Mesoamerican and South American
CivilizationsUnit 3
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Aqueduct Structures used to carry flowing water from a
distance
Theocracy• A system of
government in which the rulers are believed to represent the will of the gods
Chichen Itza
• An ancient Mayan city located on the Yucatan Peninsula
codex• A folding-screen book
containing information about predicting the
future and religious rituals
MercenaryMercenaryA
hired soldier
Causeway•raised bridges made of land
ManMadeIsland
Tenochtitlan
The capital city
of the Aztecs
Lake Texcoco The Lake on which
the Mexica settled
an arm of land
that sticks out into the
Gulf of Mexico
Central Plateau a high,
flat areain the center
of the Plateau of
Mexico
Natural wells
on the Yucatan
Peninsula
Sierra Madre occidental
A mountain range
to the west of the
Plateau of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
A part
of the Atlantic Ocean east of Mexico
Ahigh, flatarea in
central Mexico
PeninsulaLand
that is nearly
surrounded by water
Hernando Cortes
1485-1547Spanish
ConquistadorWho defeated
the Aztecs in 1521
TikalTikal:A city-state of the Maya that is now an important ruin
AllianceAn agreement made between
two or more groups
or nations
An An area area of of MesoamericaMesoamerica
Sierra Madre Sierra Madre OrientalOriental
A mountain range A mountain range to the east to the east of the of the Plateau of MexicoPlateau of Mexico
A A region region that extends that extends from southern from southern North America North America to the to the central part central part of Central Americaof Central America
Moctezuma IMoctezuma I
1390-14691390-1469Aztec ruler Aztec ruler of the Aztec empireof the Aztec empirewho increased who increased its size and wealthits size and wealth
Moctezuma IIMoctezuma IIAztec emperor Aztec emperor who was the who was the last to reign last to reign the Aztec the Aztec empire empire
before it fell before it fell to Spainto Spain
QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatlOne of the gods that the Aztec One of the gods that the Aztec
people worshipped. people worshipped. This name means “feathered This name means “feathered
serpent.”serpent.”
SteleStele An upright stone or slabAn upright stone or slabwith an inscribed or with an inscribed or sculptured surface, usedsculptured surface, usedas a monument or as a as a monument or as a commemorative tablet in commemorative tablet in the face of a buildingthe face of a building
Machu PicchuMachu PicchuA city built by A city built by
the Inca the Inca people on a people on a
mountain top mountain top in the Andes in the Andes Mountains in Mountains in present day present day
PeruPeru
cuzcocuzco
The capital The capital of the Inca of the Inca
empireempire
Manco CapacManco Capac
1200 founder of 1200 founder of the Inca the Inca
dynasty who dynasty who led the Inca to led the Inca to settle in Cazcosettle in Cazco
Inca ViracochaInca Viracocha1435 Incan ruler who 1435 Incan ruler who
fled his empire in fled his empire in 1438 because he 1438 because he
thought it would be thought it would be defeated by the defeated by the
ChancasChancas
PachacutiPachacuti1391-14731391-1473
Incan emperor Incan emperor and son of Inca and son of Inca Viracocha who Viracocha who
defeated the defeated the Chancas and Chancas and extended his extended his
empire.empire.
Topa IncaTopa Inca1471 Inca ruler 1471 Inca ruler
and son of and son of Pachacuti who Pachacuti who
doubled the doubled the size of the size of the
empireempire
Francisco PizarroFrancisco Pizarro1478-15411478-1541Spanish Spanish
conquistador conquistador who defeated who defeated
the Incasthe Incas
QuipuQuipuA knotted rope A knotted rope
used by the used by the Incas to keep Incas to keep
recordsrecords
Andes MountainsAndes Mountains the world’s the world’s
longest longest mountain range mountain range
Located in Located in western western
South America South America and it is and it is home home
of the of the IncasIncas