Mesoamerica

1      Why did farmers in Mesoamerica move their farms from time to time?

A      As their families grew larger, farmers needed larger farms.

B      Conquering armies confiscated their land and forced them to leave.

C      Heavy rains flooded their fields, forcing them to find new land.

D      The soil would wear out and could no longer support farming.

• As their families grew larger, farmers needed larger farms.

• Conquering armies confiscated their land and forced them to leave.

• Heavy rains flooded their fields, forcing them to find new land.

• The soil would wear out and could no longer support farming.

2      What was one factor that may have caused Mayan cities to fall into ruin between 800 and 1000 bce?

• The Olmec invaded Mayan cities.

• The Spanish conquered the Maya.

• Mayan buildings were poorly constructed.

•    Food shortages occurred due to drought.

3      Which concept did the Maya understand before Europeans did?

A      architecture

B      calendars

C      hieroglyphics

D      the number zero

• architecture

• calendars

• hieroglyphics

•    the number zero

4      How have modern scholars learned much of their information about the Maya?

A      from printed books

B      from oral history

C      from glyphs carved in stone

D      from Spanish records

• from printed books

•      from oral history

•      from glyphs carved in stone

•       from Spanish records

5      Why did Mayan commoners seek to please priests and nobles?

• A      They were afraid of being sacrificed to the gods.

• B      They believed priests and nobles could communicate with the gods.

• C      They believed priests and nobles were gods in human form.

• D      They depended on priests and nobles to supply them with food.

6      Why did the Aztecs settle in the Valley of Mexico?

• A      They wanted to take over abandoned Mayan cities.

• B      The area was located near a major river system.

• C      The valley had a warmer climate than the Mayan lowlands.

• D      Surrounding volcanoes created fertile soil in the valley.

7      What are chinampas?

• A      artificial islands used for farming

• B      crops grown by Aztec farmers

• C      birds sacred to the Aztec people

• D      walls built to hold back flood waters

8      The majority of Aztecs belonged to what social class?

• A      nobles

• B      commoners

• C      slaves

• D      priests

9      Why did the Aztecs engage in human sacrifice?

• A      to punish people who broke the law

• B      to keep their chief god strong

• C      to determine who would be the next emperor

• D      to punish their enemies who also engaged in human sacrifice

10      The Aztecs build aqueducts in order to

• A      please their gods.

• B      supply Tenochtitlan with fresh water.

• C      move trade goods.

• D      connect Tenochtitlan to the lakeshore.