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7th grade · Social Studies · Unit 9 of 14

Empires of the Americas & Africa

Maya, Aztec, Inca, Ghana and Mali

What your child practices

The Maya, Aztec (Mexica) and Inca, Cahokia, and the trading kingdoms of Africa such as Ghana, Mali and Great Zimbabwe. Maya people and many other nations are living communities today.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 7.9; 7.10 · early African societies, and early civilizations of the Americas

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The Maya, in southern Mexico and Central America, developed writing, a calendar and astronomy. Millions of Maya people live there today.
  2. The Aztec ruled from Tenochtitlan; the Inca ruled the Andes and used llamas. Cahokia was a large mound-building city.
  3. In Africa, Ghana and Mali grew rich on trade; Mansa Musa made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca.

Example: Which animal did the Inca use to carry loads in the Andes? The Andes are high, steep mountains. The Inca raised llamas to carry goods. Answer: llamas

Empires of the Americas & Africa in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 9 of 14 in 7th grade Social Studies, after Ancient Israel & Kush and before Ancient India & China.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    The Aztec built Tenochtitlan with causeways. What is a causeway?

    • A boat
    • A raised road across water
    • A temple
    • A farm tool

  2. Question 2

    Timbuktu in Mali was a famous center of…

    • Rice farming
    • Learning and trade
    • Fishing in the Arctic
    • Pyramid building

  3. Question 3

    The Maya are known for developing…

    • Paper money from China
    • Cuneiform
    • The Great Wall
    • A writing system, a calendar and advanced astronomy

  4. Question 4

    Great Zimbabwe, in southern Africa, is known for…

    • Huge stone walls built without mortar
    • Clay soldiers
    • A floating city
    • Ziggurats

  5. Question 5

    The Inca used knotted strings to keep records. These were called…

    • Scrolls
    • Hieroglyphs
    • Quipu (khipu)
    • Wampum

  6. Question 6

    Why did the Aztec Empire collect tribute from cities it conquered?

    • To bring goods and wealth to the capital
    • To build the Great Wall
    • To give gifts to Spain
    • To pay for railroads

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