Glossary
Animists
Believers in animism, the spiritual belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence.
Example:
Many indigenous American societies were animists, believing that spirits resided in natural elements like rivers, mountains, and animals.
Aztec Empire
A powerful Mesoamerican empire that flourished in central Mexico from the 14th to the early 16th century, known for its militaristic expansion and tribute system.
Example:
The Aztec Empire dominated much of Mesoamerica through military conquest and demanded tribute from conquered peoples.
Calendar (Maya)
A highly accurate and complex system developed by the Maya for tracking time, astronomical events, and religious cycles.
Example:
The Maya calendar was so precise that it could predict solar eclipses, showcasing their advanced understanding of astronomy.
Chinampas
Artificial islands created by the Aztecs in Lake Texcoco for agricultural purposes, also known as 'floating gardens.'
Example:
The Aztecs used chinampas to significantly increase their agricultural output, feeding the large population of Tenochtitlan.
City-states
Independent urban centers that control surrounding agricultural territories and function as self-governing political units.
Example:
The Maya civilization was not a unified empire but rather a collection of powerful city-states, each with its own ruler and distinct identity.
Earthen mounds
Large, man-made hills of earth constructed by ancient peoples, often for ceremonial or burial purposes.
Example:
The Mississippian culture is famous for its impressive earthen mounds, like those found at Cahokia, which demonstrate their complex social organization.
Huitzilopochtli
The Aztec sun god and god of war, who was central to their religious beliefs and often associated with human sacrifice.
Example:
The Aztecs believed that Huitzilopochtli required offerings of human blood to ensure the sun's daily journey across the sky.
Human sacrifice (Aztec)
A religious practice common in Aztec society, involving the ritual killing of individuals, often war captives, to appease gods and ensure cosmic order.
Example:
Human sacrifice was a central and often public aspect of Aztec religious life, believed to nourish the sun god Huitzilopochtli.
Incan Empire
The largest empire in pre-Columbian America, located in the Andes Mountains of South America, known for its centralized government and extensive road system.
Example:
The Incan Empire stretched thousands of miles along the Andes, unified by a sophisticated administrative system and impressive infrastructure.
Inti
The Inca sun god, considered the most important deity in the Inca pantheon and the divine ancestor of the Sapa Inca.
Example:
The Inca revered Inti as their primary deity, believing the emperor was a direct descendant of the sun god.
Matrilineal
A social system in which descent and inheritance are traced through the mother's line.
Example:
In a matrilineal society, a child's social status and clan affiliation would be determined by their mother's family, not their father's.
Mita system
A mandatory public service labor system in the Inca Empire, requiring all male citizens to contribute work to state projects like roads, bridges, and agriculture.
Example:
The mita system allowed the Inca to construct vast public works, such as their extensive road network, without relying on a monetary economy.
Polytheists
Believers in polytheism, the worship of or belief in multiple deities.
Example:
Both the Aztecs and Incas were polytheists, worshipping a pantheon of gods and goddesses associated with natural forces and human activities.
Quipu
A system of knotted cords used by the Inca for record-keeping, accounting, and possibly historical narratives, as they lacked a written language.
Example:
Inca administrators used the quipu to keep track of census data, tribute payments, and agricultural yields across the vast empire.
Regionalism
The development of distinct cultures and societies in different geographical areas due to vast land and smaller populations.
Example:
Before European arrival, the Americas were characterized by significant regionalism, with diverse groups like the Mississippian culture in the southeast and the Maya in Mesoamerica.
Tenochtitlan
The capital city of the Aztec Empire, built on an island in Lake Texcoco, known for its impressive size and sophisticated urban planning.
Example:
The magnificent city of Tenochtitlan, with its grand temples and bustling markets, was a testament to Aztec engineering and power.
Unified monarchy (Inca)
A political system where a single ruler, the Sapa Inca, held absolute power over a highly centralized and integrated empire.
Example:
Unlike the Maya city-states, the Inca operated as a unified monarchy, with all power emanating from the emperor in Cuzco.
Yucatan Peninsula
A peninsula in Central America, home to the ancient Maya civilization.
Example:
The dense rainforests of the Yucatan Peninsula provided both challenges and resources for the thriving Maya civilization.