| A | B |
|---|
| Theocracy | A system of government in which the rulers are believed to represent the will of the gods. |
| “Memorizers” | Official members of Incan society that learned long poems about Inca legends and history, so they could pass them down orally to the next generation. |
| Chaski | Highly trained Incan runners that delivered messages. |
| Terraced Farming | Inca farming that was done on steep hillsides. Each terrace was a flat step to plant on. |
| Sacrifice | An offering of a gift or human life to honor one of many gods. |
| Conquistador | A Spanish conqueror in the 16th century in Mexico and Peru. |
| Francisco Pizarro | Spaniard who conquered the Incas. |
| Machu Picchu | Major Incan city, which was a religious center. |
| Hernan Cortes (Hernando Cortes) | Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztecs. |
| Mesoamerica | A region that includes the southern part of what is now Mexico and parts of the northern countries of Central America. |
| Maize | A type of corn; the main crop of the Aztec. |
| Chinampas | Raised gardens, created in the swampy conditions of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. |
| Obsidian | A highly traded sharp, glasslike volcanic rock used for spearheads and sacrifices. |
| Codex | Books where the Aztecs kept historical records and information about religious rituals. |
| Causeways | Raised roads across water or wet ground. |
| Cacao Bean | Seeds from a tree used by the Aztecs to make chocolate. |
| Tenochtitlan | City built by the Aztecs; the capital city of the Aztecs. |
| Montezuma | The last Aztec emperor to rule. |
