Native Americans & Spaniards Two Worlds Collide Name Date Class The Americas Prior to Spanish Exploration Thousands of Native American groups thrived throughout North and South America before Spanish exploration. In present-day Mexico, the Maya people lived around the Yucatan Peninsula and the Aztecs built their empire around what is now the present-day capital of Mexico- Mexico City. In South America, the Inca civilization lived and built their city of Machu Picchu amongst the longest mountain chain in the world- the Andes. In the present-day United States, several groups also made their way of life. This activity will only focus on four- the Eastern Woodlands, the Plains, the Northwest Coast, and the Southwest groups. Your Mapping Task Using a QR Code Reader, you are asked to explore the land of the early Americas and the country of Spain. QR codes are provided for you on each map to help you out. You may also find it useful to use a map in your textbook or an atlas. Remember to do your best and be neat. In some cases, you may have to draw an arrow and then label the arrow. Learning Extension Ideas If you are interested, here are some activities that you can do to extend your learning: Create a model or diorama of something from one of the groups you will be mapping about (Hopi home, kachina doll, totem pole, longhouse, Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, etc.). Research a certain crop and share its importance to the specific group. Write a report on one of the Spanish explorers (Hernando Cortes, Francisco Pizarro, etc.). Draw a detailed map of where a certain group lived. Bring in a unique food/dish that a certain group liked to eat.
The Spanish Empire Topics Spanish Information QR Code Europe; bordering Atlantic Ocean & Mediterranean Sea Small mountain ranges, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea Mostly wood houses; some with fireplaces Bread, meat, fish, dairy, fruits, vegetables On the map of Spain, do the following: Draw an explorer in the country of Spain (do your best ). Lightly shade in the country with a color of your choice. Label the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Lightly shade them with a blue color. Hernando Cortes Did you know that in 1518, Cortes was put in charge of an expedition to the mainland of Mexico? This was something that he had wanted to do for many years. At the last minute, Governor Velazquez became worried that Cortes would become too powerful and he ordered Cortes not to sail. Cortes disobeyed the order and set sail anyway.
The Maya Civilization Topics Maya Civilization Information QR Code Yucatan Peninsula of present-day Mexico Rainforest, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea Walls made of stone or mud, with roofs of hay Maize, avocado, chocolate, coffee, corn tortillas, tamales On the map of Mexico, do the following: With a yellow color, shade in the area where the Maya civilization lived. Label the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Lightly shade them with a blue color. Label the Yucatan Peninsula. Maya Calendar Did you know that the Maya calendar consisted of 380 days? Maya Noble Headdress Did you know that the Maya nobles used parrot, macaw, and feathers from the quetzal bird for their headdresses?
The Aztec Empire Topics Aztec Information QR Code Valley around present-day Mexico City Swampy in some parts, Lake Texcoco, Gulf of Mexico Wood, mud & stone walls; thatched roofs Maize, beans, squash, chilies, tomatoes, limes, chocolate, turkey, honey, peanuts, duck, fish On the map of Mexico, do the following: With a purple color, shade in the area where the Aztec empire was located. Label the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Lightly shade them with a blue color. Cacao Beans Did you know that the Aztecs believed that drinking chocolate gave them some of Quetzalcoatl s (God of learning and the wind) wisdom? Aztec Ball Game Did you know that the Aztec ball game was known as ullamaliztli? Teams would compete with each other on a court. The object was to get the ball through the stone hoop, an extremely difficult task. One important rule was that the ball was never allowed to touch the ground.
The Inca Empire Topics Inca Information QR Code Andes Mountains (Chile to southern Colombia) Mountains, Lake Titicaca, Pacific Ocean Stone blocks with thatched roofs Maize, potato, peppers, seaweed, llamas, alpacas, guinea pigs, fish The Sapa Inca Did you know that the Sapa Inca was all powerful? He owned everything. He was the head of government. He made the laws. His word was final. Only the Sapa Inca could wear a special hat made of gold and feathers. He wore heavy gold jewelry and extremely heavy earplugs. The Potato Did you know that the potato is the world s fourth largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize? The Incas in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes around 8,000 BC to 5,000 BC! On the map of South America, do the following: Draw in the Andes Mountains with the symbol. Label the mountains. With a pink color, shade in the area where the Inca empire was located. Label the Pacific Ocean. Lightly shade it with a blue color.
The Eastern Woodlands Topics Eastern Woodland Information QR Code East coast of America stretching to the Mississippi River Great Lakes, Appalachian Mountains, Mississippi River Wigwams & Longhouses Fish, deer, moose berries, corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, melons On the map of United States, do the following: Draw in the Appalachian Mountains with the symbol. Label the mountains. With a green color, shade in the area where the Eastern Woodland group was located. Draw in and label the Mississippi River. Lightly shade it with a blue color. Draw in and label the five Great Lakes. Lightly shade them with the color blue also. Write at least 3 names of tribes of the Eastern Woodland group. Longhouses Did you know that longhouses were built up to 200 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 20 feet high? The frames of the longhouses were made with poles which were covered with bark that was cut into rectangular slabs. A variety of different trees were used to build a longhouse, depending on the tree s strength, flexibility, and resistance to decay.
The Southwest Topics Southwest Information QR Code Near the Four Corners of present-day United States Rio Grande & Colorado Rivers, deserts, plateaus Houses in cliffs; adobe/mud; hogans Rabbit, turkey, maize, corns, bean, squash, melons On the map of United States, do the following: Note: Scroll down the page. With an orange color, shade in the area where the Southwest group was located. Draw in and label the Rio Grande & Colorado Rivers. Lightly shade them with a blue color. Put a sign where the Four Corners are approximately located. Write at least 3 names of tribes of the Southwest group. Kachina Dolls Did you know that kachina dolls were given to Hopi girls, beginning in infancy, to help them learn about their responsibilities as women in the community? The dolls were carved by Hopi men using cottonwood roots.
The Plains Topics Plains Information QR Code West of Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains Plains & Rivers Tipis Buffalo, deer, berries, wolves, coyotes, lynx, roots On the map of United States, do the following: Draw in the Rocky Mountains with the symbol. Label the mountains. With a red color, shade in the area where the Plains group was located. Draw in and label the Mississippi River. Lightly shade it with a blue color. Write at least 3 names of tribes of the Plains group. Tipis of the Plains Did you know that some tipis could hold 30 to 40 people comfortably? The tipi was made of buffalo hide fastened around very long wooden poles, designed in a cone shape. Tipis were warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
The Northwest Coast Topics Northwest Coast Information QR Code Upper west coast of United States; above California Pacific Ocean, Columbia River, dense forests Plank houses Fish, shellfish, salmon, deer, fruit, seeds, roots On the map of United States, do the following: With a brown color, shade in the area where the Northwest Coast group was located. Draw in and label the Columbia River. Lightly shade it with a blue color. Draw a fish where the Pacific Ocean is located. Write at least 3 names of tribes of the Northwest Coast group. Totem Poles Did you know that the figures on totem poles were not gods to be worshipped? Instead, they represented traits and characteristics of each clan. Some totem poles represented stories or important events. Plank Houses Did you know that the cedar trees used to make the plank houses could grow as tall as 150-200 feet and live more than 1,000 years?