1. The Maya

2. 400 BCE–900 CE Central America
The Mysterious Maya
400 BCE–900 CE
Central America

3. Natural Barriers
From about 400 BCE until 900 CE, the Maya civilization stretched from the highlands of modern day Guatemala to the hot coastal plain along the Pacific Coast, to the tropical rain forest of the Yucatan Peninsula.
These natural barriers helped to protect the Maya civilization for 1300 years.

4. The Maya
To find the ruins of ancient Maya cities hidden deep in the rainforest, archaeologists have to hunt on foot. The rain forest is home to many poisonous animals.
Some archaeologists are willing to brave the dangers to learn more about the clever Maya.
Teacher’s notes: Maya is the name of the people and their civilization. Mayan is the language.

5. Maya Cities
Two thousand years ago, the Yucatan Peninsula was a busy place. The Maya did not have metal tools—they used stone, bone, and wood tools to build hundreds of magnificent cities.
Cities were centers of religion and learning. The Maya studied art, mathematics, architecture, drama, medicine, and music.

6. Maya Cities
Every Maya city had an impressive palace for its ruler, a bustling marketplace, an open-air plaza where people could gather, and at least one huge pyramid, a large temple, and one ball court similar to the stadiums we have today.
People came to town to shop, to worship, and to cheer at the ball games.

7. Cities Question Two of the largest cities were
Tikal (tee-KAHL), located in the country of Guatemalapresent-day
Copan (ko-PAHN), located in the present-day country of Honduras

8. Gods of Nature
The Maya worshipped the gods of nature. Some of their gods included Lady Rainbow, and the Gods of Rain, Maize, and Sun.
Without the help of these important gods, there would be no crops and everyone would starve.

9. Priests
The priests, along with the leaders in each city-state, were the most powerful people in the Maya civilization. The Maya believed that their priests could talk to the gods.
The priests decided when to plant crops and when people could marry and to whom. Before doing pretty much anything, one had to ask for a priest’s approval.
Teacher’s notes: The Maya believed their priests could talk to the gods. This gave the priests incredible power.

10. The Underworld
The Maya believed in an underworld, the Place of Awe. The priests held ceremonies to keep demons and spooky creatures locked inside the underworld, where they belonged.
During these ceremonies, priests wore scary masks and jaguar costumes. They wanted to look as scary as the magical creatures in the underworld.

11. The Legend of Mirrors
The Maya believed that one could communicate with a god by looking into a mirror.
Legend says…warriors going into battle wore mirrors on their backs. The idea was that if an enemy warrior tried to sneak up on a Maya warrior, a demon might reach out from the underworld and snatch the enemy.
Teacher’s notes: According to the Maya, demons were always trying to escape from the underworld into this world. The priests’ job was to make sure this did not happen. The Maya believed that looking into a mirror was a risk, because a mirror was a portal to all the gods, both in heaven and in the underworld. Since it was regarded as so dangerous, women were not allowed to look into mirrors. Only men could use mirrors, and many did each day to prove their bravery and to seek direction.

13. Classic Period Either 250 BC to 950 AD Or 10 AD to 1190 AD
The Maya
Classic Period
Either 250 BC to 950 AD
Or 10 AD to 1190 AD

14. The Mayas We know they were not called Mayas
When Spaniards arrived, the major city was MAYAPAN (thus the name the Mayas)
The only great civilization to be located in the “jungle”
Primarily the Yucatan peninsula and northern central America

15. MAYAS
MAYA
KINGDOM

16. Bishop Diego de Landa
Bishop Diego de Landa is best known for two reasons:
1st – He thought the Maya books were inspired by the devil, so he had them all destroyed
2nd – Recognizing his mistake, several years later returned to Yucatan and wrote ““Relacion de las Cosas de Yucatan.”
This book based on the three Mayan books that survived

17. Maya Civilization
Expert Astronomers

18. Astronomers Calculated Lunar and Solar Eclipses
Used that information to have “Festivals”
Understanding of the Solar Position in the sky

