Zapotec civilization

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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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/zapotec-civilization

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. What is Zapotec civilization known for?Monumental construction including pyramids, plazas, palaces, and astronomical alignments at Monte Albán
2. What is the geographic focus?Oaxaca Valley, Southern Mexico
3. What is the primary urban center?Monte Albán, founded c. 500 BCE
4. What was Monte Albán and why was it important?Monte Albán was a big city built on a mountaintop around 500 BCE. It was the main political, economic, and religious center for the Zapotec people for over a thousand years.
5. How did the Zapotec people grow food and support their city?They grew maize, beans, and squash and used irrigation systems to water their crops. This food helped feed the many people who lived in Monte Albán.

Late Preclassic Period: A historical era in Mesoamerica, roughly from 500 BCE to 250 CE, characterized by the rise of complex societies.
Postclassic Period: The final era of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican history, from c. 900 CE until the arrival of Europeans.
Stelae: Upright stone slabs, often inscribed with carvings or hieroglyphs, used as historical monuments.