Mesoamerican Civilizations and Urban Development
The Maya civilization (300-900 CE) established sophisticated city-states across the Yucatan peninsula, with Tikal emerging as their largest urban center, housing approximately 100,000 people. Their achievements in mathematics, astronomy, and writing systems demonstrate advanced intellectual capabilities that ap world history unit 1 mcq questions often examine.
Example: The Maya developed a precise 365-day calendar divided into 18 months of 20 days each, plus 5 additional days considered especially significant.
The Aztecs, who rose to prominence in the 10th century CE, built their capital Tenochtitlan on an island, following a prophetic vision. Their highly stratified society included military elites, farmers, and slaves, with power concentrated in a monarchy claiming divine descent. Their agricultural innovations, particularly the chinampa system, supported dense urban populations.
These civilizations' complex religious practices, including human sacrifice, reflected their cosmological beliefs and social organization. The Aztec Empire's ability to control a population of up to 20 million people through a system of tributary city-states showcases their administrative capabilities.