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The Earth and Its Peoples: Chapter 11 Flashcards

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11387039919They were unified through similarities in material culture, religious beliefs/practices, and social structuresHow were Mesoamericans united despite differences in language and absence of regional political integration?0
11387039920Developing new forms of political organization, great strides in astronomy and mathematics, and improved the productivity of agricultureWhat do archaeologists define as a Classical period?1
11387039921The cities of the classical period were built around raised platforms and pyramids devoted to religious functions, but the classical cities were more impressive and architecturally diversifiedHow were the cities of the classical period similar to the Olmec centers?2
11387039922TeotihuacanWhat was one of Mesoamerica's most important classical-period civilizations?3
11387039923Teotihuacan was larger than all but a few European and Asian citiesIn 450 C.E., Teotihuacan was at its height and had a population of between 125,000 and 150,000 people. What's unique about this size of population?4
11387039924The religious architecture was aligned with nearby sacred mountains that reflected movement of starsHow was the religious architecture set up in Teotihuacan?5
11387039925The people living in Teotihuacan practiced human sacrificeHow was the religion in Teotihuacan similar to the religion in Olmec centers?6
11387039926It was viewed as a sacred duty to the gods and essential to the well-being of societyHow was sacrifice viewed in Teotihuacan? (note: many places in Mesoamerica practiced sacrifice and most likely held similar views)7
11387039927AgricultureHow did two-thirds of Teotihuacan's population make their living?8
11387039928They brought marginal lands into production, drained swamps, constructed irrigation canals, and built terraced hillsidesAs Teotihuacan experienced rapid population growth, what did the elites do using labor resources of lower classes?9
11387039929ChinampasRaised fields constructed along lake-shores in Mesoamerica to increase agricultural yields Floating gardens/farm land (first used by the Teotihuacans but became a unique farming feature that only the Aztecs will do later)10
11387039930Year-round agriculture because of subsurface irrigation and resistence to frostHow were chinampas crucial to substaining the region's growing population?11
11387039931Divine approval of and a material basis for the elite's increased wealth and statusHow did Teotihuacan's role as a religious center and commercial power affect the elites?12
11387039932The central position and prestige of the priestly classWhat class did the temple and palace murals show as presitigious and what else did they say about that class?13
11387039933The people of Teotihuacan did not concentrate the power in the hands of a single rulerHow did Teotihuacan differ from other classical-period civilizations?14
11387039934The lack of walls suggests that Teotihuacan had a relative peace during its early developmentWhat does the lack of walls and other defensive structures before 500 C.E. in Teotihuacan suggest?15
11387039935To protect long-distance trade and to compel peasant agriculturalists to transfer their surplus of food to the cityArchaeological evidence shows Teotihuacan had a large, powerful military created. What would've the city used this military for?16
11387039936MayaMesoamerican civilization concentrated in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and in Guatemala and Honduras but never unified into a single empire. Major contributions were in mathematics, astronomy, and development of the calendar17
11387039937They never shared a single, unified state despite sharing a single culture, and instead consisted of city-states throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, Guatemala, Honduras, and BelizeWhat was unique about Maya poltics?18
11387039938The Maya classical period used much more intensive agriculture due to high population levelsHow did the Maya farming style of today compare to the Maya farming style of the Classical Period?19
11387039939They used irrigation in areas with long dry seasons, terraced hillsides, and managed nearby forests (they favored trees and shrubs useful to them) and promoted the conservation of deer and other animals hunted for foodWhat were other things Mayan agricultarlists did?20
11387039940They controlled smaller cities and a broad agricultural zone by building impressive religious temples and by creating rituals that linked the power of the power of the kings to the godsWhat did the most powerful classical period Mayan cities do?21
11387039941They loved decoration, and bright carved decorations cover nearly all the buildings (these carvings were often religious allegories, genealogies of rulers, and important historical events). They also loved beautifully carved altars and stone monoliths near major templesWhat was Mayan art like?22
