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7th grade · Social Studies · Unit 11 of 11

Maya, Aztec & Inca

Empires of the Americas

What your child practices

How the Maya, Aztec (Mexica) and Inca arose, their cities, farming, achievements in mathematics and astronomy, and how the Aztec and Inca empires were defeated by Spain. Maya, Nahua and Quechua peoples are living communities today.

Alaska content standards learning standard: SS.7.3.16.1; SS.7.3.21.1 · the Maya, Aztec and Inca and how their lands shaped them

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The Maya built cities like Tikal in the rainforests of Central America, with skill in math and astronomy.
  2. The Aztec farmed on floating gardens called chinampas. The Inca cut terraces into mountains and used the mit’a labor tax.
  3. Spain defeated the Aztec and Inca empires. Maya, Nahua and Quechua peoples are living communities today.

Example: What were chinampas? The Aztec capital stood in a lake. They built floating gardens on the water to grow crops. Answer: floating gardens the Aztec used to grow crops

Maya, Aztec & Inca in Alaska

In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 11 of 11 in 7th grade Social Studies, after African Kingdoms & Empires.

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: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

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

    Machu Picchu was built by the…

    • Aztec
    • Maya
    • Inca

  2. Question 2

    Inca farmers grew potatoes on…

    • terraces cut into mountainsides
    • floating gardens
    • desert sand

  3. Question 3

    The Aztec Empire collected… from conquered peoples.

    • votes
    • nothing
    • tribute

  4. Question 4

    The Haudenosaunee Confederacy united… under a shared law.

    • all of Europe
    • five, later six, nations
    • the Inca and Aztec

  5. Question 5

    The Maya developed a number system that included…

    • Roman numerals
    • a symbol for zero
    • only even numbers
    • no numbers above 10

  6. Question 6

    Under the Inca labor tax called mit'a, people…

    • worked on public projects for the state
    • paid in silver coins
    • served as priests

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