The Maya

16.1

Chapter 16Section 1

Geography

• Reaches from central Mexico to northern Central America.

• 1000 BC- settled in Guatemala.

• Tropical Forest– Farmed: beans, squash, avocado, maize

(corn)– Forest: deer, rabbit, monkey, building

materials

• Lived in small, isolated villages– Connected through trade– Trade increased, villages grew

• By AD 200 Mayans had huge cities

Classic Age

• AD 250-900- height of Mayan civilization

• 40 large city-states– Own government, own king

• No ruler brought all cities together

– Trade held cities together• Example- forest goods, cotton, cacao beans for

obsidian, jade, bird feathers

• Grand buildings, palaces, temples– Temples honored kings

• Example Pacal

– Canals– Large plazas

• Open squares• Open court for ball game

Mayan Social Structure- Kings were highest

- Believed to be related to the gods.- Had religious and political authority

- Upper Class- Priests, merchants, noble warriors

- All held power in society

- Lower Class- Farming families

- Had to “pay” their rulers part of their crop

- Slaves

Mayan Religion

• Polytheistic– Sun god, moon goddess, maize god– Each controlled different part of daily life– Could be harmful or helpful

• People tried to please

– Mayans believed blood was needed for gods to prevent disasters

• Every person offered (piercing tongue or skin)• Human sacrifices on special occasions

Achievements

• Advances in science– Observatories

• See stars, plan festivals

– Developed calendars• 360 day for planting• 260- religious

– Accurate time

• Writing system– Symbols represented objects and sounds

• Created amazing art and architecture– Jade and gold jewelry– Temples and pyramids exceptionally built

• No metal tools, no wheeled carts• Decorated with paintings

Decline of Civilization

• AD 900- started to collapse– People stopped building, moved to

countryside– Reasons

• 1. Burden of the common people• 2. Increase of warfare between cities• 3. Couldn’t produce enough food

• Collapse happened gradually– Later revived in Yucatan Peninsula– Mayan power had faded before Spanish

arrived