humans?
Mali
1. What desert cuts off the lower half of Africa from North Africa?
2. Why did Africa develop large societies later than in most of the world?
3. Where was the Mali Empire located? What river was it near?
4. What was the climate like in the Mali Empire?
5. What were the largest cities in Mali? When did they unite?
6. Who was the most famous ruler of the Mali Empire?
7. Where did Mali’s most famous ruler travel in the year 1324? Who came
with him?
8. What were Mali’s two most valuable natural resources?
9. Where was Mali’s largest university located?
Unit 8 Study Guide
Mayans
1. What modern-day countries was the Mayan civilization located in?
2. What kind of government did the Mayans have?
3. How did 90% of the Mayan people live their lives?
4. What sort of work did slaves usually do in Mayan society?
5. How many calendars did the Mayans have? How many days long?
6. Did the Mayans have a writing system? If so, what type was it?
7. What kind of religion did the Mayans practice?
8. Did the Mayans practice human sacrifice? If so, how often?
9. Around what year did the Mayan civilization disappear?
10. What are the most likely reasons that the Mayan civilization ended?
Aztecs
1. What was the original name of the Aztecs?
2. Around what year did the Aztecs arrive in the area of Mexico City?
3. What was the Aztec capital city called?
4. What kind of government did the Aztecs have?
5. What kind of relationship did the Aztecs have with surrounding tribes?
6. Did the Aztecs have a writing system? If so, what type was it?
7. Did the Aztecs practice human sacrifice? If so, how often?
8. How was Aztec religion different from Mayan religion?
9. In the Aztec creation story, how did the gods create humans?
Mali
1. What desert that cuts off the lower half of Africa from North Africa?
2. Why did Africa develop large societies later than in most of the world?
3. Where was the Mali Empire located? What river was it near?
4. What was the climate like in the Mali Empire?
5. What were the largest cities in Mali? When did they unite?
6. Who was the most famous ruler of the Mali Empire?
7. Where did Mali’s most famous ruler travel in the year 1324? Who came
with him?
8. What were Mali’s two most valuable natural resources?
9. Where was Mali’s largest university located?
Incas
1. Where was the Inca Empire located?
2. How did the Inca record numbers instead of writing them down?
3. What type of metal were the Inca the only Native Americans to discover?
4. What type of government did the Inca have?
5. Did the Inca practice human sacrifice? If so, how often?
6. What kind of religion did the Inca practice?
7. What was the 3-part Inca moral code?
8. What is the name of the Inca practice of purposely reshaping the skull?
9. Why did the Inca do that? What did it signify?
10. What archaeological site is the most well-known example of Inca
architecture?
Vikings
1. Where did the Vikings originally live?
2. Why did the Viking population begin in grow in the early 800’s?
3. After one group of Vikings moved to France, what was their new name?
4. What continent were the Vikings the first known Europeans to explore?
5. In what year did the Normans invade England? Were they successful?
First Crusade
1. Why did the Byzantines originally ask the pope for help?
2. Why were Western Europeans interested reconquering Israel?
3. What kind of trouble did the Crusaders cause as they marched to Israel?
4. What happened once the Crusaders got to Israel? Were they successful?
Mongol Invasion
1. What was the name of the trade route that connected Europe to China?
2. When did the first Mongol army arrive in Eastern Europe?
3. What military advantages did the Mongols have over the Europeans?
4. Why did the Mongols suddenly retreat from Europe in 1242?
Middle Ages
1. As the Dark Ages ended in Europe, how did the power of kings change?
2. Why did the English noblemen make King John sign the Magna Carta?
3. What type of disaster hit Europe starting in 1347? What was it called?
4. What percentage of Europe’s population died during that disaster?
5. How long did it take Europe’s population to return to normal?
Incas
1. Where was the Inca Empire located?
2. How did the Inca record numbers instead of writing them down?
3. What type of metal were the Inca the only Native Americans to discover?
4. What type of government did the Inca have?
5. Did the Inca practice human sacrifice? If so, how often?
6. What kind of religion did the Inca practice?
7. What was the 3-part Inca moral code?
8. What is the name of the Inca practice of purposely reshaping the skull?
9. Why did the Inca do that? What did it signify?
10. What archaeological site is the most well-known example of Inca
architecture?
Vikings
1. Where did the Vikings originally live?
2. Why did the Viking population begin in grow in the early 800’s?
3. After one group of Vikings moved to France, what was their new name?
4. What continent were the Vikings the first known Europeans to explore?
5. In what year did the Normans invade England? Were they successful?
First Crusade
1. Why did the Byzantines originally ask the pope for help?
2. Why were Western Europeans interested reconquering Israel?
3. What kind of trouble did the Crusaders cause as they marched to Israel?
4. What happened once the Crusaders got to Israel? Were they successful?
Mongol Invasion
1. What was the name of the trade route that connected Europe to China?
2. When did the first Mongol army arrive in Eastern Europe?
3. What military advantages did the Mongols have over the Europeans?
4. Why did the Mongols suddenly retreat from Europe in 1242?
Middle Ages
1. As the Dark Ages ended in Europe, how did the power of kings change?
2. Why did the English noblemen make King John sign the Magna Carta?
3. What type of disaster hit Europe starting in 1347? What was it called?
4. What percentage of Europe’s population died during that disaster?
5. How long did it take Europe’s population to return to normal?