TOPIC Chapter 23 History: Civilizations of the AmericasEQ: Who were the Maya? Where did they come from?

There were 3 civilizations in the Americas… • Mayans

• Aztecs• Incas• They all lived in Central

and South America• When settled, they

began to farm• More food, increase in

population• Increase in trading, use

of different languages

First, we will explore the Mayans!• Civilization lasted 3,

500 years!– 2000B.C.E. -1500 C.E.

• They lived in S. Mexico and parts of Central America

• Ruins of Mayan cities still exist– Tikal lies in the

Guatemala jungle and is 1 of 40 Mayan cities

• Just as the Roman Empire fell (476 C.E.) in Western Europe, the Maya were developing in the Americas

• Mayan civilization spread over Mesoamerica (modern day Mexico)– Lived in jungles, forests, rainforests, swamps,

and grasslands

Mayans were influenced by:• Olmec people

– Lived on east coast of Mexico 1200-500 BCE

– Grew maize as major food supply

– Farming allowed them to create PERMANENT settlements

– Built temples and even used solar (SUN) calendars

There were 3 major Mayan periods of civilization:

#1 – Pre-Classical period (2000 B.C.E. to 300 C.E.-During this time, Maya farmed land and lived in simple homes or compounds

As the population increased,

• Maya constructed public buildings for gov’t and religious purposes

• 50 BCE – created form of writing called hieroglyphics – Pictures or symbols

Mayan civilization reached its peak during CLASSIC PERIOD 300-900 CE • Adapted/developed

ideas from Olmec• Though Mayans had no

metal tools or wheels, built HUGE stone temples

• Charted movement of moon, starts, planets

• Used knowledge of astronomy/math to create calendars

Mayans lived in independent city states: Tikal, Copan, Chichen Itza, Palenque

• Mayan society was structured like a pyramid

• Rulers of each city-state was at top

• Ruler (Halach) was like god king– He decided when to

do to war, wore headdress

Around 900 CE, Classic Civilization collapsed!

• Maya abandoned cities • No one really knows

why• To the north, on

Yucatan Peninsula, Mayan cities continued to grow

• This is POST-Classic period 900-1500 CE

Under the ruler were…

• Nobles and priests• They were only

Mayans who could read or write!

• Helped collext taxes, supplies

• In charge of archetecture projects

• Led rituals