Maya facts
What region did the Maya build their cities in?
In the rain forests of Central America.
What are two possible reasons archaeologists believed the Maya left their cities?
Natural disasters and disease
What could be one reason the Maya left their cities?
Some ideas: There could be a lack of water, disease, or war.
What might have happened to Maya children and families when the cities started collapsing?
Some ideas:
Families might have moved to smaller villages. Children could have suffered from hunger or disease. Some might have been taken by invaders or nearby cities.
What does “lack of rain” mean in the text?
It means there wasn’t enough (rain).
How long were Maya cities at their peak?
For about 650 years.
Why did people think the Maya leaders were gods?
Because they were expected to bring rain and protect the city.
What might happen if a city doesn’t have clean water?
Some ideas: People might leave, or the city might collapse.
How must the people have felt during the fall of Tikal?
They must have felt hungry, tired, and scared.
What does it mean that the city “collapsed”?
It fell apart or failed, possibly because of problems like drought or war.
What happened to Maya cities around 1,000 years ago?
They were suddenly abandoned.
What evidence did the narrator see in Cancuén that suggested invaders attacked?
He imagined soldiers fighting at the river and in the town, and leaders were killed and thrown into a pool.
What must people believe about their leaders back then?
They must believe their leaders were gods.
What might have happened if the Maya had found a way to store water during droughts?
Some ideas:
The cities might have survived longer.
People might not have left.
The population could have kept growing.
What does “abandoned” mean when talking about Maya cities?
It means people left the cities and didn’t return.
What city had over 3,000 buildings and 50,000 people?
Tikal
How might war have affected cities like Tikal?
It could have made the city weaker and led people to question their leaders.
What could still be hidden in the rainforest today?
There could still be more ruins or secrets.
How could climate or the environment have affected Maya farming and survival?
Some ideas:
A long drought could have destroyed crops.
The soil might have become too dry.
Changing weather must have made farming harder.
In paragraph I, the narrator says he “imagined” the people. What does that mean?
He pictured or thought about how the people felt or looked.