1. The Maya Brittney Carnell ED520 8th Grade World History PowerPoint Example Slideshow June 11, 2015

2. Table of Contents Where did the Maya live? Maya civilization Maya cities Maya cities (images) Maya culture 1 Maya culture 2 Ball court (image) Ball court (video) Maya religion Maya achievements Decline of the Maya

3. Where did the Maya live? Dominant indeginous society of Mesoamerica Maya civilization extended through present-day Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Mexico

4. Maya civilization Settlement began around 1000 BC –Small, isolated villages –Forests provided food and building materials –Villages grew as trade increased Began to build large cities around AD 200 The Classic Age: height of Maya civilizationThe Classic Age: height of Maya civilization –Between AD 250 and 900 –Maya civilization grew to over 40 large cities

5. Maya Cities Maya cities were more like city-states –Each city had its own government and its own king No single ruler united the many cities into one empire –Trade kept the civilization strong Maya cities had grand buildings –Palaces decorated with carvings and paintings –Stone pyramids topped with temples

6. Palenque Teotihuacan

7. Maya Culture Social structure: upper class –King held highest position, believed to be related to the gods –Priests, merchants, and noble warriors also part of upper class Social structure: lower class –Farming families Women cared for children, cooked, made yarn, and wove cloth Men farmed, hunted, and crafted tools Often had to “pay” the rulers with gifts of crops or goods Had to help construct public buildings

8. Maya Culture The Ball Game –Almost every city had a ball game court –Could only use heads, hips, and shoulders to bounce a heavy rubber ball through elevated stone rings –Winners received jewels and clothing –Losers were sometimes sacrificed as offerings to the gods

9. Traditional Maya ball court

10. Based on what you have learned about the Mayan Ball game so far, does this video clip accurately depict the Mayan Ball Game? What similarities or differences do you see?

11. Polytheism –Gods were believed to control different aspects of daily life –Gods could be helpful or harmful –Believed gods needed blood to prevent disasters Bloodletting Occasional human sacrifices Maya Religion

12. Developed an advanced writing systemadvanced writing system –Similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics –Also wrote in bark paper books Skilled artisans and architects –Used obsidian tools –Decorated buildings with brightly colored artwork Maya Achievements

13. Civilization began to collapse around AD 900 –Construction slowed –People began to flee the cities and move into the countryside Many theories for the decline: –Common people may have rebelled against the ruler’s demands –Increased warfare between the cities –Food shortages –Climate changeClimate change Decline of the Maya

14. Where did the Maya live? Maya civilization: location and environment Maya cities: government and trade Maya cities (images) Maya culture: social structure Maya culture: the ball game Ball court (image) Ball court (video) Maya religion: polytheism Maya achievements: writing, building Decline of the Maya: theories Topics for Review