Civilizations of the Americas (HA)
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1. Geography Skills
Analyze the maps in the student text, then fill out the map as directed.
a. Locate the area of the Mayan civilization. Use the green pen tool to outline it on your map.
b. Locate the area of the Aztec civilization. Use the orange pen tool to outline it on your map.
c. Locate the area of the Incan civilization. Use the purple pen tool to outline it on your map.
d. Locate the Sierra Madre Occidental, the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Andes Mountains, and the
Yucatán Peninsula. Label them on your map.
e. Use the blue pen tool to trace the Amazon River.
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2. Using the map that you just labeled and the maps in your student text, answer the following
questions.
According the map in your book, what is the elevation and principal climate zone of the land in central
Mexico?
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3. How would you predict that elevation and climate might affect the way the Aztecs lived?
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4. About how high is the land in the northern Yucatán Peninsula? In the southern Yucatán Peninsula?
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5. Which climate zone is in the northern Yucatán Peninsula? Which climate zone is southern Yucatán
Peninsula?
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6. What challenges do you think climate and elevation might have posed for the Mayas?
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7. What is the elevation and climate of the land in western South America?
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8. What impact do you think elevation and climate might have had on Incan life?
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9. Based on physical features and climate, which civilization would you predict had the largest city?
Why?
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10. In which civilization do you think it would have been easiest for people to have an economy based
on agriculture? Why? Where do you think agriculture would have been most challenging? Why?
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11. What do people need in order to trade? Which civilization do you predict had an extensive system of
trade? Why?
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12. Look at the geographic features of all three civilizations. What did they have in common that
enabled them to thrive?