Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ______________ Block:_______________
Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans
Section 1: Which one?
Directions: Read each statement carefully and decide if it best pertains to the Aztecs, Incas, or Mayans. Write
your answer in the blank provided. 2 pts each
1.
__________________ Built amazing structures without sealing the stones and a knife blade could not fit between them.
2.
__________________ Also known as the Mexicas.
3.
__________________ Used picture symbols to record their thoughts and created calanders
4.
__________________ Son would become the next leader when they captured an enemy and killed them.
5.
__________________ Formed their civilization on Chinampas on lake Texcoco
6.
__________________ Cortez conquered them when he was welcomed into the city as a living god.
7.
__________________ Amazing farmers because their area got as much as 160in of rain per year.
8.
__________________ Can be found in the Andes Mountains.
9.
__________________ Stored food in case of an emergency; could often freeze dry their food and have enough to last for
almost 7 years.
10. _________________ People would pay tribute to them 1-4 times a year to avoid being killed – kind of like paying taxes.
11. _________________ Each city state had its own ruler but they shared a religion
12. _________________ Each territory of their civilization met in the corner at a city called Cuzco
13. _________________ Francisco Pizarro came into the city and was welcomed; he captured the head of the civilization. He
was given items for ransom but he went back on his word and killed the emperor anyway.
14. ________________Children of both genders went to school; either Telpochalli or Calmecac.
15. ________________ Famous for the practice of human sacrifice.
16. ________________ Developed two types of farming – Terrace farming, and raised field farming
17. ________________ Created a system of roads that helped the people to move from place to place on foot and to trade goods
18. ________________Lived on lands that are present day Belize and Guatamala
19. ________________Killed by the smallpox disease that the conquistadors brought with them
20. ________________ Sapa Inca was the name for the emperor
21. ________________ Mexico, Avocado, and Chocolate are all words that originated with the tribe
22. ________________Do not lie, do not steal, do not be lazy; this was a code that some lived by
23. ________________ Machu Picchu, filled with temples, is still standing because of the amazing architectural capabilities
24. ________________Cities are located in very dense rainforests
25. ________________ Very skilled at growing Maguey which they used to get sugar
Section 2: Multiple Choice
Directions: CIRCLE the answer that correctly
answers the question – 2 pts each
1. What did the various groups that made up the
Aztec Empire have in common?
A. They all spoke the Nahuatl language
B. They all came from the same local area
C. They were all wiped out by Maya invaders
D. They all worshipped a single god
2. The city of Tenochtitlan was located atop what
geographical feature?
A. A volcano
B. A desert
C. A mountain
D. A lake
3. What did the Spanish have that the Aztecs didn’t?
A. A highly advanced culture
B. Immune resistance to smallpox
C. Intense faith in their religion
D. Many thousands of soldiers
4. Why was Tenochtitlan chosen as the capital of the
Aztec empire?
A. It was the oldest of the various city-states
comprising the empire
B. It was located close to the exact
geographic center of the empire
C. It was home of the Mexicas, the most
powerful society in the empire
5. You’re the chief of a small tribe that has just been
absorbed into the Aztec Empire. Which of the
following is most likely to occur?
A. All of your tribe’s men are killed
B. You’re ordered to give Moctezuma II onethird of all your crops
C. An Aztec warrior takes over your tribe
D. Your priests are ordered to stop
worshipping the local gods
6. Why did the Aztecs sacrifice human beings?
A. To prevent explosive population growth
B. To appease their gods
C. To punish people who’d fought against
the Aztecs
D. To scare neighboring tribes
7. Which country would you visit if you wanted to
see Inca ruins?
A. Brazil
B. Mexico
C. Spain
D. Peru
8. How did the Incas protect against famine and poor
harvests?
A. By performing religious ceremonies
B. By saving water in enormous stone tanks
C. By storing large quantities of surplus food
D. By raising and slaughtering cattle
9. Why were roads and bridges so important to the
Inca empire? Choose the best answer,
A. They allowed horses to easily corss the
Andes Mountains for the first time
B. Their construction provided important
jobs for the empire’s citizens
C. They served as examples of the empire’s
wealth, inspiring awe in newly conquered
people
D. They made it easier for messengers,
soldiers, and tradesmen to move across
large areas.
10. What was unique about Inca architecture?
A. The stones were cut so they together
perfectly
B. It featured perfectly spherical domes
C. The temples were taller than Egyptian
pyramids
D. Most structures were built from petrified
wood.
11. What aspect of the Inca culture continues to the
present day?
A. Most South American architecture is still
in traditional Inca style
B. Cars still drive over old Inca roads and
bridges
C. Most South Americans still practice the
Inca religion
D. Millions of people still speak the Quechua
language
12. What would the Incas do if they wanted a smaller
tribe to join their empire?
A. Invade them immediately with their large
army
B. Offer them power and riches if they joined
peacefully
C. Assassinate their chief
D. Kidnap the chief’s children
13. How did the Inca army compare to Francisco
Pizarro’s army
A. Pizarro’s army had deadlier weapons than
the Inca army
B. Pizarro’s army had fewer horses than the
Inca army
C. Pizarro’s army was bigger than the Inca
army
D. Pizarro’s army had more weapons than the
Inca army
14. What is the significance of the llama to the Incas?
A. The Incas worshipped them as gods
B. They were the Incas’ main source of food
C. The Incas used them to transport goods
through their empire
D. The Incas rode on their backs
15. A Mayan stele would most likely contain:
A. Information about the months and days of
the year
B. A list of farmers who lived in the area
C. Folktales from the countryside
D. The story of a major battle
Section 3: Short Answer
Directions: Answer the following question to the
best of your ability – 10 pts
What civilization; Aztec, Inca, or Mayan, is the
most advanced and why? Must use at least 5 facts
to support your claim.
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
16. What did the ancient Mayans have in common
with the ancient Greeks?
A. The desire to build huge pyramids
B. A religion that worshipped a single god
C. A writing system
D. Shipbuilding activity
__________________________________________
17. What did the ancient Aztec civilization have that
Mayan civilization lacked?
A. A single controlling authority
B. A calendar system
C. A knowledge of organized warfare
D. Impressive architecture
__________________________________________
18. Which of the following natural occurrences would
probably be most interesting to a Mayan priest?
A. A cloud formation on the horizon
B. An unusual alignment of the planets
C. A hurricane
D. The flooding of a nearby river
19. Which term best describes the relationships
between neighboring Mayan city-states?
A. Nonexistent
B. Commercial
C. Competitive
D. Harmonious
20. The function of a Mayan step pyramid was most
similar to the function of what?
A. A royal cemetery
B. A grain silo
C. A royal palace
D. A church of synagogue
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