1. Aim: Explain Maya Beliefs and Achivements

2. Maya Create City-States
Homeland of the Maya stretched from southern Mexico into northern Central America
CE: Classical Period of Maya
Maya built spectacular cities such as Tikal (Guatemala)
Maya cities featured giant pyramids, temples, palaces, & stone carvings dedicated to the gods and rulers
Agriculture and trade support cities
Maya city-states linked through alliances & trade
Cities exchanged local products (salt, flint, feathers, shells, & honey) 2

3. Religion Shapes Maya Life
Religion influenced most aspects of Maya life
Believed in many gods (Corn, death, rain, & war)
Gods could be good or evil
Gods associated with 4 directions with different colors (white=north, red=east)
Maya made offerings of food, flowers & incense
Pierced bodies and offered their blood
Maya did carry out human sacrifice
Maya religious beliefs led to developments in math, astronomy & calendar
Developed 260 day religious calendar
Calculated 365 solar year 3

4. Written Language Preserves History
Maya developed most advanced writing system in ancient Americas
Writings consisted of 800 hieroglyphic symbols (Glyphs)
Used writing system to record important historical events and recording them in a codex
Bark paper book 4