Machu Picchu

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/machu-picchu

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. How high is Machu Picchu?Approximately 2,430 meters (7,970 feet) above sea level
2. What is the location?Machu Picchu District, Urubamba Province, Cusco Region, Peru
3. What is the approximate construction period?Circa 1450 AD
4. Why was Machu Picchu built between two mountains?The Inca chose the spot between Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu for both defense and to honor the sacred mountains, which they believed were divine.
5. How did the Inca keep Machu Picchu safe from earthquakes?They used ashlar masonry, fitting huge granite blocks together without mortar. This made the buildings strong and able to withstand the region's frequent earthquakes.

Sacred Geography: The belief that certain natural landscapes hold spiritual power and significance.
Solstice: The longest or shortest day of the year, when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky.
Seismic Activity: Earthquakes or ground shaking caused by movements within the Earth's crust.
Pre-Columbian: Referring to the Americas before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.