2. •Aztec
Human
Sacrifices
•Aztec temples in capital city.
•Aztec religion was polytheistic: More than one god.
Aztec Gods
•Early American Civilizations: There were 3 early American civilizations that developed.
•Civilization: An advanced culture that has a written language, cities, organized religion, and government.
1. Aztecs: Human sacrifices, conquered by the Spanish.
2. Incas: Expert builders, conquered by the Spanish.
3. Mayans: System of math, studied the stars, developed a calendar.

3. •1492: Columbus sails west across the Atlantic Ocean hoping to reach India and China. After 2 months at sea, he lands on islands he believes to
be off the coast of India. He names the islands the West Indies and the natives Indians. Soon, he and his men realize that they have discovered a
New World and the gold that the Native Americans had. Columbus will go back to Spain and show the King and Queen the gold that he found.
They will send conquistadors to the New World to conquer the people in order to get the gold.
•Cortes landing in Mexico
with 600 men.
Horses Cannons
Metal
Armor
•1519-1521: Cortes conquers
the Aztec Empire with 600 men
and gains control of Central
America.
•1530-1535: Pizarro conquers
the Inca Empire with 180 men.

4. •Cortes conquering Aztecs
•Why were the Spanish and other Europeans able to conquer the
Native Americans so easily?
1. More advanced technology.
-Muskets, cannons, metal armor, horses.
2. European diseases such as smallpox killed millions of Native
Americans. .
Metal armor
Cannons
Horses
•Metal weapons
such as muskets,
swords, and
spears
•Aztec Warriors:
Leather armor,
wooden shield,
wooden spears
and clubs.

5. Muskets Metal armor and swords
No armor and wooden
clubs and spears

6. •Why were the Spanish and other Europeans able to conquer the
Native Americans so easily?
1. More advanced technology.
-Muskets, cannons, metal armor, horses.
2. European diseases such as smallpox killed millions of
Native Americans.
•This drawing shows
Aztecs dying from
smallpox.
•They are ascending
to heaven to one of
their gods.
•Millions of Native
Americans died between
1500-1620 mainly due to
European diseases.
25 million
1 million
Smallpox

7. •Aztec Social Structure
•Aztec Capital
•Aztec slaves used for physical labor and sacrifices.
•Slaves

9. Early American Civilizations:
1. Where were the Maya and Aztec empires located?
(a) Canada (b) Central America (c) southeastern United States (d) southwestern Europe
2. What was the major cause of death among Native American Indians after contact with Spanish explorers?
(a) relocation (b) disease (c) slavery (d) starvation
Base your answer to question 3 on the diagram and on your knowledge of social studies.
3. According to this diagram, which feature was a characteristic
of both the Maya and Aztec civilizations?
(a) creation of floating gardens
(b) use of the number zero
(c) improvement of fishing methods
(d) creation of a writing system
4. Columbus incorrectly described or labeled the peoples he encountered in the New World as:
(a) Native Americans (b) Asians (c) Indians (d) Iroquois
5. One way the Incas adapted to their geography was to:
(a) hunt buffalo to use for food and shelter (c) use terraces and irrigation to farm mountain sides
(b) build “long houses” that could hold several families (d) create “floating gardens” for planting crops in lakes
6. One way that the Maya, Aztec, and Inca were similar is that they all:
(a) migrated to America from Asia (c) settled in the desert of Southwestern United States
(b) developed civilizations before Columbus arrived (d) disappeared and left no artifacts behind to study

10. Early American Civilizations:
1. Where were the Maya and Aztec empires located?
(a) Canada (b) Central America (c) southeastern United States (d) southwestern Europe
2. What was the major cause of death among Native American Indians after contact with Spanish explorers?
(a) relocation (b) disease (c) slavery (d) starvation
Base your answer to question 3 on the diagram and on your knowledge of social studies.
3. According to this diagram, which feature was a characteristic
of both the Maya and Aztec civilizations?
(a) creation of floating gardens
(b) use of the number zero
(c) improvement of fishing methods
(d) creation of a writing system
4. Columbus incorrectly described or labeled the peoples he encountered in the New World as:
(a) Native Americans (b) Asians (c) Indians (d) Iroquois
5. One way the Incas adapted to their geography was to:
(a) hunt buffalo to use for food and shelter (c) use terraces and irrigation to farm mountain sides
(b) build “long houses” that could hold several families (d) create “floating gardens” for planting crops in lakes
6. One way that the Maya, Aztec, and Inca were similar is that they all:
(a) migrated to America from Asia (c) settled in the desert of Southwestern United States
(b) developed civilizations before Columbus arrived (d) disappeared and left no artifacts behind to study