Black Death and Mesoamerican Civilizations

The bubonic plague, a deadly bacterial disease spread by infected fleas living on rats.

Fleas, carried by rats, were the primary means of spreading the Black Death from person to person.

Millions died from the Black Death, leading to a dramatic decrease in the global population.

Monasteries served as centers of learning and education during the Middle Ages, where monks preserved ancient knowledge and taught.

The Maya civilization thrived in Mesoamerica, primarily in what is now Mexico.

Pok-ta-pok, a ball game played with a rubber ball, was popular among the Maya.

The Maya were organized into independent city-states, each with its own ruler.

The Aztec civilization, like the Maya, flourished in Mesoamerica, primarily in what is now Mexico.

Tenochtitlan, a magnificent city built on an island in Lake Texcoco, was the capital of the Aztec Empire.

Spanish conquistadors, seeking gold and power, conquered both the Aztec and Inca empires, ending their dominance in the Americas.

Hernán Cortés, a Spanish conquistador, led the conquest of the Aztec Empire, bringing about its demise.

Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, was captured and eventually killed by his own people after the Spanish invasion.

The Aztec developed Chinampas, floating gardens built on artificial islands in Lake Texcoco, providing a sustainable and productive agricultural system.

The Inca civilization flourished in South America, stretching along the Andes Mountains.

Francisco Pizarro, a Spanish conquistador, led the conquest of the Inca Empire, bringing about its fall.

Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca city and citadel, hidden high in the Andes Mountains, remained undiscovered by Europeans until modern times.

The Inca civilization was built around the Andes mountain range, adapting to its challenging terrain and environment.

Corn, beans, and squash are staple crops of the Mesoamerican diet, cultivated for centuries by ancient civilizations like the Maya and Aztec.

Instead of a conventional written language, the Inca used knotted strings called quipu to record information and keep track of important details.

The Inca utilized terraced farming, a technique that adapted to the mountainous terrain of the Andes, creating flat platforms to grow crops on slopes.

Inti, the sun god, was the most important deity in the Inca religion, representing the source of life and power.