Maya Social Class
This group was often orphans or prisoners of war
Who are slaves
These people were considered to be semi-divine meaning they were part god
Who are the rulers
Two staple crops the Maya grew to feed their people
What are squash, maize (corn), beans, chili peppers, and cocoa beans
The Maya reached their peak during this period
What is the Classic Period
This region stretches from the central area of Mexico to the northern part of Central America
What is Mesoamerica
This group often lead peasant armies into war
Who are nobles
This animal was considered to be sacred to the Maya
What is the jaguar
The Maya were not one unified nation; instead,
What is a collection of city-states with their own governments
The Maya built on the achievements of this "Mother Culture."
Who were the Olmec
The peninsula that the Maya occupied during the Post-Classic period
What is the Yucatan Peninsula
This group was considered the "backbone" of Maya society
Who are the peasants
This was done before doing things like planting crops or going to war in the Maya civilization
What is honoring the gods
The most educated group in Mayan society and could read "hidden" meaning in the Sacred Round
Who are priests
The Maya began the development of hieroglyphics in this period
What is the pre-classic period
The Mayans' study of math helped them to become one of the first cultures to develop the idea of this
What is the zero
This group was responsible for collecting taxes
Who are the nobles
Three items that the Mayans offered to please their gods.
What are plants, food, flowers, feathers, jade, shells, blood offerings, and sacrifices
These two items would be removed from the Maya boys & girls at their coming of age ceremony
What are red shells & white beads
This event marked the end of the Classic Period
What is Maya moving north to the Yucatan peninsula
The geography of the Maya civilization varied greatly. For this, they used three different agricultural techniques.
What are slash-and-burn, terrace farming, and raised-platform with canals
This group was the most skilled mathematicians & astronomers
Who are the priest
The Maya believed in more than 160 gods; they are considered
What is polytheistic
The Maya were united by these 5 things that were part of their common culture
What are social systems, religion, languages, way of life, and calendars
Theories about the decline of the Maya Civilization include
What are overpopulation+lack of crops (famine), drought, warfare, overuse of land, invaders from other civilizations,
The Mayans did not use this as a tool. It was used for the calendar and considered sacred.
What is the wheel