LIFE IN THE AMERICAS 1 2

LIFE IN THE AMERICAS 1

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AZTECS 3

1) According to legend, where would the Aztecs find somewhere to live? where an eagle screams, spreads its wings, and eats a serpent 4

2) Where did they find this? Valley of Mexico 5

3) What was the capital of the Aztec empire called? Tenochtilán (tay-NAWCHteet-LAHN) 6

4) How was the king of the Aztec empire chosen? A council of warriors, priests, & nobles picked each king from the royal family. 7

5) There were four classes of people. They were: • nobles • commoners • unskilled laborers • enslaved people 8

6) How could you join the noble class? People could join the noble class by performing one act of bravery in war. 9

7) The Aztecs viewed death as honorable. 10

8) Where were victims sacrificed? the Great Temple in Tenochtitlán 11

9) How many people lived in Tenochtitlán? At its height, perhaps 400, 000 people. 12

10) How did the Aztecs grow crops? on rafts piled with soil called “floating gardens” 13

INCAS 14

11) Who was Pachacuti? (PAH-chah-koo-tee) the greatest Incan leader 15

11) Pachacuti required that all people speak Quechua (KEH-chuh-wuh). 16

13) What was the capital of the Incan empire called? Cuzco (koos-koh) 17

14) At what age were you expected to begin working? age 5 18

15) What was Machu Picchu? a retreat for Incan kings 19

The Fall of the Aztec Empire 20

16) Who were the conquistadors? soldier-explorers sent to the Americas by Spain 21

17) Who was Hernan Cortés? (her-NAHN (kawr-TEHZ) Conquistador who lead the Spanish army in the defeat of Montezuma II and the Aztecs. 22

18) Why were Cortés and his men told to leave Cuba? The Spanish commander asked Cortés to find new people who could be forced to work for the Spanish. 23

19) Where did Cortés and his men go? Mexico 24

20) Who was Montezuma II? (MAHN-tuh-ZOO-muh) the Aztec emperor in the 1500 s 25

21) “First, Cortés knew how to use Spanish horses and guns to shock the Native Americans. ” 26

22) “Second, the Tabascans [another native group] gave Cortés another weapon– a Mayan woman named Malintzin (mah-LIHNTsuhn). She spoke both Mayan and Nahuatl (NAH-wah-tuh), the language of the Aztec. ” 27

23) Malintzin helped Cortés form alliances. 28

24) Finally, Cortés had the help of invisible allies- germs that carried diseases such as measles and smallpox. 29

25) Who was Quetzalcoatl? [ket-sahl-koh-AHT-l] a light-skinned Aztec god 30

26) Montezuma thought that Cortés was really Quetzalcoatl. 31

27) Montezuma decided to ambush Cortés and his troops, but Cortés learned of the plan and attacked first killing 6, 000 people. 32

28) In battle, Montezuma was taken hostage. 33

29) The Spanish were forced out of the city, but before they could plan another attack smallpox broke out in Tenochtitlán. 34

30) Because of the smallpox, the Spanish destroyed the Aztec capital. 35

PIZARRO CONQUERS THE INCA 36

31) Who was Francisco Pizarro? Spanish conquistador who defeated the Inca 37

32) Who was Atahualpa? (AH-tuh-WAHL-puh) Incan emperor conquered by Pizarro 38

33) Altahualpa was invited to a meeting with Pizarro and took with him 5, 000 bodyguards. 39

34) When Atahualpa refused to give up his gods, what did Pizarro do? Pizarro ordered an attack. 40

35) During battle, Atahualpa was put in jail and later tried to buy his freedom. 41

36) Atahualpa offered to fill his cell with gold and silver. he did this, but Pizzaro still didn’t let him out of jail. 42

37) Atahualpa was charged with many crimes and was found guilty by a military court. 43

38) Atahualpa’s punishment was death. 44

39) The Spanish were then in control of most of South America. 45

40) How many inhabitants were in this area? almost 7 million 46