Chichen Itza

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chichen-itza

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Chichen Itza?Tinúm Municipality, Yucatán State, Mexico
2. How many people live in Chichen Itza?Estimated to have been a large urban center with a diverse population
3. How big is Chichen Itza?The archaeological site covers a significant area, with extensive ruins
4. What language do people speak in Chichen Itza?Primarily Yucatec Maya, with evidence of cultural exchange from other Mesoamerican groups
5. Why did the Maya build Chichen Itza near cenotes?Cenotes were natural sinkholes that gave water in a place with few rivers, so the city could grow and stay healthy.
6. How did Chichen Itza use its buildings to keep track of the calendar?The Great Pyramid of Kukulcan, called El Castillo, has 91 steps on each of its four sides, adding up to 364 steps, and the top platform is the 365th day of the year.

Terminal Classic period: A specific era in Maya history (roughly AD 800-900) marked by significant cultural and political changes.
Cultural diffusion: The spread of cultural beliefs, social activities, and other human experiences from one group to another.
Cenote: A natural pit or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock, exposing groundwater underneath.