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The Maya, 200 BCE – 900 CE. Regions of the Maya. Chiapas, Campeche, Tabasco, Quintana Roo , Yucatan peninsula (Southern Mexico) Guatemala Honduras Belize El Salvador. Characteristics. No central government About 50 independent city-states Constant competition. Tikal. Guatemala
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Regions of the Maya • Chiapas, Campeche, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, Yucatan peninsula (Southern Mexico) • Guatemala • Honduras • Belize • El Salvador
Characteristics • No central government • About 50 independent city-states • Constant competition
Tikal • Guatemala • Established around 219 CE • 40,000 people at its peak
Copàn • Honduras • 600 – 700 CE • Astronomical conferences
Palenque • Chiapas • Peaked between 600 – 700 CE • Pacal the Great & Mother Queen Zac-kuk
Writing • 90% of the symbols have been defined • Books made out of bark paper • Most destroyed during colonial period
Mayan Society • Ahau (king) • Tribute system • Strict gender roles • Monogamy vs. plural marriages • Extended families • Bloodletting • Musicians
Mathematics • Role of priests • 260-day religious calendar • 365-day solar calendar
What happened? • Collapse of city-states began in 800 CE • 12 million people in 700 CE • Population drops to 2 million