Mesoamerican cities were among the greatest in the world. Describe Teotihuacan as well as Tula, and the other great cities described in the chapter. What made them great? Describe a city near to where you live and compare it to Mesoamerican cities

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
This question should provoke students to bring together many parts of the chapter. Students should understand the political, economic, agricultural, and religious components of these cities, each of which had complex social class systems, marketplaces and trade, highly developed means of growing food for a large population, and extensive religious temples and rituals. Their size drew farmers from their fields into urban craft production for a growing long-distance trade network. These cities were religious, artistic, and trade centers that had great influence on succeeding civilizations. Their architecture expressed their religion. Enormous pyramids dedicated to the sun, moon, and other gods were built along the central avenue. Some of these cities also developed technological breakthroughs in agriculture, such as chinampas, which helped support the urban population. Students should be able to look at their own world and make a comparison to these cities.