geography
What kind of foods did the Maya grow? Name 4
beans, squash, avocados and corn
Define the classic age
The height of Maya civilization between 250 to 900 AD and grew to include 40 large cities
What were the two main forces that influenced people's daily lives?
social structure and religion
What happened to the Maya after 900AD?
They began to decline
What was Copan?
a Mayan city
What were Maya homes made out of? name 3
Wooden poles and vines, along with mud
What kind of political system did the Maya territory have?
Each city had its own government and its own king. No single ruler united the empire into one empire
How did the Maya please their Gods? (name 2 ways)
They would offer blood by human sacrifice or piece their tongue and burn the blood on paper
Where did the Maya revive?
Yucatan, Mexico
What is the K'iche' Mayan language?
The largest of the Maya languages in Guatemala
Define mesoamerica and who lived there
A region from central Mexico to part of central America that the Maya lived in
Why do we know that the Maya were really impressive architects? Give specific examples
EXTRA BONUS: What color did the Maya paint their buildings?
The monuments were so big and large that only a great civilization could have made the buildings to such large scale (temples, ball courts, palaces, Pyramids)
Painted them red
What are observatories and what is their purpose?
Which of the following was a possible reason for the decline of the Maya civilization?
a. increased warfare and lack of good farmland
b. arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and spread of disease
c. development and misuse of guns
d. floods that destroy crops and cities
a. increased warfare and lack of good farmland
What can you conclude about the placement of temples and pyramids in Maya society?
The placement of where the temples and pyramids were was calculated and precise
Describe the climate
thick tropical forests
What was Palenque and what were the TWO mineral resources used there?
Palenque was a great Maya city run by the King Pacal - he used obsidian and jade
How were the Maya able to cut and move limestone?
They cut them with obsidian tools and moved them by rolling the blocks with blocks over logs and lifted them with ropes
What were the 4 reasons why the Maya declined?
2. increased warfare
3. couldn't produce enough food for the people they had
4. climate change
How did the Maya use and VIEW chocolate?
It was used as a chocolate drink and was as valuable as gold
How were the Maya able to grow their villages?
They were able to grow from Trade
What is the GOAL of the Maya ball game played in cities?
The goal is to pass the ball around without having it touch your hands and get the ball to pass through the rings
Label, from top to bottom, the 4 tiers of the social structure and who was included on each level (triangle)
1. KING
2. UPPER CLASS - PRIESTS, RICH MERCHANTS, NOBLE WARRIORS (ARTISANS WERE HERE TOO)
3. FARMING FAMILIES
4. SLAVES
Out of all the reasons the Maya civilization declined, explain with evidence that would be the MOST likely reason that the civilization declined?
teacher determined based on using evidence from the texts and complete sentences
What did most Maya people do making a living?
farmed