Aztec and Inca Civilizations

• The Inca tribe was not located in North America, unlike the Aztec and Maya tribes.
• Tenochtitlan was the capital city of the Aztec Empire.
• The Aztec sport of ollama was similar to basketball.
• Cuzco was the capital city of the Inca Empire.
• Aztecs built floating gardens called Chinampas to grow food.
• The Inca dug into hillsides creating terraces.
• The Inca were polytheistic, which means they believed in many gods.
• Europeans, despite being vastly outnumbered, were able to decimate the local native population due to advantages.
• Mesoamerican contributions include advancements in agriculture, mathematics, and astronomy, which were meaningful for their societal development.
• Tenochtitlan was an advanced and impressive city.
• Montezuma was the last Aztec ruler.
• The appearance of Tenochtitlan impressed European explorers upon their arrival in the New World.

Definitions

• Mesoamerica means "Middle America".
• Tribute is a payment made to the Aztecs by groups the Aztecs conquered.
• Hernando Cortes was the leader of the Spanish when they conquered the Aztecs.
• Chinampa is a floating garden.
• Moctezuma II was the Aztec emperor when the Spanish arrived.
• Causeway is a raised road over water or wet ground.
• Smallpox was devastating to the Aztecs and unknowingly brought by the Spanish, helping them conquer the Aztecs.
• Conquistador translates to Spanish conqueror.
• Tenochtitlan was the capital city of the Aztec Empire.
• Maize (Corn) was the main crop for both the Mayans and Aztecs.
• Island is what the Aztec capital city was built on.
• Terraces are steps in the hillside to be able to farm more land, used by the Incas and Mayans.
• A god is what the Spanish leader was believed to be when they arrived by the Aztecs.
• Potato was the favorite and most important food of the Inca.
• Cuzco was the capital city of the Inca empire.
• The Aztecs and Mayans performed human sacrifices for religious purposes, and the Incas most often sacrificed animals and valuable goods.