Geography
The Mayan civilization is located on the...
The Yucatan Peninsula
The Mayan shelters were mostly made of...
The Mayans were polytheistic. What does this mean?
They believe in more than one god
The May civilization was broken up into what?
Mayan City-States
Mayan used what as their form of writing?
Hieroglyphics
What three main countries did the Mayans inhabit?
Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala
What was the most important crop to the Mayans?
Maize
Why did the Mayans want to please the gods?
For good harvest, health, prosperity, and knowledge
Who was the head of each city-state?
the Mayan king
The Mayans were the first to invent the concept of...
Zero
What are the two main geographical features located in the Mayan Civilization?
Rainforests and Mountains
How many rooms did the Mayan houses consist of?
what was bloodletting?
Sacrificing of blood.
The cutting of an animal or person to get blood.
Where did the king get his power?
From the gods
The Mayan math system was based on how many numbers?
20 numbers (0-19)
What three bodies of water surround the Mayan civilization?
The Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea
What resources did the Mayans use for clothing?
cotton, jade, and quetzal feathers
What were Mayan temples used for?
Prayer, rituals, home of the gods, entertainment, public gatherings
Why did the Mayan people obey the king?
Because he got his power from the gods. So if they were disobeying the king, they were disobeying the gods. And the Mayans thought that if they disobeyed the gods, the gods would punish them. They did not want this, so they obeyed the king.
The Mayans invented the calendar based on what?
their observation of astronomy (stars, moon, sun, and venus)
What was the time span of the Mayan Civilization?
200 CE - 900 CE
Name the three types of farming techniques used and what type of environment they were used in.
Slash and Burn- just outside of rainforests
Platform farming- rainforests
Terrace farming- mountains
What was the Mayan ball game and what is its religious significance?
The Mayan ball game was a game played by hitting a ball through a ring located on the walls of the court. Players could only hit the ball with their elbow or hip.
The ball game was used to honor the sacrifice and uses to please the gods to get a good harvest.
Describe 3 roles of the king.
1) Participate in religious sacrifices
2) Communicate with the gods
3) Council leaders of the government
4) Make the laws and have people obey them
5) Provides nourishment to the gods
What do a shell, dot, and bar represent in the Mayan math system?
Shell=0
dot=1
bar=5