#AP World History: Modern - The Americas Before 1200 CE: A Last-Minute Review 🌎

Hey! Let's get you prepped for the exam with a super-focused review of the Americas before 1200. We'll break down the key stuff, make connections, and get you feeling confident. Let's do this!

#🧭 Big Picture: Diversity and Regionalism

#Mississippian Culture

• Located in the modern-day southeastern United States.
• Known for large earthen mounds, showing their ability to organize large-scale projects. 🏗️
• Matrilineal society: Social standing passed down through the mother's line.

#🏛️ Major Empires of Mesoamerica

#1. The Maya (250 - 900 CE)

• Thrived in the Yucatan Peninsula rainforest.
• Organized as a collection of city-states that cooperated for mutual benefit. 🤝
• Built impressive temples, cities, and trade networks.
• Famous for their accurate calendar, complex writing system, and pyramids.
• Collapsed around 900 CE due to internal conflicts and food shortages.

#2. The Aztec Empire (1300s - 1521 CE)

• Occupied modern-day Mexico City and the surrounding area.
• Capital: Tenochtitlan, built on Lake Texcoco, was HUGE (200,000 people!).
• Built chinampas (floating gardens) for agriculture. 🌾

Aztec Chinampas: Ingenious floating gardens that expanded the city and provided food.

• Practiced human sacrifice, often of war captives or tributes, to appease their gods, especially Huitzilopochtli (sun god). ☀️
• Militaristic society with a strong merchant class and education for men.

#⛰️ The Incan Empire (1400s - 1533 CE)

• Dominated the Andes Mountains in South America (north to south).
• A unified monarchy with a strong central government, unlike the Aztec city-state system.
• Did not practice human sacrifice to the same extent as the Aztecs; they did practice animal sacrifice, especially llamas. 🦙
• Relied on a state-led society with a highly organized system of government.

#Inca Labor and Record Keeping

• Mita system: Mandatory public service labor for all male citizens. 👷
• Quipu: A system of knotted cords used for record-keeping and communication. 🧶

Inca Quipu: A complex system of knotted cords for record-keeping and communication.

#Shared Religious Beliefs

• Both the Aztecs and Incas were animists and polytheists. 🌿
• They both had sun gods: Huitzilopochtli (Aztec) and Inti (Inca).

• Focus on comparing and contrasting the Aztec and Inca empires. This is a common essay prompt. Think about their political structures, religious practices, and economic systems.

#🎯 Final Exam Focus

#Top Priority Topics

• Mesoamerican Empires: Maya, Aztec, and Inca - their political, economic, and social structures.
• Mississippian Culture: Key features and impact.
• Comparison: Be ready to compare and contrast different societies.

#Common Question Types

• Multiple Choice: Expect questions on specific details about each civilization.
• Short Answer: Be ready to explain the significance of terms like 'chinampas', 'mita', and 'quipu'.
• Free Response: Be prepared to analyze the similarities and differences between the Aztec and Inca empires.

#Last-Minute Tips

• Time Management: Don't spend too long on any one question. Move on and come back if you have time.
• Read Carefully: Pay close attention to the question prompt. What is it really asking?
• Use Evidence: Always support your answers with specific historical details.
• Stay Calm: You've got this! Take deep breaths and trust your preparation.

#📝 Practice Questions

Practice Question

#Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following best describes the political organization of the Maya civilization? (A) A unified empire ruled by a single emperor (B) A collection of independent city-states (C) A theocracy led by a priestly class (D) A nomadic society with no permanent settlements

2. The Inca Empire is best known for its: (A) Extensive maritime trade networks (B) Development of a phonetic alphabet (C) Complex system of roads and labor obligations (D) Practice of human sacrifice on a massive scale

3. What was the significance of chinampas in Aztec society? (A) They were used for religious ceremonies. (B) They served as defensive fortifications. (C) They were a method of agricultural production. (D) They were a form of currency.

#Short Answer Question

Briefly explain the significance of the mita system in the Inca Empire. How did it contribute to the empire's success?

#Free Response Question

Analyze the similarities and differences between the political and economic systems of the Aztec and Inca empires. Be sure to include specific examples to support your claims.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): A clear, historically defensible thesis that addresses the prompt.
• Aztec Political System (1 point): Discussion of the city-state structure and Tenochtitlan's dominance.
• Aztec Economic System (1 point): Discussion of trade networks and chinampa agriculture.
• Inca Political System (1 point): Discussion of the centralized monarchy and bureaucracy.
• Inca Economic System (1 point): Discussion of the mita system and state-controlled economy.
• Comparison (1 point): Identification of at least one similarity and one difference between the two empires.
• Evidence (1 point): Use of specific historical evidence to support claims.

That's it! You've got a solid grasp of the Americas before 1200. Go ace that exam! 💪