19. Maya Civilization
Expert Astronomers
Great Mathematicians

20. Mathematicians Had a system based on 20
Recognized the zero (unlike the Romans for instance)
One two
three four five
six eight nine
ten nineteen twenty

21. . _ Mayan Math = represented the number “0” zero
= represented the number “1” one
= represented the number “5” five
Example: is “7”

22. Maya Civilization Expert Astronomers Great Mathematicians
Good architects though were not able to complete the arch

23. Architects
Build Magnificent Temples and Places for Commerce and Games

27. Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 by explorer Hiram Bingham. It
Clipart picture taken from
Microsoft clips online
Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 by explorer Hiram Bingham. It
sits one and a half miles high on a mountaintop in Peru once inhibited by
the Inca civilization. Bingham thought it must have been a special
religious city because of the fine stonework, however archaeologists
believe it was some type of vacation resort for Inca nobles.
Over 3,000 steps connect the levels of the city and farming terraces.
It could only be reached by a log bridge on a sheer cliff. If enemies
threatened the citizens there, they would simply draw back the bridge.

28. Maya Civilization Expert Astronomers Great Mathematicians
Good architects though were not able to complete the arch
Great warriors

30. Maya Civilization Expert Astronomers Great Mathematicians
Good architects though were not able to complete the arch
Great warriors
Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency)

31. Mayan Economy
A trade system existed through which salt, obsidian, jade, cacao, animal pelts, tropical bird feathers, luxury ceramics and other goods flowed.
Goods from the highlands were traded with those of the lowlands. Obsidian was made into tools and weapons.
People either bartered goods directly or exchanged them for cacao beans

32. Commonly Bartered Items

33. Maya Civilization Expert Astronomers Great Mathematicians
Good architects though were not able to complete the arch
Great warriors
Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency)
Social Structure

34. Social Structure The Social Pyramid Priests nobles wealthy Priest
commoners and low-level govern officers
slaves and servants
Priest

35. Maya Civilization Expert Astronomers Great Mathematicians
Good architects though were not able to complete the arch
Great warriors
Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency)
Advances In Medicine

36. Maya Medicine
1. ULCERS, GASTRITIS Mineral crystal stone. Put in water and drink the water every day. For sores in the mouth, put directly on affected area. No side effects. For thousands of years the Mayan elders have been using this practice. Prepared by thegreat grand niece of H'me Elijio Panti. $7.50 (US)

37. Maya Medicine
9. DIABETES, HYPOGLYCEMIA, BLOOD SUGAR STABILIZER Billy Webb Bark Tea. Boil one hand full of bark. Drink 1/2 cup of tea twice daily, until blood sugar stabilizes. $7.50 (US)
10. DIARRHEA Traveler's Tonic. Take 3 tablespoons every hour for as long as condition persists. $7.50 (US)

38. Maya Civilization Expert Astronomers Great Mathematicians
Good architects though were not able to complete the arch
Great warriors
Active Merchants (Used Cocoa as currency)
Advances In Medicine
Games

39. GAME
The Maya had a ball game called Pok-A-Tok. It was played on an odd shaped field.
The object of the game was to move a hard rubber ball without the use of hands or feet through a hoop.
There is debate whether it was the losing team or the winning team that was sacrificed.

40. GAME
Decapitation scene at ball court,

41. GAME

42. Mystery Question:
Debate over why several sites are shown to have been abandon?
They left site due to Natural Disasters
They left site due to over crowding
They abandon Commercial and Religion sites but did not move

43. Demise of the Mayas Natural Ecology Soil Exhaustion
Water Loss and Erosion
Savana Grass Competition (Continual burning of soil led to end original forest and converted into man-made grass land. Problem, Mayas did not have toil equipment).