11387039942The cosmos was divided into three layers; humans are located in the middle layer, heaven the layer above and a dark underworld underneath. The temples in Maya cities reflected this idea where the top of the temple was the heavens and the doorways of the pyramids were entrances of the underworldHow did the Maya view the cosmos? How did this view affect temple architecture?23
11387039943They served both priestly and political functionsWhat purpose did the rulers and other elites serve in society?24
11387039944They infused warfare with a religious meaning and celebrated it in elaborate ritualsWhat did the Maya do to warfare?25
11387039945To secure captives rather than territory (elites almost always killed, commoners more likely forced to work for captors)What were the Mayans goal when fighting in a war?26
11387039946Yes; Mayan women with ruling lineages did play an important political and religious role, consorts (spouse of reigning monarch) participated in bloodletting rituals and other important public ceremonies and legitimated their husband's ruleAlthough few women ruled Maya kingdoms, did Mayan women have a good place in society or no?27
11387039947The Mayan made a ritual calendar (260 days, 13 months), a solar year calendar (365 days, 18 months, plus 5 extremely unlucky days), and a lunar calendarWhat were the Mayan contributions to the Mesoamerican calendar systems?28
11387039948It told the year since the mythical creation dayWhat was the "long count" calendars of the Maya and other Mesoamerican cultures used for?29
11387039949Mayan mathematics provided the basis for the calendars and the astronomical observations they were based on. They had a concept of 0 and place value but limited notational signsWhat were Mayan mathematics like?30
11387039950A form of hieroglyic inscription that signified whole words or concepts as well as phonetic cues or syllablesWhat was Mayan writing like?31
11387039951Decades of urban decline, social conflict, and increased levels of warfare preceded this collapse of the cities in some areas. The fall of Teotihuacan disrupted long-distance trade in ritual godods. Rising reigional population, climatic change, and environmental degradation undermined the fragile agricultural activities. Growing warfare also undermined political legitimacy of ruling lineage and disrupted the economic relationships that tied rural agriculturalists to Maya citiesWhat caused the Mayan classical era to end? (ended between 800 and 900 C.E.)32
11387039952Population of Mesoamerica was higher, resulting in intensification of agricultural practices and increased warfareWhat was a difference between postclassical period Mesoamerica and classical period?33
11387039953ToltecsPowerful postclassical empire in central Mexico (900-1175 C.E.). It influenced much of Mesoamerica. Aztecs claims close ties to this civilization34
11387039954The Aztecs regarded the Toltecs as powerful and influencial predecessors, similar to how the Roman regarded the GreeksHow was the relationship between the Aztecs and Toltecs similar to that of the Romans and the Greeks?35
11387039955The state was made largely on military power and conquestHow was the Toltec state created?36
11387039956A struggle between two chieftains, along with the sharp decline, beginning in 1150, from internal power struggles, and a military threat from the northWhat do historians believe lead to the fall of the Toltec state?37
11387039957AztecsAlso known as the Mexica, the Aztecs created a powerful empire in central Mexico (1325 - 1521 C.E.). They forced defeated peoples to provide goods and labor as a tax38
11387039958The Mexica were pushed into central Mexico from the Toltec collapse, and as their power grew through polticial alliances and conquest, they created a Mexica-dominated power called the Aztec EmpireHow did the Aztec empire begin?39
11387039959Into a altepetl lead by a tlatoaniHow did the Mexica first organize themselves?40
11387039960AltepetlAn ethnic state in ancient Mesoamerica, the common political building block of that region41
11387039961It directed the collective religious, social, and political obligations of the ethnic groupWhat does the altepetl do?42
11387039962A group of calpolli who controlled land allocation, tax collection, and local religious lifeWhat is the basic building block for the altepetl?43
11387039963CalpolliA group of up to a hundred families that served as the building block of an altepetl in ancient Mesoamerica44
11387039964TenochtitlanCapital of the Aztec empire, located on an island in Lake Texcoco. It's population was about 150,000 on the eve of Spanish conquest. Mexico City was constructed on its ruins45
11387039965The Aztecs introduced a monarchical system similar to that found in more powerful statesOnce the Aztecs gained more economic independence, greater political security, and territorial expansion, what happened to the Aztec government?46
