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mesoamerica
name for the cultural region that includes mexico and central america
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maize
name native americans gave to corn
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olmec
many consider this early american civiliation the "mother culture" of mesoamerica
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stela
the maya sculpted these tall stone monuments of nobles, rulers, and warriors
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pyramids of sun and moon
the aztec city of teotihuacan was the home of these two magnificent pyramids
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mexico city
the aztec capital, tenochtitlan, is the foundation of this modern day city
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chinampas
on these floating gardens, the aztecs raised maize, squash, and beans
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tribute
payment from conquered peoples
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aztec
huitzilopochtli was the patron god of this empire
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quetzalcoatl
feathered serpent of earth & water
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chavin
this was the earliest of the andean cultures whose religion unified much of peru
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adobe
a mixture of clay and plant fibers
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moche
these residents of the north coast of peru built the largest adobe structure in the americas
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geoglyph
figure or line made on earth's surface by clearing away rocks and soil
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nazca
these people were famous for etching geoglyphs in the desert
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pachacuti
this skilled andean warrior and leader proclaimed himself sapa inca
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cuzco
the capital of the incan empire
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quipu
a collection of colored strings that were knotted in different ways to represent various numbers
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network
a widely distributed group of things that work together as a unit or system
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allyu
inca word for "village"
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inti
the name of the incan sun god
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chosen women
the special female attendants of inti
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hohokam
they built a complex irrigation system that included numerous canals and were called the "vanished ones" by their descendants
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ana sazi
using had cut stone blocks they constucted housing complexes on cliffs along the sides of sheer canyon walls
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mesa verde
this massive cliff dwelling located in colorado includes more than 200 rooms
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pueblo
spanish name for the anasazi communities of multi story houses
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pueblo bonito
this magnificent anasazi pueblo is located in new mexico and includes 800 rooms
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kiva
anasazi name for the large underground chamber used for religious ceremonies and political meetings
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earthworks
the adena and hopewell people of the northeast built these giant piles of earth that were oval, cone shaped, or formed into animal shapes
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cahokia
this great mississippian center in illinois housed as many as 20,000 people by 1100 AD
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potlatch
the wealthiest and highest ranking members of the tribe were expected to distribute lavish gifts in this NW coast native american ceremony
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inuit
they were also known as the eskimo
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iroquois league
this native american alliance was also known as the five nations
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