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Midterm Exam 1

Study Guide

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I. Be able to discuss the following topics:

a. Hypotheses concerning the time and place of origin of first humans in the Americas.
b. Defining features of the Mesoamerican cultural tradition and culture area
c. Origin of Mesoamerican agriculture and the importance of maize, beans, squashes, chili, etc.
d. The Olmec as the "mother culture" of Mesoamerica.
e. Olmec Art (forms, materials, themes, etc. - what it tells us about the Olmec).
f. The Mesoamerican calendars: 365 day solar; 260 day sacred; calendar round; long count.

II. Sites and archaeological areas with which you should be familiar. (Know time period,location, and at least one important fact about each.)
 

San Jose Mogote
Tepexpan
Tres Zapotes
Chalcatzingo
Tehuacan Valley
Izapa
West Mexico (Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit)
Uaxactun
Paso de Amada

Monte Alban (Preclassic period)
La Venta
El Manatí
Tlatilco
Juxtlahuaca
El Opeño
Epi-Olmec
Monte Alto
Nakbe
Santa Izabel Ixtepan
San Lorenzo
La Mojarra
Chupícuaro
San Bartolo
Canton Corralito
El Mirador
Kaminaljuyu
Puerto Marquez

III. Terms you should be able to identify or define. (Who, what, when, where, why???)
 

chinampa
teosinte
Quetzalcoatl
werejaguar
Long Count
voladores
Clovis
Building J
Long Lip God
Usulutan Ware
Tepexpan Woman
zea mays
Tlaloc
"colossal heads"
La Mojara stela
Isthmian Script
Las Limas figure
Mosaic Pavements
Izapan Civilization
Mokaya culture of Soconusco

bar & dot numerals
"pretty ladies of Tlatilco"
shaft tombs of West Mexico
rubber ball game
Olmec jade figurines
Tuxtla Statuette
Stirling hypothesis
Offering # 4 of La Venta
Barra Pottery

"Danzantes"
magnetite mirrors
columnar basalt
"pox" pottery
"massive offerings" (Olmec)
village scenes of W. Mexico
Stela C of Tres Zapotes
Olmec "presentation" theme

Cascajal block

III. Know the names and general features of the major cultural-time periods (with dates) that we have studied thus far.
    (Use the charts and dates in your text books.)
 

Paleoindian (Early Hunters)
Archaic (Incipient Agricultural Period)
Early Preclassic
Middle Preclassic
Late Preclassic and
Epi-Olmec