11387039966Women held substantial power and exercised broad influence in Aztec societyAlthough warfare gave increased power and priviledge to males, women had what?47
11387039967The high nobility denied them priviledges due to the fact the nobility was jealousIn the Aztec Empire, a specialized class of merchants controlled long distance trade, bringing valuable products (cacao, gold, jewels, and animal skins) and political/military intelligence for Aztec elite. Despite the merchants becoming wealthy and powerful, how did the high nobility treat them?48
11387039968A tribute systemWhat did the Aztecs impliment in order to feed the population of Tenochtitlan49
11387039969Tribute SystemA system in which defeated peoples were forced to pay a tax in the form of goods and labour. This forced transfer of food, cloth, and other goods subsidized the development of large cities. An important component of the Aztec and Inca economies50
11387039970The tribute system in Tang China was more of a symbolic character, whereas the tribute system in the Aztec empire, 1/4 of Tenochtitlan's food requirements was satisfied by tribute paymentsWhat was a difference between the tribute system in Tang China and the Aztec Empire?51
11387039971Religious ritualsWhat dominated public life in Tenochtitlan?52
11387039972The introduction of maize, beans, and squash from MesoamericaWhat played an important role in the development of complex societies in North America?53
11387039973The introduction of agriculture, and eventually population growth and settled village lifeAfter contacts with Mexico were made in around 300 B.C.E., what occured in modern-day Arizona?54
11387039974Anasazi (Ancient Pueblos)Important culture of what is now the southwestern United States (700-1300 C.E.). Centered on the Chaco Canyon in New Mexico and Mesa Verde in Colorado, the group built multistory residences out of adobe brick and worshiped in subterranean buildings called kiva55
11387039975Maize, beans, and squashWhat did the Anasazi develop an economy around?56
11387039976The formation of larger villages and led to an enriched cultural life centered in kivasWhat did the successful introduction of certain crops do to the Anasazi culture and people?57
11387039977KivaA chamber built wholly or partial underground, used primarily by males for religious ceremonies and political meetings. Constructed by the Anasazi58
11387039978Chaco Canyon, Nex MexicoWhere is the largest Anasazi communities located59
11387039979Chaco Canyon Anasazi traded turquoise with Toltec-era peoples for various trinkets, such as shell jewelry, copper bells, macaws, and trumpetsHow far did the Chaco Canyon Anasazi trade?60
11387039980Most likely due to drought that undermined the fragile agricultural economyWhat caused the decline and dispersal of the Anasazi?61
11387039981Hopewell cultureWhat began to spread through the Mississippi River Valley in 100 C.E.?62
11387039982HopewellAn early Native American culture that was centered in the Ohio River Valley and spread into many surrounding areas. These people are noted for the building of extensive earthworks and large, elaborate mounds used for burial or ceremonies.63
11387039983No; they mainly used hunting and gatheringDid Hopewell culture use a lot of agriculture like other cultures discussed?64
11387039984North American chiefdomWhat was Hopewell an early example for?65
11387039985ChiefdomForm of political organization with rule by a hereditary ruler who held power over a collection of villages and towns. Less powerful than kingdoms and empires, these were based on gift-giving and commercial links66
11387039986They organized periodic rituals of feasting and gift giving to link diverse kinship groups and guarantee the access of specialized crops and craft goodsWhat did chiefs do? Remeber: Chiefs had both secular and religious roles67
11387039987They had several thousand inhabitants and served as ceremonial and political centersWhat did the largest Hopewell towns serve as? How big were they?68
11387039988They were built to house burials and serve as platforms for religious rituals. Some were orientated to mark sunrise and moonrise patterns.What did the mounds of Hopewell culture serve for?69
11387039989Mississippian CultureWhat did Hopewell culture later influence?70
11387039990The adoption of the bow and arrow and the expansion of trade networks. The improved economy led to population growth, the building of cities, and social stratificationWhat did the development of urbanized Mississippian chiefdoms, caused from the accumalated effects of small increases in agricultural productivity?71
11387039991CahokiaWhat Mississippian city has the largest mound constructed in North America and marked Mississippian culture reaching its height?72
11387039992Its location on the Missouri, Mississippi and Illinois riversWhat affected Cahokia's political and economic influence?73

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