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Mayan GRAPES. I. The Mayan Civilization- a Meso American civilization that existed from 2,500 B.C. to around t1500 A.D. A. G-Geography-Central America mainly in the Yucatan Peninsula. 1. Thick tropical forest surrounded them with some low swampy areas.
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I. The Mayan Civilization- a Meso American civilization that existed from 2,500 B.C. to around t1500 A.D.
A. G-Geography-Central America mainly in the Yucatan Peninsula 1. Thick tropical forest surrounded them with some low swampy areas
B. R-Religion-worshipped many gods with bloodletting or human sacrifices • Believed gods could be harmful and spiteful so to make them happy they offered them blood or scarifices • They pierced their ears, nose and tongue to prevent disasters and offered human scrifices for religious holidays • Believed dead became one with the gods • Temples and pyramids were made to be closer to the gods
C. A-Achievements 1. Observatories- buildings from which people could study the sky so the priests could watch the stars and plan for their religious festivals. 2. Astronomy- Developed two separate calendars, one with 365 days that guided planting and harvesting. A second to keep track of their religious holidays that was 260 days long.
Achievements Continued 3. Math- created a complex number system and were among the first to have a symbol for zero. 4. Writing system- Similar to the Egyptian hieroglyphs. Represented both sounds and objects. 5. Art & Architecture- Jade and gold jewelry was exceptional and temple-pyramids were masterly built. They rolled the giant blocks on logs and then used ropes to pull them up.
D. P-Politics-developed a hierarchiacal government ruled by king and priests
They lived in independent city-state consisting of rural communities and large urban ceremonial centers
2. One noble family controlled each city the head person was called the halachunic • All cities or halachunic had to answer to king • They believed king and nobles related to gods
E. E-Economics-they farmed, traded, and hunted • Used the barter system not money • Traded with people in the Caribbean Islands, and as far south as Guatemala
3. Goods traded by the mayanswer: jade, gold, copper, feather, and pottery 4. Subsistence items that were traded every day were: clothing, food, tools, and salt 5. Cocoa Beans were sometimes used as money
F. S-Social Structure- had a hierarchical system divided between the nobles, commonoers, serfs, and slaves • Noble class was complex and specialized • You were born into your class