THE MAYA THE MAYA

CIVILIZATIONCIVILIZATION

Geography: Geography: A Growing CivilizationA Growing Civilization

The Maya lived in the The Maya lived in the Yucatan Peninsula Yucatan Peninsula

Spread out over Spread out over 125,000 square miles125,000 square miles

The Highlands / The Highlands / lowlandslowlands

With mountains and With mountains and valleysvalleys

Geography: Geography: A Growing CivilizationA Growing Civilization

Archaeologists think the Archaeologists think the Maya began working the Maya began working the land as early as 1800 B.C.land as early as 1800 B.C.

They built small farming They built small farming villagesvillages

By 200 A.D., some of these By 200 A.D., some of these villages grew into cities.villages grew into cities.

Warriors fought over land Warriors fought over land and powerand power

No ruler united the entire No ruler united the entire Mayan kingdomMayan kingdom

Cities / TemplesCities / Temples

Mayan cities were built Mayan cities were built around religious around religious centers. Some cities centers. Some cities had great palaces.had great palaces.

The Maya built flat-The Maya built flat-topped pyramids made topped pyramids made of limestone. At the top of limestone. At the top of these pyramids were of these pyramids were temples. That was temples. That was where the Mayan priest-where the Mayan priest-kings held religious kings held religious rituals.rituals. Tikal, Guatemala

An Economy Based on An Economy Based on AgricultureAgriculture

As Mayan cities grew, farmers needed to As Mayan cities grew, farmers needed to produce more food. They found ways to farm produce more food. They found ways to farm places they had not farmed before.places they had not farmed before.

They farmed the sides of hills (carved into flat They farmed the sides of hills (carved into flat

terraces)terraces) They build raised fields in the wet lowlandsThey build raised fields in the wet lowlands They burned trees and plants in forests to clear the land for They burned trees and plants in forests to clear the land for

farmingfarming They moved good soil to areas that had poor soilThey moved good soil to areas that had poor soil They dug water systems (irrigation) to bring water to dry They dug water systems (irrigation) to bring water to dry

areasareas

Agriculture: TerracesAgriculture: Terraces

AgricultureAgriculture

By using these techniques, they grew corn, beans and By using these techniques, they grew corn, beans and squash.squash.

They traded their extra food between the highland and They traded their extra food between the highland and lowland people and with people in Central America and lowland people and with people in Central America and MexicoMexico

In return, they received goods that they couldn’t produce In return, they received goods that they couldn’t produce themselves, such as jade, feathers and cacao beans.themselves, such as jade, feathers and cacao beans.

Cacao beans held great value (used as money) and was Cacao beans held great value (used as money) and was restricted to only the most important Mayanrestricted to only the most important Mayan

Obsidian – A glass like volcanic rock was also traded/used Obsidian – A glass like volcanic rock was also traded/used as moneyas money

Products TradedProducts Traded

Cocoa

Feathers

Obsidian

The RulersThe Rulers Polytheism-The Maya worshipped Polytheism-The Maya worshipped

many gods. The also worshipped many gods. The also worshipped their rulers. their rulers.

They thought their rulers could They thought their rulers could influence the gods.influence the gods.

One Mayan ruler was named One Mayan ruler was named Pascal. He ruled the Maya for 68 Pascal. He ruled the Maya for 68 years. Like other Maya rulers he years. Like other Maya rulers he was a priest as well as a warrior. was a priest as well as a warrior.

Priest-kings like Pascal killed Priest-kings like Pascal killed animals and sometimes people as animals and sometimes people as offerings to the gods.offerings to the gods.

The City of Palenque build a The City of Palenque build a temple that was used to record his temple that was used to record his achievementsachievements

The Maya wanted to keep the gods happy and prevent disasterThe Maya wanted to keep the gods happy and prevent disaster They believe that the gods needed bloodThey believe that the gods needed blood Priest-kings like Pascal killed animals and sometimes people as Priest-kings like Pascal killed animals and sometimes people as

offerings to the gods.offerings to the gods.

Sacrifices for the GodsSacrifices for the Gods

Mayan Mayan Achievements: Mayan Achievements: Mayan H.A.M.H.A.M. H= hieroglyphs (a writing system) Each H= hieroglyphs (a writing system) Each

picture stood for an object and/or a sound. picture stood for an object and/or a sound. Some hieroglyphs stood for whole ideas, Some hieroglyphs stood for whole ideas, such as life or happiness. such as life or happiness.

Hieroglyphs were carved on the stone Hieroglyphs were carved on the stone columns and record books called a columns and record books called a codexcodex

H= HieroglyphicsH= Hieroglyphics

A= AstronomyA= Astronomy

A= Astronomy- A= Astronomy- • They knew exact moon They knew exact moon

phasesphases• Able to predict sun and Able to predict sun and

moon eclypsesmoon eclypses• They created very They created very

precise 365 day precise 365 day calendars for harvesting. calendars for harvesting.

• They also had a 120 day They also had a 120 day calendar for religious calendar for religious events.events.

M= MathematicsM= Mathematics

Mathematics- A number system. Were Mathematics- A number system. Were the first to use the symbol of zero (binary the first to use the symbol of zero (binary math)math)

The number system was based on units The number system was based on units of 20.of 20.

RecreationRecreation The Mayan Ball The Mayan Ball GameGame

Players tried to hit a solid Players tried to hit a solid rubber ball through a stone rubber ball through a stone ring by using their leather-ring by using their leather-padded elbows, wrists, and padded elbows, wrists, and hips. hips.

People from all levels of People from all levels of Mayan society watched and Mayan society watched and placed bets on the outcome of placed bets on the outcome of the gamethe game

Slaves, land and homes could Slaves, land and homes could be won and lost during a be won and lost during a gamegame

The losing team were The losing team were sacrificed and the captain of sacrificed and the captain of the defeated team was the defeated team was beheaded.beheaded.

The End of the MayaThe End of the Maya

The collapse of the Classic Mayan civilization is one of The collapse of the Classic Mayan civilization is one of the great mysteries.the great mysteries.

The Mayan culture thrived for about 600 years.The Mayan culture thrived for about 600 years. By 900 C.E., the Maya had abandoned their cities to By 900 C.E., the Maya had abandoned their cities to

the junglethe jungle Possible causes:Possible causes:

Populations of the cities grew to fast for the farming systemPopulations of the cities grew to fast for the farming system Long periods of drought (dry weather) causing crop failureLong periods of drought (dry weather) causing crop failure Warfare – wars were very bloody, hand-to-hand fighting with Warfare – wars were very bloody, hand-to-hand fighting with

clubs and spearsclubs and spears Invaders from central Mexico helped to destroy the city-statesInvaders from central Mexico helped to destroy the city-states