1. The Maya 250 BC to 1190 AD

2. The Mayas  We know they were not called Mayas  When Spaniards arrived, the major city was MAYAPAN (thus the name the Mayas)  The only great civilization to be located in the “jungle”  Primarily the Yucatan peninsula and northern central America

3. MAYAS MAYA KINGDOM

4. Astronomers  Calculated Lunar and Solar Eclipses –Used that information to have “Festivals”  Understanding of the Solar Position in the sky

5. Mathematicians  Had a system based on 20  Recognized the zero (unlike the Romans for instance)  One two  three four five  six eight nine  ten nineteen twenty

6. Architects  Build Magnificent Temples and Places for Commerce and Games

11. Mayan Economy  A trade system existed through which salt, obsidian, jade, cacao, animal pelts, tropical bird feathers, luxury ceramics and other goods flowed.  Goods from the highlands were traded with those of the lowlands. Obsidian was made into tools and weapons.  People either bartered goods directly or exchanged them for cacao beans

12. Commonly Bartered Items

13. Social Structure  The Social Pyramid –Priests –nobles wealthy –commoners and low-level govern officers –slaves and servants Priest

14. GAME  The Maya had a ball game called Pok-A- Tok. It was played on an odd shaped field.  The object of the game was to move a hard rubber ball without the use of hands or feet through a hoop.  There is debate whether it was the losing team or the winning team that was sacrificed.

15. GAME Decapitation scene at ball court,

16. GAME

17. Demise of the Mayas  Natural –Ecology  Soil Exhaustion  Water Loss and Erosion  Savana Grass Competition (Continual burning of soil led to end original forest and converted into man-made grass land. Problem, Mayas did not have toil equipment).

18. –Catastrophism  Earthquakes  Hurricanes –Evolution  Main idea was that social collapse occurred due to over population and lack of food supply –Disease brought by Spanish Demise of the Mayas (continuation)

19.  Social –Demography  Higher rate of female to male ratios led to a collapse of social order –Social Structure –Invasion