Government

Political Organization Maya Social and Political Organization Government

Small city-kingdoms served as the means of Mayan political organization

Lord was considered a god-king Responsible for political leadership Lords mostly men, but women had great influence on political decisions

King and Queen expected to sacrifice blood

Nobles Lived near ceremonial centers and helped lords run cities Gathered taxes, supplies, and labor for construction projects Served as war captains who led peasant armies during war

Priests Were powerful because they maintained favor with the gods

Led religious rituals, calculated positions of stars, and treated the sick

Practiced human sacrifice on a limited scale

Mayan priests at temple

Merchants/Artisans Merchants traded salt, cotton, fish, and animal skins for obsidian, jade, quetzal feathers, copal, and cocoa beans over long distances

Artisans produced sculptures, codices, and murals to pay tribute to gods

Peasants Men worked in fields; women managed household Rewarded for their loyalty by being allowed to attend royal marriages and important religious ceremonies

Slaves Recruited from surplus children, war prisoners, and criminals Required to do difficult or undesirable tasks like grinding maize Not badly treated, but sometimes were killed and buried with master