Chapter 16 Study Guide
What was the purpose of the Iroquois League?

It was an alliance to promote the idea of a joint defense or cooperation
The Maya based their calendar on careful observations of what?

The planets, sun and the moon
What is a codex?

a book with pages that can be turned like the one you are reading now
What is the Triple Alliance and who was involved?

Union between the Aztec city-states including Texcoco and Tlacopan
What is Mita?

a labor tribute, a work requirement which required all able – bodied citizens to work
for the state a certain number of days every year
Describe how conquered people were treated by the Aztecs. What problems did
conquered people have with their treatment?

They used too many conquered people for sacrifice and too much tribute
Who make up the Noble Class in Aztec society?

Government officials, military leaders and priests
What was the name of the major city of the Maya?

Tikal
What was the first major civilization of Central Mexico?

Teotihaucan
The Incan system of government was similar to what government?

An ancient form of socialism
How did the Inca add territory to their empire?

Military force and diplomacy
How did the early North American peoples view the land?

You could not buy or sell the land as they saw it as sacred
In what way were the early North American peoples and the Maya similar?

They both had extensive trade
What is the Popol Vuh ?

a book containing a version of the Mayan story of creations
What caused the decline of the Maya ?

The Mayans decline began 100s of years before the Spanish came
Why does Pachacuti stand out in Inca history?

Expanding the empire and his conquests
What is ayllu?

A small “family structure” or group who worked on projects together
What did the Inca used the quipu for?

To record data or information
The decline of the Inca Empire can be traced to what?

The two brothers fighting over the throne after their father’s death and then the
civil war that broke out
What problems led to the decline of the Aztec Empire?
Think about: human sacrifice, the demand for tribute, the Spanish

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Increase demand for human sacrifice which upset people and causes rebellion
among the conquered city-states
Conquered groups rose up against the Aztecs
The Spanish brought guns and disease - small pox
Montezuma wanted all of the power which leads him to fire his head officials
Increase demand for tribute
Compare and contrast the three major Mesoamerican civilizations. Provide two
similarities between them and two differences.
•Similarities:


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All are polytheistic
All are located in Mesoamerica
All preform some type of human sacrifice
Differences




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The number of gods that they worship
How they lived
Different ways that they farmed
Language
Where they built their cities