In-Class Assignment on Ancient Civilizations

Name _________________________________

Ancient American Civilizations

Please use the links on my blog to complete the following assignment. Remember to explore the link then answer the questions under that link.

Olmec (Amercia’s Oldest Civilization ~ 1500 BCE ~ Central Mexico)

http://deyoung.famsf.org/deyoung/exhibitions/olmec-colossal-masterworks-ancient-mexico

1. What are the Olmecs best known for?

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2. Look at the different artifacts from the exhibit. Which is your favorite and why (use the title under the art piece)?

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http://www.aztec-history.com/olmec-civilization.html

3. How did the Olmecs influence later civilizations?

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Mound Builders (~1000 BCE ~ Ohio River Valley)

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/mounds/builders.htm

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/mounds/mounds.htm

4. The purpose of the mounds differed depending on the early Native American group that built them. What were 3 reasons why the Mounds were built and/or how they were used?

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Puebloans ( ~100 BCE ~ Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado)

http://hewit.unco.edu/dohist/puebloan/start.htm

5. Pueblo is the Spanish word for __________________________________________________________________________________

http://www.mesaverdecountry.com/tourism/archaeology/people.html

6. What did the Ancient Puebloans eat? and What types of homes did they live in?

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Mayans (~100 BCE ~ Mexico and Central America)

http://www.criscenzo.com/jaguarsun/maya.html

7. What are 3 facts you learned about the Mayans?

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http://library.thinkquest.org/11577/

8. Choose one of the links to learn more about Mayan life. (art, astronomy, ball game, books and heiroglypics, class system, number system)

Which link did you choose and what did you learn?

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http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/15nov_maya/

9. What do scientists think led to the downfall of the Mayan civilization? How is NASA involved in the research?

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________http://www.history.com/topics/maya/videos#the-mayans