Glencoe World History © 2010

Early Civilizations in the Americas

Introduction
Many cultural achievements of early civilizations in Mesoamerica have been passed down through tradition. One example is the ancient ballgame which was a part of all major cultures of Mesoamerica. In this activity, you will learn about how archaeologists have uncovered evidence of the ballgame and how the ballgame spread throughout Mesoamerican cultures.

Destination Title: The Ballgame of Mesoamerica

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Directions

• Scroll through the Web site and read the introduction and the sections “The Precolumbian Game Origins,” “The Spread of the Game,” “Ballcourts,” and “Conclusion.”
• Take notes as you read the text.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			How were balls in the Americas different from those in Europe?
2			How did the ballgame spread?
3			What features were often included on the walls of the ballcourts?
4			Provide one example of evidence of the existence of the ancient ballgame.
5			Describe two ways in which the ancient ballgame is similar to a modern-day sport of your choosing.