Question 1

During and following the Terminal Classic Period of Maya history, Maya culture:

Accepted Answer

A)  disappeared 
B)  expanded into the Mexican highlands 
C)  was reconfigured, with large regal-ritual centers constructed to the north 
D)  expanded north, into what is now the southeastern United States 
A)  disappeared 
B)  expanded into the Mexican highlands 
C)  was reconfigured, with large regal-ritual centers constructed to the north 
D)  expanded north, into what is now the southeastern United States C

Question 2

Today, about how many people speak the Maya language:

Accepted Answer

A)  5,000,000 
B)  1,000,000 
C)  100,000 
D)  none; the Maya language is extinct 
A)  5,000,000 
B)  1,000,000 
C)  100,000 
D)  none; the Maya language is extinct A

Question 3

Did the Maya collapse? Where are the Maya today?

Accepted Answer

The Maya civilization, known for its sophisticated culture, monumental architecture, and advanced knowledge in mathematics and astronomy, experienced what is often referred to as a "collapse" in its classical period, particularly during the 8th and 9th centuries. This collapse is characterized by the abandonment of large cities, a decline in monumental construction, and a significant decrease in population density in the areas that were once the heartland of the Maya civilization, such as the lowlands of the Yucatán Peninsula, Guatemala, and Belize.

However, it is important to note that the term "collapse" may be somewhat misleading, as it suggests a sudden and complete end, which was not the case for the Maya civilization. While many of the great city-states of the Classic period did decline, Maya culture, people, and communities continued to exist and even thrive in other regions. The reasons for the decline of the Classic Maya civilization are complex and multifaceted, including environmental factors such as drought, deforestation, and soil degradation, as well as social factors like warfare, political instability, and possibly disease.

Today, the Maya people and their descendants are very much present. They live in the same regions where their ancestors built their ancient cities: in Mexico, particularly in the Yucatán Peninsula, as well as in Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. They number in the millions, making them one of the largest indigenous groups in the Americas. The modern Maya maintain many aspects of their ancient culture, including language, traditions, beliefs, and social structures, even as they participate in the broader societies of the countries in which they live.

The Maya continue to contribute to the world through their vibrant traditions, their languages, and their ongoing efforts to maintain their cultural heritage while adapting to contemporary life. The archaeological sites left by their ancestors are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and continue to be studied by researchers from around the world, providing valuable insights into ancient Maya civilization and its remarkable achievements.

Question 4

The so-called Classic Maya period began:

Accepted Answer

A)  3,250 B.P. 
B)  2,650 B.P. 
C)  1,650 B.P 
D)  650 B.P. 
A)  3,250 B.P. 
B)  2,650 B.P. 
C)  1,650 B.P 
D)  650 B.P.

Question 5

Altar Q at Copán is important because:

Accepted Answer

A)  it depicts the sequence of rulers of the city 
B)  it rationalizes the rule of Pacal 
C)  the inscription is written in Maya and Spanish, providing the equivalent of a Rosetta Stone for the Maya written language 
D)  all of the above 
A)  it depicts the sequence of rulers of the city 
B)  it rationalizes the rule of Pacal 
C)  the inscription is written in Maya and Spanish, providing the equivalent of a Rosetta Stone for the Maya written language 
D)  all of the above

Question 6

The Aztec leader Motecuhzoma directly ruled over a population of about how many people:

Accepted Answer

A)  125,000 
B)  250,000 
C)  500,000 
D) 1,000,000 
A)  125,000 
B)  250,000 
C)  500,000 
D) 1,000,000

Question 7

On what basis were the animals mentioned in the previous question determined to have been held in capitivity?

Accepted Answer

A)  the existence of caged habitats 
B)  the discovery of collars around the neck bones 
C)  a chemical analysis of the animals' diet 
D)  DNA 
A)  the existence of caged habitats 
B)  the discovery of collars around the neck bones 
C)  a chemical analysis of the animals' diet 
D)  DNA

Question 8

Why do archaeologists think that Teotihuacán was a place of pilgrimage for the Aztecs?

