The basics of the Maya...
History: The Maya started around 1000 BC in a region called Mesoamerica, and collapsed around 900 CE. The Maya empire reached its height in the Classic Age - between 250 and 900 AD. No one really knows how their civilization collapsed, but there are different theories. They were mastered builders and sculptures. Their cities linked through trade and demand, and ig roads that they built.
Geography: They lived in what is now Guatemala (Mesoamerica). They had lots of forest, but cut most of it down to build houses and grow crops. They had plenty of materials to keep their civilization running, and to feed everyone in the empire. Their whole territory lies south of the Tropic of Cancer and north of the Equador & is about 900 kilometers from north to south and about 550 kilometers in the east to west diretion. In Palenque (Palenque was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 7th century. The Palenque ruins date back to 226 BC to around 799 AD.) there were hills and highlands, rock caves and stone arks.
Economy: The economy was baed on food and agriculture. Farmers brought foods and payed people with crops, food, cloth, and honey. The Maya grew and sold crops and other foods to other civilizations through trade. Breadfruit trees were planted in case the cocoa and cotton were used as cash crops. In the Maya economy, the lower class had to pay tribute to the upper class in the goods they make (most of them were farmers, and gave the upper class crops like corn). Their cities were linked through trade.
Social Structure: Farmers and slaves performed most of the hard labor, and of course the farmers provided the most imortant source to the society,......food. The middle class also provided food and services too. The Maya emperors and kings had the highest royalty, and upper class had all the empires power and in the upper class were merchants, priests, and kings. The lower class were usually farmers.
Government: Maya priets also ruled cities. Everyday they would perform sacrifices after climbing up hundreds of steps. Lord Pacal became king at age 6 and legally took throne at age 12. He was priest / king / ruler for 50 years before he died. In his tomb he is wearing a jade death mask. If there was war the Men had to be in the army. In each city, only one family controlled, and the royalty was passed down to their son. The Maya's empire lasted about 1500 years in all.
Beliefs/Religion: The Maya worshipped the sun god, creator, moon goddess, & maize god. They believed that the gods each controlled different aspects of life. Gods were believed to help or harm the Maya. People offered blood and pierced skin to give the gods blood the keep them happy. On occasions, human sacrifiecs were made. Hearts were offered to the stone carvings of the gods.
Advancements/Achievements: The Maya built large obseravtories to study astronomy & to think. They developed 2 calenders - 260 day & 365 day calenders. The 260 day calender represented the religious events and the 365 day calender represents harvest festivals and farming activities. They were skilled mathmetitions - they could measure time accurately for the calenders. The Maya created a writing system as well. They made cloths and jewelry for the villagers as well.
Architecture:
They built one palace per city for the royal family to live in. They built pyramids with temples to honor their gods. Sometimes they built pyramids 200 feet tall without having metal tools. Maya created amazing art and built huge and gorgeous buildings. Pyramids were built with stone carvings and they were usually painted with bright colors. They used obsidion tools to cut the stones. Maya workers used heavy ropes to lift and roll over heavy materials.
History: The Maya started around 1000 BC in a region called Mesoamerica, and collapsed around 900 CE. The Maya empire reached its height in the Classic Age - between 250 and 900 AD. No one really knows how their civilization collapsed, but there are different theories. They were mastered builders and sculptures. Their cities linked through trade and demand, and ig roads that they built.
Geography: They lived in what is now Guatemala (Mesoamerica). They had lots of forest, but cut most of it down to build houses and grow crops. They had plenty of materials to keep their civilization running, and to feed everyone in the empire. Their whole territory lies south of the Tropic of Cancer and north of the Equador & is about 900 kilometers from north to south and about 550 kilometers in the east to west diretion. In Palenque (Palenque was a Maya city state in southern Mexico that flourished in the 7th century. The Palenque ruins date back to 226 BC to around 799 AD.) there were hills and highlands, rock caves and stone arks.
Economy: The economy was baed on food and agriculture. Farmers brought foods and payed people with crops, food, cloth, and honey. The Maya grew and sold crops and other foods to other civilizations through trade. Breadfruit trees were planted in case the cocoa and cotton were used as cash crops. In the Maya economy, the lower class had to pay tribute to the upper class in the goods they make (most of them were farmers, and gave the upper class crops like corn). Their cities were linked through trade.
Social Structure: Farmers and slaves performed most of the hard labor, and of course the farmers provided the most imortant source to the society,......food. The middle class also provided food and services too. The Maya emperors and kings had the highest royalty, and upper class had all the empires power and in the upper class were merchants, priests, and kings. The lower class were usually farmers.
Government: Maya priets also ruled cities. Everyday they would perform sacrifices after climbing up hundreds of steps. Lord Pacal became king at age 6 and legally took throne at age 12. He was priest / king / ruler for 50 years before he died. In his tomb he is wearing a jade death mask. If there was war the Men had to be in the army. In each city, only one family controlled, and the royalty was passed down to their son. The Maya's empire lasted about 1500 years in all.
Beliefs/Religion: The Maya worshipped the sun god, creator, moon goddess, & maize god. They believed that the gods each controlled different aspects of life. Gods were believed to help or harm the Maya. People offered blood and pierced skin to give the gods blood the keep them happy. On occasions, human sacrifiecs were made. Hearts were offered to the stone carvings of the gods.
Advancements/Achievements: The Maya built large obseravtories to study astronomy & to think. They developed 2 calenders - 260 day & 365 day calenders. The 260 day calender represented the religious events and the 365 day calender represents harvest festivals and farming activities. They were skilled mathmetitions - they could measure time accurately for the calenders. The Maya created a writing system as well. They made cloths and jewelry for the villagers as well.
Architecture:
They built one palace per city for the royal family to live in. They built pyramids with temples to honor their gods. Sometimes they built pyramids 200 feet tall without having metal tools. Maya created amazing art and built huge and gorgeous buildings. Pyramids were built with stone carvings and they were usually painted with bright colors. They used obsidion tools to cut the stones. Maya workers used heavy ropes to lift and roll over heavy materials.