The rapid growth in urban population at Teotihuacan initially resulted from a series of nearby volcanic eruptions that disrupted agriculture and forced rural villagers to relocate to the city. Later, as the city elite increased their power, they forced additional farm families from the smaller villages in the region to relocate closer to the urban core. The elite organized these new labor resources to bring marginal lands into production, drain swamps, construct irrigation canals, and build terraces into hillsides. They also expanded the use of chinampas, sometimes called “floating gardens.” Bulliet et al., The Earth and Its Peoples, Boston: Cengage Learning, 2018, p. 200. Which of the following civilizations is most comparable to the people of Teotihuacan when it comes to methods of environmental control? a. The Maya b. The Aztecs c. The Inca d. The Anasazi Based on the passage, which of the following was most likely true of Teotihuacan?
a. The elite likely lived in the countryside and occasionally travelled into the city to segregate themselves from their sources of labor.
b. The city likely crumbled and disappeared due to a limited food supply, diminishing its influence on later civilizations.
c. In addition to a major food production area, the city likely served as a center of trade, public performance, and religious ritual.
d. The city likely saw many uprisings as the laboring class grew and gained awareness of their subjection to the elites.