Mesoamerican Civilizations and the Black Death

A pandemic caused by bacteria named Yersinia pestis that spread from fleas on rodents.

Fleas on rodents, primarily black rats.

Major population decreases across Europe and Asia due to widespread death.

Monasteries were major centers of learning and education during the Middle Ages.

The Maya flourished in the Yucatan Peninsula and surrounding areas of Mexico.

Pok-a-pok was a popular ball game played by the Maya using a rubber ball.

The Mayan civilization was organized into independent city-states.

The Aztec civilization flourished in central Mexico.

Tenochtitlan was the magnificent capital city of the Aztec Empire.

The Spanish conquistadors were responsible for the fall of the Aztec and Inca empires.

Hernán Cortés led the conquest of the Aztec Empire.

Montezuma, the ruler of the Aztec Empire, was killed by his own people after being taken hostage by invaders.

The floating gardens used for farming by the Aztec were known as chinampas.

The Inca civilization flourished in the Andes Mountains of South America.

Francisco Pizarro led the conquest of the Inca Empire.

Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca city and citadel, was found high in the Andes Mountains.

The Inca civilization was built around the Andes Mountains, using the mountainous terrain for their cities and infrastructure.

Corn, beans, and squash were staples in the Mesoamerican diet.

The Inca civilization used a system of knotted strings called quipus to record information and keep track of accounts.

The Inca used terraced farming extensively to cultivate crops on the slopes of the Andes Mountains.

Inti was the sun god in Inca religion, considered the most powerful of their deities.