44. Demise of the Mayas (continuation)
Catastrophism
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
Evolution
Main idea was that social collapse occurred due to over population and lack of food supply
Disease

45. Demise of the Mayas (continuation)
Social
Demography
Higher rate of female to male ratios led to a collapse of social order
Social Structure
Invasion

46. Demise of the Mayas (continuation)

47. Demise of the Mayas (continuation)
Economic Trade Collapse led to Rebellion and Invasion
Towns in Buffer Zone
Maya Buffer Zone
Teotihuacan Core
Maya Core
Teotihuacan Buffer Zone

48. Possible Causes of Collapse of Classic Mayan Civilization
Lack of Resources *Enormous Population
Water - Food - Materials Lack of modern agricultural
tools like the plow.
Revolution against the Government Depletion of the soil
-Attack against the kings -Peasant uprising Too many people to feed
Invasion
foreign - tribal; Toltecs
Trade routes
Shifting toward the North - Increase use of water routes
Location
-Possible weather / climate concerns - Earthquakes, hurricanes
-Epidemics of disease
Calendar prophesies
-They Mayans believed they were headed for collapse because their calendar said they were, therefore they thought they should move to new centers

49. Maya Inca Aztec Tribes: Food Religion Everyday Life
Social Organization
Achievements
Fall of the
Empire
Maya
Hard work
Slash & Burn
Planting
Building / Architecture
Irrigation
Birds, Rabbits, Monkeys, Deer
Wild fruits
Nuts
Vegetables corn, squash, beans, etc.
Many different gods
13 layers of heavens above the earth
9 underworlds
Sacrifices
Worship Dead
Lord
Nobles
Priests
Merchants / Artisans
Peasants
Slaves
Legends
Architecture
Hieroglyphics
Ball Game
Calendars
Astronomy
Mathematics
Raised fields
Abandoned their cities and just walked away / left
Natural Disaster
Disease
Inca
Large Empire
Roads
Terrace farming
Andes Mts., rain forests, coastal deserts
Potatoes
Corn
Tomatoes
Avocados
Peppers
Strawberries
Beans
Chocolate
Many gods and goddesses
God of nature Viracocha
Sun god –Inti
Daily prayers
Festivals
Sapa Inca descendant of the Sun god – wife Coya
Govt Officials
Little contact with the Mayans & Aztecs
Terrace Farming
Tamed llamas
Counting system/quipus
Spanish arrived and conquered
Aztec
Steambath
Large households
Farming
Crafting
Trade
Maize (corn)
Squash
Chili Peppers
Wild game
Gods
Goddesses
A Patron God for each village
Royal Family/Upper class nobles
Commoners
Serfs
Trade / Canals
Markets
Sculptures
Weaving
(Spanish)
Cortes
Conquistadors

50. Religion Mayans Incas Aztecs Worshiped many gods and goddesses.
The Mayans worshipped many different gods. Believed their rulers were living gods.
The Inca worshipped many gods and goddesses.
Worshiped many gods and goddesses.
Believed there were 13 layers of heavens above the earth and 9 underworlds below.
The major Incan god was the god of nature, Viracocha, the creator. Another Incan god was Inti the sun god. Gold was his symbol & he was the father of Incan rulers.
Each village & occupation had its own patron god. A different god for each day watched over them.
Ceremonies of gifts and sacrifices, such as valuables, their own blood and human sacrifices.
Believed in “divining” which is studying objects to find magic signs the gods wanted them to know. Had offerings and sacrifices as well.
Human sacrifices, men women and sometimes children.

51. Rulers MAYANS INCAS AZTECS Lord Cacao-King of Tikal
18 Gopher-Ruler of Copan
Pacal – Ruler of Palenque
Lord
Was considered a god-king
Responsible for political leadership
Lords mostly men, but women had great influence on political decisions
Pachacuti ( )
Vision to use warfare to spread Inca culture
Promise peace and gifts backed by threats
Forced conquered peoples to obey leaders & learn the language; but could keep native language, leaders & gods.
Huyayna Capac
Atahualpa >
Huscar > His 2 sons
Montezuma ( /9)
Expanded the empire from the Atlantic to Pacific coasts & to Central America to what is now Guatemala.
Montezuma II – his grandson became emperor in He ruled when the empire was at its peak.