The MayansThe Mayans

LocationLocationMaya were located in Mesoamerica-central Mexico to N. Central America

-Started around 1000 B.C.

Picture from flickr.com by user Urban Sea Star

-Lived in the rain forest they farmed and Hunted

-Lived in small villages and traded with others

This picture is from flickr.com by user IITA Image Library.

The Classic AgeThe Classic Age From AD 250-900

-40 Large cities with own governments and kings

Cities were linked through trade-Lowlands grew crops and traded cotton and cacao-Highlands traded jade and obsidian

obsidian picture from flickr.com from user elevenamxCacao picture from flickr.com from user Christine4nier

The Classic AgeThe Classic Age-Large stone temples and pyramids-Built large palaces-Plaza’s for gathering and meetings around main temple

The Classic AgeThe Classic Age-Stone ball court-ball through ring no hands or feet could be used

-winners received jewels and clothing- losers were killed

Picture from flickr.com from user exfordy

Social ClassesSocial Classes

2 classes in Maya society-were not divided equally Upper class had the King, priests, merchants, and warriors

Maya CultureMaya Culture The main gathering place for Maya society was

around the largest temple, where priests would perform religious ceremonies. This picture is of El Castillo at Chichen Itza.

This picture from flickr.com from user f-l-e-x.

Maya King-had religious and political authority-related to the gods

  Priests, merchants, and warriors

-rest of the power with the king-priests led all religious ceremonies

Maya CultureMaya Culture Lower class- most of the Maya

-Completed all of the labor and provided food-women cared for children, cooked, and madeclothes-men would farm, hunt, and make tools

-Lower class had to pay for upper class-food, clothing, salt-build buildings-serve in Army

Religion of the MayaPolytheistic

Achievements of the Maya

-Accurate calendars-365 day calendar for farming-260 day calendar for religious

events-Great at Math

-Used the number 0-Writing system to record history

End of MayansEnd of Mayans Collapse around 900 AD

-Maya left their cities 4 reasons why they may have left

-To much work for the lower class-rebel against the king

-Warfare between cities-killed to many people

-could not produce enough crops-weakened the soil

-climate change-droughts (not enough rain)