Aztec, Inca and Maya WebQuest

Process 
You will work in a group of 2 students, to learn about different aspect of the Aztec, Maya, and 
Inca cultures. 

 
Geography: You will learn and report: 
1. where each culture lived, 
2. when they lived,  
3. Visual Aid: 
map of WHERE each civilization lived, AND 
a timeline of important dates for each civilization 
 
Religion: You will learn and report: 
1. about each culture's values,  
2. how each culture believed the world was created, 
3. what ceremonial centers they used (temples, etc.) and 
4. what those ceremonial centers' functions were 
 
Daily Life: You will learn and report about ONE of the following:  
1. about each culture's systems of family life (what roles did parents and children have),  
2. what education was like (who went to school? what subjects were covered? what ages  
attended?)  
3. about leisure activities 
 
Science/Math: You will learn and report about ONE of the following:  
1. about each culture's number system, 
2. what they knew about astronomy and the universe, 
3. and any other advances made in the areas of writing, math or science 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aztec Links: 
Collapse: Why do Civilizations Fall? 
Timeline of Mexico--click on Aztec Use through 1521. 
Indispensable Aztec Links 
Aztec Link for Kids  

Maya Links:  
Timeline of Mexico--click on Maya Use through 1521. 
History, geography and pictures 
Mayan astronomy 
The Mayan civilization 
Mayas for Kids
Maya Civilization 
  
 

Inca Links: 
Daily Life 
National Geographic article: Inca Secrets 
Incas for Kids 
Inca Creation Story--scroll down  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Geography  Aztecs   Incas   Mayans  

Where did they live?             

When did they live?          

  
  

In what modern countries      

would you have found this
civilization? 

X  X
Other    
What was the name of the   
Aztec capital/main city?   
 

Why did they build it where

they did? (Hint, this can be
found in several places; look at the
religion/beliefs section.)
 

TIMELINE 
  Aztecs   Incas   Mayas  
DATES 

             
 

       

       

       

       

       

       

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Religion  Aztecs   Incas   Mayans  

Was this empire polytheistic      

or monotheistic? 

Name at least one god from      

each civilization.

What were they the god of?

What was important             

to this culture? 
  
  

How did they think          

the world was made? 
  
  

Describe their worship          

centers.      
    
What were they used for? 

X
Why were the pyramids of    
the Aztec and Maya built?
   

X
What happened to the Aztec    
and Mayan temples?
 

Other          
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/cgi-bin/tour_d   
ef/mythology/inti_sun.html 
  
Who was Inti?

What did he have his

children do?
 
 
 
 
 
 

Daily Life   Aztecs   Incas   Mayans  

Family Roles             
  
OR 

Education          
  
OR 

Leisure Activities           
    
OR    

 
 
 

Science & Math   Aztecs   Incas   Mayans  

Describe the calendar system      

used by each civilization.

How is it alike and different

from ours?

AND 

X X
http://incas.mrdonn.org/roads.html  
Why were Inca roads so
impressive?
   

Did Incans write and keep

records?
AND
http://www.sacredsites.com/americas/peru/      
machu_picchu.html
What is Macchu Pichu and
who “found it”?

AND  
1 of the following
 Describe the             
number system 
used.  
  
OR 

What did they know          

about astronomy? 
For what did they use 
that information?  
  
OR 

Describe other           
advances made in    
writing, math or    
science.  

 
 

DECLINE  Aztecs   Incas   Mayans  

X X
Who was Hernando Cortez    
and how did he help bring
about the end of the Aztec       
civilization?  
  

X X
http://incas.mrdonn.org/  
Who was Atahualpa?
     
Who was Francisco Pizarro
and how did he help bring
about the end of the Inca
civilization?

X X
http://www.mayankids.com/  
mkintro.htm
Why did the Mayan      
civilization decline?

 
 
 
 
 
You will answer the following questions in paragraph form: 

There should be two paragraphs, one discussing the civilization you would 
have wanted to live in and the other paragraph should state why you 
would not want to live in the other two. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TELL 
ME “I wouldn’t want to live in any of them because I don’t like them, they 
aren’t modern” or any other reasons like that. 

● Which of the 3 civilizations would you have wanted to live in? Give at least two reasons
why.

● Of the two civilizations you would not want to have lived in, give one reason for each
why you would not have wanted to live in either of those.