Accepted Answer

Archaeologists and historians believe th

Question 9

Teotihuacán's rise to dominance in the Basin of Mexico occurred largely as a result of:

Accepted Answer

A)  its rich agricultural soil 
B)  its location along a natural trade route 
C)  its location near an important source of obsidian 
D)  all of the above 
A)  its rich agricultural soil 
B)  its location along a natural trade route 
C)  its location near an important source of obsidian 
D)  all of the above

Question 10

The vast majority of Maya codices:

Accepted Answer

A)  are housed in the National Museum of Maya Culture in Guatemala 
B)  have been translated and serve as the basis for our current understanding of the kingly lineages at most Maya sites 
C)  are missing, having been taken by Aztec invaders of the Yucatan sometime in the late fifteenth century 
D)  were destroyed upon the order of the Spanish Bishop of the Yucatan 
A)  are housed in the National Museum of Maya Culture in Guatemala 
B)  have been translated and serve as the basis for our current understanding of the kingly lineages at most Maya sites 
C)  are missing, having been taken by Aztec invaders of the Yucatan sometime in the late fifteenth century 
D)  were destroyed upon the order of the Spanish Bishop of the Yucatan

Question 11

Who was Pacal the Great? Describe his burial. How is his grave emblematic of civilization?

Accepted Answer

Pacal the Great was a Mayan ruler who re

Question 12

The population of the Maya regal-ritual city of Copán is estimated to have been about:

Accepted Answer

A)  10,000 
B)  20,000 
C)  40,000 
D)  70,000 
A)  10,000 
B)  20,000 
C)  40,000 
D)  70,000

Question 13

The sixteenth-century population of Tenochtitlán is estimated to have been:

Accepted Answer

A)  2,000 
B)  20,000 
C)  200,000 
D)  2 million 
A)  2,000 
B)  20,000 
C)  200,000 
D)  2 million

Question 14

The sites of El Mirador, Lamanai, and Cerros are all:

Accepted Answer

A)  part of a secondary tier of settlements; important, but smaller than Tres Zapotes, San Lorenzo, and La Venta 
B)  names given to the temple/palaces of the ancient Khmer civilization 
C)  large Maya cites at the time of the Spanish conquest 
D)  early Maya villages that exhibit the first evidence of public architecture 
A)  part of a secondary tier of settlements; important, but smaller than Tres Zapotes, San Lorenzo, and La Venta 
B)  names given to the temple/palaces of the ancient Khmer civilization 
C)  large Maya cites at the time of the Spanish conquest 
D)  early Maya villages that exhibit the first evidence of public architecture

Question 15

The primary goal of Aztec military excursions was:

Accepted Answer

A)  land 
B)  slaves 
C)  water 
D)  wealth 
A)  land 
B)  slaves 
C)  water 
D)  wealth

Question 16

Archaeologist Michael Smith has focused his research on:

Accepted Answer

A)  the burial chambers of Aztec nobility 
B)  the construction of Mesoamerican pyramids 
C)  rural villages within the Aztec realm 
D)  the nature of culture contact between the Aztecs and ancient Egyptians 
A)  the burial chambers of Aztec nobility 
B)  the construction of Mesoamerican pyramids 
C)  rural villages within the Aztec realm 
D)  the nature of culture contact between the Aztecs and ancient Egyptians

Question 17

How do we measure the geographic and political reach of the residents of Teotihuacán?

Accepted Answer

The geographic and political reach of th

Question 18

The name given to the characteristic form of the pyramids and platforms of Teotihuacán is called:

Accepted Answer

A)  talud/tablero 
B)  wattle and daub 
C)  riser/stringer 
D)  tetrahedron 
A)  talud/tablero 
B)  wattle and daub 
C)  riser/stringer 
D)  tetrahedron

Question 19

Aztec chinampas were part of a:

Accepted Answer

A)  system of intensive agriculture 
B)  trading network 
C)  system of labor taxation that supplied workers to the Aztec ruler 
D)  pattern by which the Aztecs incorporated vanquished enemies into their society 
A)  system of intensive agriculture 
B)  trading network 
C)  system of labor taxation that supplied workers to the Aztec ruler 
D)  pattern by which the Aztecs incorporated vanquished enemies into their society

Question 20

What appears to have been the rationale for human sacrifice in ancient civilizations? Why were children so often the victims of human sacrifice?

