Question

Which of the following describes a way that a prior civilization influenced the Aztec empire?

A. The Inca left behind altars for animal sacrifice that influenced Aztec religion.

B. The maya built large religious ruin of human faces that influence Aztec architecture.

C. The Toltec developed a system of writing for genealogical records that influenced Aztec hieroglyphics.

D. The Olmec left behind remnants of a ceremonial ball game that influenced Aztec religion.

Answer 1

The Olmec left behind remnants of a ceremonial ball game that influenced Aztec religion, making option D the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The way that a prior civilization influenced the Aztec empire can be described as follows:

• The Inca did not leave behind altars for animal sacrifice that influenced Aztec religion. This is not related to the influence on the Aztecs.
• The Maya built impressive religious structures, and there may be some architectural influence, though it is not specifically known for large religious ruins of human faces influencing Aztec architecture.
• The Toltec are known to have developed a system of writing and had a cultural influence over the Aztecs, but there is no direct evidence of their system of writing specifically influencing Aztec hieroglyphics for genealogical records.
• The Olmec civilization, being one of the earliest in Mesoamerica, did indeed influence later civilizations with cultural practices such as the ceremonial ball game, which continued into the Aztec era and had religious significance.

Thus, the correct answer is: D. The Olmec left behind remnants of a ceremonial ball game that influenced Aztec religion.