1. The Maya

2. The Development of Mayan Civilization
Mayan civilization lasted from 2000 B.C.E. to 1500 C.E.
It reached its height between 300 and 900 C.E.
Mayan culture spread over much of Mesoamerica

3. The Olmec
The Maya built their civilization on ideas they inherited from the Olmec.
Olmec civilization reached its peak between 1200 and 500 B.C.E.

4. Olmec Achievements
Farming allowed Mesoamericans to create permanent settlements by 2000 B.C.E.
The Olmec were first to develop large religious and ceremonial centers, and were the first to use a solar calendar.

5. The Pre-Classic Period of Mayan Civilization
Lasted from 2000 B.C.E to 300 C.E.
Mayan culture gradually becomes much more complex.

6. Hieroglyphic Writing
About 50 B.C.E. they began to adapt the writing system of the Olmec
Developed their own system of hieroglyphic writing.

7. The Classic Period of Mayan Civilization
Dates from around 300 to 900 C.E.
Maya adapted and developed Olmec ideas.
Maya built enormous stone cities with temple-pyramids and palaces (without metal tools and the wheel).

8. The Classic Period: Science and Math
Maya built observatories
Used their knowledge of astronomy and mathematics to create accurate calendars

9. The Classic Period: Society
Mayan society consisted of many independent states that were often at war.
The Maya were unified by culture; they were not politically unified.
culture defines who a person is, where they come from [in some cases], what they eat, what they wear, what they believe in.

10. Classic Period Cities
At its height, the Mayan civilization included over 40 cities, including Tikal, Chichen Itza, and Palenque.
Around 900 the Classic civilization collapsed.

11. Maya Post-Classic Period
On the Yucatan Peninsula, Mayan cities continued to prosper during the Post-Classic Period.
This period lasted from 900 to 1500 C.E.

12. Maya Post-Classic Period Decline
Maya continued their warring but had fewer great artistic and cultural achievements.

13. Social Pyramid

14. Priest Kings The Ruler Halach uinic or “true man”
Decided when and where to go to war

15. Nobles and Priests Nobles and Priests Only literate class
Nobles organized important projects and led army
Priests led rituals and performed sacrifices

16. Merchants and Artisans
Traveled over much of Mesoamerica trading such goods as obsidian, jade, copal, quetzal feathers
Artisans
Painted murals
Were skilled weavers and potters

17. Peasants Peasants Men were mostly farmers
Women worked at preparing food, weaving, and sewing
Peasants built temples and served as soldiers

18. Slaves Slaves Performed manual labor for their owners
Slave population was made up of criminals, prisoners of war, and family members sold into slavery
Slaves were often sacrificed when their owner died

19. Offerings and Sacrifices
The Maya made offerings of plants, food, flowers, feathers, jade, and shells
Animals and humans were sacrificed
In Chichen Itza, humans were sacrificed by being thrown into a sacred well (cenote).

20. Mayan Gods The Maya believed in more than 160 gods
Primary gods were the god of rain, the god of corn, and the god of death
The jaguar was an important animal in the Mayan religion.

21. Pok-a-tok A ball game played by two teams of nobles
Players tried to hit a rubber ball through a stone hoop using their elbows, wrists, and hips
Members of the losing team may have been sacrificed

22. Calendar System: The Sacred Round
The Maya’s knowledge of astronomy and math allowed them to develop a complex calendar system
The Sacred Round was made up of two cycles. One cycle was made up of the numbers 1 to 13, the other had 20 day names.
The Sacred Round was used to determine the best days to plant, battle, perform religious ceremonies, etc…

23. Terrace Farming Crops: maize (corn), beans, squash, chili peppers
In the mountainous highlands, the Maya used a system of terraces to create more flat land on which to farm

24. Lowland Farming
In the swampy lowlands, the Maya used raised earth platforms surrounded by drainage canals

25. Slash-and-Burn Farming
In the densely forested lowlands, the Maya used slash-and-burn farming to clear land for farming

26. Theories for Decline of the Mayan Civilization
The population of Mayan cities grew faster than their farming systems could sustain
There was uncontrolled warfare
Mayan city-states were invaded by groups from central Mexico (Aztecs eventually become dominate Mesoamerican culture)
Drought may have caused massive crop failure

27. Destruction of the ecosystem to make lime for the pyramids is a recent theory.