Mesoamerican Civilizations Quiz

What did the Maya believe about communication with the gods?

• Kings and priests could communicate with the gods.

• Their kings should be worshiped as living gods.

• Priests and nobles should not mix together.

• Human sacrifice was forbidden by the gods.

Why was the mita system important to the Incas?

• It helped Incan astronomers with star movements.

• It allowed tax collection through labor.

• It helped control distant lands.

• It maintained social order.

Why did the Aztecs control the Valley of Mexico?

• They were the first settlers.

• They built strong defenses around Lake Texcoco.

• They had a powerful army.

• They produced valuable trade goods.

At its peak, the Aztec empire controlled

• all of present-day Mexico.

• from central Mexico to Guatemala.

• several isolated cities in Central America.

• a region connected by roads in the Andes.

When did the first Mesoamerican civilizations begin?

• After crossing the Bering Land Bridge.

• When hunters settled in the Valley of Mexico.

• Once farming began in the tropical forest.

• When the Maya built cities in Central America.

The Maya developed what using observatories?

• complex calendars.

• hieroglyphic writing.

• slash-and-burn agriculture.

• stone pyramids and temples.

How did the Incas use objects like the quipu in the photograph?

• to show nobility membership

• to track stars and planets

• to predict planting times

• to keep trade records

Which statements describe features of the Aztec government? Choose TWO correct answers.

• The Aztec king allied with other kings.

• The common people had relative freedom.

• Priests made all decisions, especially about war.

• Nobility helped select the king.

What best describes Mayan cities?

• Built on islands in lakes.

• Mainly in the highlands.

• Few buildings.

• Pyramids and palaces in centers.

Refer to the Incan civilization diagram. What was a major effect of the causes shown?

• Conquest of Central America

• Unification of the empire

• Rise of first Andean cultures

• Devastating civil wars