Ancient Civilizations in Early America

Based on your knowledge of Olmec civilization, this stone carving best shows which of the following?

• Olmec trade was widespread since traders moved big stone carvings like this one across a large area.

• The Olmec could organize large public labor projects.

• Olmec sculptors carved these large statues as representations of Olmec gods.

Which statement correctly describes the Maya city-states?

• They formed an empire before and during the Classic Period.

• They were united politically to a greater extent than the Aztec and Inca cities.

• They maintained regular contact through a system of economic exchange.

The Olmec, Aztec, and Maya had unique characteristics, but also shared some. Which shared characteristic correctly replaces the “?” in this chart?

• They all believed in the existence of multiple gods.

• They all created canals for transportation.

• They all constructed houses on cliffs along canyon walls.

For which purpose did the Ancestral Puebloans use structures such as this one?

• events such as combats and races

• public executions of thieves and murderers

• religious ceremonies and political meetings

Which statement best compares the environments of the Inca and Aztec?

• The Inca lived in tropical forests while the Aztec lived in high mountains.

• The Inca lived in the desert while the Aztec lived in thick forests.

• The Inca lived in the mountains while the Aztec lived in a valley on a high plateau.

What is being portrayed in this image?

• The Inca are preparing artificial islands for planting.

• The Olmec are using boats to plant, harvest, and transport crops.

• The Aztecs are raising maize, squash, and beans on floating gardens.

• The Maya are building up the land to lift crops up above the annual floodwaters.

In this Topic, you read the following text:

“Some of the earthworks were large burial mounds, others served as platforms for structures such as temples, and still others served as defensive walls. Mounds were usually cone-shaped, oval, or formed into the shape of an animal.”

Which civilization was responsible for building the structures described in this text?

• Olmec

• Maya

• Inca

• Adena

Which of the following is one of the influences that the Olmec civilization had on the Aztec?

• built pyramid-shaped temples

• sculpted colossal heads

• created a numbering system

• developed city-states

Which of the following cultures developed an understanding of the important mathematical concept of zero?

• Maya

• Inca

• Inuit

• Mohawk

Which evidence does the map provide that supports a common theory about how a migration into the Americas occurred?

• The map shows a land bridge from Siberia that developed as sea levels dropped and ice sheets formed.

• The map shows a constructed bridge at prehistoric sites near the Bering Strait.

• The map shows a distance that boats could have crossed with the aid of violent storms.

• The map shows a region of extreme cold weather in Siberia that forced people to migrate.