18 Questions
What were the possible causes of the decline of the cities in central Mexico before the rise of the Toltec empire?
Severe drought or revolts by populations that had used up the natural resources of the area.
What was the time period during which the Toltec empire reached the height of its power?
Between 950 and 1150.
What was a significant contribution of Toltec artisans to Mesoamerica?
The introduction of metalworking.
What event marked the beginning of the decline of the Toltec empire around 1125?
The Toltec Empire began to decline, and within a few decades, groups of invaders, including Aztec people, attacked and burned the Toltec city of Tollan.
What was the main occupation of the Toltec people?
Growing crops of beans, maize, and pepper in irrigated fields.
What was the result of the decline of the Toltec empire in central Mexico?
For nearly 200 years, there was no ruling group in central Mexico.
What led to the start of farming in the Americas?
The climate growing warmer after the last Ice Age and people learning to plant seeds of grains and other plants
What region in the Americas was suited for farming due to its rich, volcanic soil and mild climate?
Mesoamerica, which includes lands stretching from central Mexico to Costa Rica in Central America
What was the most important food in the Americas, which took longer to develop but became a staple crop?
Corn, also known as maize
What did the growth and trade of crops help early Americans form?
More complex societies
What people built the oldest culture in Mesoamerica, which lasted around 800 years?
The Olmec
What two products did the Olmec produce, in addition to growing beans, in the tropical lowlands along the Gulf of Mexico?
Salt and traded goods
What did the Olmec artisans use jade for?
jewelry
What was the name of the first planned city in the Americas built by the inland peoples in central Mexico?
Teotihuacán
What was the name of the capital city built by the Zapotec people in south central Mexico?
Monte Albán
What type of writing system did the Zapotec people develop?
hieroglyphs
Where did the Maya people prosper, and what did they do?
in the steamy rain forests of the Yucatán Peninsula; traded throughout Mesoamerica
What happened to Teotihuacán and the Zapotec around the 300s to 500s?
They declined
Learn about the rise and fall of the Toltec civilization, their conquests, and their agricultural practices in central Mexico and northern Central America. Discover the reasons behind the decline of their cities and their empire's peak power.
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