16.2

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16.2 Maya Kings Cities
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Maya

• Lands stretched from southern Mexico to northern
  Central America
• Lowlands (North) rain forests dry scrub
• Highlands (South) cool, mountainous
• Built on Olmec influences

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Urban Centers

• 250-900 A.D. Classic Period
• Build spectacular cities Tikal, Copán, Chichén
  Itza
• Formed independent city-states
• Ruled by god-king
• Centers for trade religion
• Feature pyramids, temples, elaborate carvings,
  ball courts

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Agriculture Trade

• City-states linked by two things
• Alliances Trade
• Trade salt, shells, honey, cotton textiles, jade
• Cacao acts as currency
• Diet Maize, beans, squash
• Techniques
• Slash--Burn
• Raised beds terraces

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Society

• Farming trade Huge amounts of wealth
• Social classes develop
• Nobles priests warriors
• Middle Merchants artisans
• Bottom peasants
• Kings on top society
• Holy figure, hereditary

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Religion

• Polytheistic
• Good, evil, or both
• Associated with directions colors
• North (White)
• South (Yellow)
• East (Red)
• West (Black)
• Center (Green)
• Worshipped gods through food, flowers, blood
• Practiced human sacrifice
• Victims into a cenote (hole) w/ gold, jade
  offerings
• Pleased the gods balanced the world

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Math Astronomy

• Religion development of calendars, math,
  astronomy
• Calendars very accurate
• Days lucky or unlucky b/c of gods had to know
• Two linked calendars
• 260 365 days
• Based on positioning of the sun, moon, planets
• Math system based on 20 included zero accuracy

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Written Language

• Most advanced of the ancient Americas
• Consisted of 800 glyphs (symbols)
• Whole words of syllables
• Record writings in a codex
• Famous writings Popol Vuh
• Recounts the Maya story of creation
• P. 448

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Decline

• Mysterious decline
• Late-800s abandon cities
• Toltecs settle in lands change culture
• Warfare increases disrupts trade
• Population growth over-farming shortages
  famine
• Maya are weak divided by time Spaniards arrive