MesoAmerica

  • MesoAmerica is the term for American civilizations before the arrival of Europeans.
  • The main civilizations here are The Aztec's, The Inca's, and the Mayan's.
  • The Regents Exam often has a questions relating to the fact that there were advanced, complex civilizations in the America's before the arrival of Europeans.
  • The Aztec's were in present day Mexico.
  • They built giant stair stepped pyramids where they made human sacrifices to the Sun God.
  • The Inca's lived in the Andes Mountains of South America and were famous for their terraced farming.
  • But once the Europeans came with their guns, cannon, metal weapons and diseases - they quickly overran these civilizations.



Sample Regents Questions:



1) A study of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations of Latin America would show that these civilizations

1.  developed advanced and complex societies before the arrival of the Europeans
2.  established extensive trade with Pacific Rim nations
3.  were strongly influenced by their contact with Asian and African civilizations
4.  were relatively large, but not well organized




2) In Latin America, the Maya and the Aztec civilizations were similar in that they

1.  showed little evidence of urbanization
2.  lacked a strong central government
3.  developed complex mathematical and calendar systems
4.  used military weapons superior to those of Europeans








Answers:
1) - 1
2) - 3