Mr. Dowling
The Mayas

What are the important characteristics of the Mayan civilization?

Civilization-advanced culture-includes cities, well organized government, complex religion, social classes, specialized skills and jobs and methods for record keeping

Mayan civilization emerged about 3000 years ago in the rainforests of present day Southern Mexico and Guatemala.


Difficult and dangerous to live in (poisonous animals, disease from insects)

Lived in large cities in simple homes made of mud walls and grassy roofs
The wealthy lived in stone palaces.

Each Mayan cities had its own ruler-sometimes the cities would fight butoften were peaceful and traded.

1.Ruler

2. Priests-only priests could perform ceremonies needed to bring good harvests or victories in battle
Stone pyramids-temples for elaborate ceremonies to please the Mayan Gods.

3. Nobles-served as warriors and government officials

4. Laborers and farmers

5. Slaves-prisoners of war

Advances in Learning

Astronomy-learned to predict eclipses, created an accurate 365 day calendar

Mathematics-system of numbers, including zeo

Hieroglyphics-writing that uses pictures to represent words and ideas
900 AD-Mayans abandoned their cities-Why? Warfare, drought, bad soil

Within a village, status is gained by how much you owned.