1. The Culture of the Mayas The Mayan culture developed in Central America and the Yucatán Peninsula and reached its height between 250 and 900. The Maya farmed using slash-and-burn agriculture. They created a system of writing and developed a calendar. They abandoned their cities around A.D. 900, for unknown reasons. 1 of 3 Early Civilizations of the Americas Section 2: Cultures of Middle America

2. The Aztec Empire The Aztecs built their capital in the middle of a lake in the Valley of Mexico beginning in the 1100s. Over time, they built a large empire. Their aqueducts and chinampas enabled them to live and farm on their island. They had a strict class structure, and most young men served as soldiers. They were defeated by the Spanish and by European diseases by 1521. 2 of 3 Early Civilizations of the Americas Section 2: Cultures of Middle America Section Reading Support Transparency

3. Early Civilizations of the Americas: Section 2 Section Reading Support Transparency 3 of 3