1. Section 2. Civilizations in Mesoamerica

2. http://www.washington.edu/ark2/archtm/dc51.html Maya Create Urban Kingdoms

3. Maya Empire

4. 1. Southern Mexico, Yucatan Pen. to Guatemala and Honduras 2. Dry highlands and Rain Forests

5. Classical Period 1. 240-900 http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/ldumois/maya/maya34.html Palenque

6. 2. Built at least 50 great cities such as Tikal

7. Classical Period 1. 240-900 3. Ruled by god-kings

8. 4. Great temples, pyramids and palaces http://www.washington.edu/ark2/archtm/dc49.html

9. Chichen Itza Mayan Society

10. 1. Vast trade network –(Cacao, jade, cotton, salt, flint, etc.)

11. 2. Both slash and burn and more sophisticated ag.

12. 3. Most advanced form of writing in the Americas (only 3 of their books [Codexes] exist)

13. http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Gorge/3147/madrid_codex.jpg Mayan writing

14. Maya Glyphs

15. Religion 1. Polytheist

16. Jaguar Cult

17. 2. Calendars and math

18. 3. Astronomy

19. http://www.eskimo.com/~zylyn/photos/itza29.jpg Observatory

20. 4. Self mutilation and human sacrifice

21. Sacrificial Ceynote Chichen Itza

22. Ballgame

23. http://www.washington.edu/ark2/archtm/dc37.html Ball court

24. http://www.eskimo.com/~zylyn/photos/itza9.jpg Ball court

25. http://www.eskimo.com/~zylyn/photos/itza6.jpg

26. Mayan Decline 1. Late 800’s suddenly abandoned most cities 2.Overpopulation= damage to ecology

27. Battle of Aguateca 3. Intercity warfare

28. 4. Arrival of the Toltecs and later Aztecs

29. 5. Mayans returned to village life

30. Still make up much of the population of Southern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.