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CH 11 Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mesoamerica | Middle America, located between United States and South America |
| Yucatan Peninsula | The land that stretches into the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico |
| Elevation | The height of land above sea level |
| Slash-and-burn Agriculture | A method of clearing land for farming by cutting down trees and then burning them |
| Maize | A type of corn |
| Cacao | A tropical tree that produces the beans from which chocolate is made |
| Olmec | A group of people who lived in Mesoamerica about 3,000 years ago |
| Alluvial Soil | Fertile soil deposited by rivers |
| Glyph | A picture that represents a word,syllable,or sound |
| Mother Culture | A way of life that strongly influences later cultures |
| Elite | An upper class of priests and nobles |
| Basalt | A kind of volcanic rock in which the Olmec used to carve huge head stones |
| Maya | Groups of Mesoamerican peoples who speak forms of the Mayan language |
| Stele | A stone monument containing glyphs representing important dates or events |
| Pacal ll | Mayan king who lived from A.D. 603 to 683 |
| Codex | Type of book written on bark paper |
| ItzamNa | Mayan main god, they believed he created the world |
| Mural | Large paintings applied directly to walls |
| Popul Vuh | Famous codex which tells the Mayan story of creation (Primary source) |