1. The Incas relied on a network of roads and bridges to connect their empire. In this Newsela article, we learn that the roads and bridges had symbolic importance. The Inca believed the roads and bridges connected the Earth with the water and even had magical powers when you walked on them. The main reason I selected this article was because it taught me that the Inca saw their roads as more than just ways of transporting goods and people. They actually had a symbolic importance.
Chinampas are "floating" gardens that were used by the Aztec to grow food in the Valley of Mexico. This article asks whether this ancient farming technique can be used today and gives instructions on how to make a chinampa. This is a good article for my curation because it shows that ancient farming techniques were more advanced than we thought and can still be useful today.
The Maya had a very accurate calendar system that they used for many important events such as when to fight, plant, or have other religious festivals. This video is about how people thought that the Maya predicted the world would end in 2012. The narrator explains that this is not at all what the Maya predicted. This video is important because it explains a common myth that people have about the Maya, the idea they they predicted the end of the world. Hollywood even made a movie about it called 2012.
Pok-A-Tok is a Maya ball game played with a rubber ball on a court. The object is to get the ball to pass through rings. This article explains the game and also describes how rubber balls were made. I chose this article because it combines sport with Mayan religion which was part of every Mayan's life.