Vocabulary
A game that Mayans played involving a heavy rubber ball and a stone ring. Losers were sacrificed
Ball game, pok-a-tok, ringball
The Mayan Empire was located in the region known as...
Mesoamerica/Central America
What group of people made up the largest amount of the population?
Farmers/peasants
The Mayans were _________ (a belief in many gods)
Polytheistic
The most famous Mayan ruler
King Pacal the Great
The cutting down of trees and burning of stumps to create better soil for planting
Slash and burn
The Maya lived in two major landform/environment areas
Jungle and highlands (mountains)
Calendar, number system, pyramids, irrigation, glyph writing
The creation myth of the Maya
Popol Vuh
Mayan numbers used these 3 symbols
dot, bar, shell
Mayan picture writing
Glyphs
Many Mayan city-states are found on this piece of land surrounded by 3 sides with water
Yucatan Peninsula
Only these 2 groups were allowed to learn how to read and write
Priests and nobility
Describe the role of sacrifice in Mayan society
Rituals performed to please the gods and make good things happen (good harvest, rain, etc.)
The Maya adopted many traditions from this early Mesoamerican group
The Olmec
The staple crop of the Maya
Maize
Name one natural resource the Mayans used to trade?
Jade, feathers, obsidian, shells, gold, etc.
Name 2 possible theories on what caused the Mayans to collapse
Overpopulation, climate disaster, famine/drought, disease, constant warfare
The feathered serpent, the main god of the Maya
Kukulcan
Mayans used this farming technique in the mountainous highlands
Terrace farming
Codex
The Mayan Empire and city-states were located in 5 different modern day countries. Name 3.
Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador
Describe the role of the king in Mayan society
Ruler of the land, served as leader of the army, also served as head priest. Would perform sacrifices and was seen as a direct link between the gods and the people
Mayan god of death
Ah Puch
The name for the 365-day Mayan solar calendar
Haab