Accepted Answer

Human sacrifice in ancient civilizations

During and following the Terminal Classic Period of Maya history, Maya culture:

Today, about how many people speak the Maya language:

Did the Maya collapse? Where are the Maya today?

The so-called Classic Maya period began:

Altar Q at Copán is important because:

The Aztec leader Motecuhzoma directly ruled over a population of about how many people:

On what basis were the animals mentioned in the previous question determined to have been held in capitivity?

Why do archaeologists think that Teotihuacán was a place of pilgrimage for the Aztecs?

Teotihuacán's rise to dominance in the Basin of Mexico occurred largely as a result of:

The vast majority of Maya codices:

Who was Pacal the Great? Describe his burial. How is his grave emblematic of civilization?

The population of the Maya regal-ritual city of Copán is estimated to have been about:

The sixteenth-century population of Tenochtitlán is estimated to have been:

The sites of El Mirador, Lamanai, and Cerros are all:

The primary goal of Aztec military excursions was:

Archaeologist Michael Smith has focused his research on:

How do we measure the geographic and political reach of the residents of Teotihuacán?

The name given to the characteristic form of the pyramids and platforms of Teotihuacán is called:

Aztec chinampas were part of a:

What appears to have been the rationale for human sacrifice in ancient civilizations? Why were children so often the victims of human sacrifice?

Encountering the Past

Probing the Past

African Roots

The Human Lineage

The First Humans: The Evolution of Homo Sapiens

Expanding Intellectual Horizons: Arts and Ideas in the Upper Paleolithic and Late Stone Age

Expanding Geographical Horizons: New Worlds

After the Ice: The Food-Producing Revolution

Roots of Complexity: The Origins of Civilization

An Explosion of Complexity: Mesopotamia, Africa, and Europe

An Explosion of Complexity: The Indus Valley and China

An Explosion of Complexity: South America

An Explosion of Complexity: North America

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Exam 12: An Explosion of Complexity: Mesoamerica

During and following the Terminal Classic Period of Maya history, Maya culture:

Today, about how many people speak the Maya language:

Did the Maya collapse? Where are the Maya today?

The so-called Classic Maya period began:

Altar Q at Copán is important because:

The Aztec leader Motecuhzoma directly ruled over a population of about how many people:

On what basis were the animals mentioned in the previous question determined to have been held in capitivity?

Why do archaeologists think that Teotihuacán was a place of pilgrimage for the Aztecs?

Teotihuacán's rise to dominance in the Basin of Mexico occurred largely as a result of:

The vast majority of Maya codices:

Who was Pacal the Great? Describe his burial. How is his grave emblematic of civilization?

The population of the Maya regal-ritual city of Copán is estimated to have been about:

The sixteenth-century population of Tenochtitlán is estimated to have been:

The sites of El Mirador, Lamanai, and Cerros are all:

The primary goal of Aztec military excursions was:

Archaeologist Michael Smith has focused his research on:

How do we measure the geographic and political reach of the residents of Teotihuacán?

The name given to the characteristic form of the pyramids and platforms of Teotihuacán is called:

Aztec chinampas were part of a:

What appears to have been the rationale for human sacrifice in ancient civilizations? Why were children so often the victims of human sacrifice?

Encountering the Past

Probing the Past

African Roots

The Human Lineage

The First Humans: The Evolution of Homo Sapiens

Expanding Intellectual Horizons: Arts and Ideas in the Upper Paleolithic and Late Stone Age

Expanding Geographical Horizons: New Worlds

After the Ice: The Food-Producing Revolution

Roots of Complexity: The Origins of Civilization

An Explosion of Complexity: Mesopotamia, Africa, and Europe

An Explosion of Complexity: The Indus Valley and China

An Explosion of Complexity: South America

An Explosion of Complexity: North America

Filters