March 01, 2013
MayanCulture
Happy Friday!
Agenda:
1) Mayan Culture and the Aztecs?
2) Do you know your space learning targets?
You need coloring supplies today!
Learning Target:Early Indian civilizations (Maya, Inca, Aztec, and Mississipian) existed in
the Western Hemisphere prior to the arrival of Europeans.
You understand this when you know:
1) You will need to understand the Aztec:
a. government
b. social structure
c. religion
d. technologies
e. agricultural practices and products
March 01, 2013
Mexico
United States
GuatemalaHondurasPacific Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Mayan Lands
TikalTulum
Palenque
Chichen Itza
Bonampak
The Mayan Map
TikalTulum
Palenque
Chichen Itza
Bonampak
March 01, 2013
Mexico
United StatesGuatemala
Honduras
Pacific Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Mayan Lands
Tikal
Tulum
Palenque
Chichen ItzaBonampak
You will see this on the quiz!Do you know where things go?
It means "at the well of the mouth of Itza."
Important Mayan Cities
Chichen Itza/ /
March 01, 2013
Chichen Itza is known for all of the architecture. Hundreds of building stood once in this area.
The sacred wellPossibly the best known construction on the site is Kukulkan's Pyramid. El Castillo (Kukulkan-Quetzalcoatl).
Approximately 75 feet tall.
Another Important City: PalenqueThis city was once covered with trees and bushes.
It was uncovered and studied. Within this city, there are many sculptures, buildings, and carvings
that help us learn about the Mayan culture.
Pacal the Great was found in a tomb inside
of the Temple of Inscriptions.
The Temple of Inscriptions
Palenque has the highest average rainfall each year.
March 01, 2013
Another important Mayan City:Tikal ("at the waterhole" or the "place of voices")
Located in the Peten rainforest in Guatemala.
A lot was known about Tikal because of the massive amounts of hieroglyphics and lists found within the buildings. A list of rulers was found!
March 01, 2013
Mayan Introductory Video
Mayan Vocabulary List
City-state: a Mayan city and its nearby town or village; each city-state was controlled by a different ruler.
Ajaw: the name for the ruler of the city-state; Mayans believed these were selected by the gods.
March 01, 2013
Mayan Vocabulary List
City-state: a Mayan city and its nearby town or village; each city-state was controlled by a different ruler.
Ajaw: the name for the ruler of the city-state; Mayans believed these were selected by the gods.
Temples: typically the tallest building in a Mayan city-state; they were considered to be homes to the gods and the Mayans used them as a place to pray
Nobles: important people of a high-ranked birth
March 01, 2013
Terraces: flat areas carved into hillsides used to grow crops
Irrigation: a man-made system of
Slash-and-burn: a farming technique where forest trees and plants are cut down and burned, so crops can later be planted in the area
bringing water to crops
Hieroglyphs (Glyph): a writing system used by the Mayans; made mostly of pictures and symbols to represent a word
Mesoamerica: the land that is presently known as Mexico and Central America
March 01, 2013
Mayan HieroglyphicsOn your brown bag (or paper if you didn't bring in a bag):Create a glyph for each word (except glyph!) Each word should be defined with a glyph progression showing how pictures got easier to draw/carve over time!
Original Glyph for Mesoamerica(detailed drawing)
Final Cursive for Mesoamerica(Very simple drawing)
Definition: Land we know as Mexico and Central America
• Classic Maya settled in Guatemala• Dense rainforest covered land making farming hard• Climate was hot and humid• Seasonal rainfall was depended on for water• Rain soaked through limestone leaving little surface water
• Built large ceremonial centers/ city-states at different sites.• At Tikal, Temple I was built, 130 foot-high step pyramid
• Successfully farmed in rain forest by using slash-and-burn techniques and a system of raised fields and irrigated gardens• Created irrigation networks to support concentrated urban centers, like Tikal
Planted and harvestedcorn, squash, beans, and other crops in fields
March 01, 2013
• Was considered a god-king• responsible for political leadership• lords, mostly men, but women had great influence on political decisions
• 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
• Were powerful because the maintained favor with the gods• led religious rituals, calculated positions of stars, and treated the sick• practiced himan sacrafice on a limited scale.
• Merchants traded salt, cotton, fish and animal skins for obsidian, jade, feathers, and cocoa beans over long distances• artisans produced sculptures and murals to pay tribute to gods
• Men worked in fields; women managed the household• rewarded for loyalty by being allowed to attend royal marriages and important ceremonies
• Recruited from surplus children, war prisoners, and criminals• required to do difficult or undesirable tasks like grinding maize (corn)• not badly treated, but sometimes killed or buried with master
In Groups you will be working together to read about different patterns of Mayan culture, on your iPad, and fill out graphic organizers associated with each part of the Mayan Culture. (Linked to Mrs. Wise's website!) Each group will be responsible for only one section of the reading. Then you will make a brochure from your portion of the reading that other groups will use to fill out the rest of the pieces of their graphic organizers. That will only make you responsible for reading one piece of this puzzle, but able to get the rest of the information by reading the work of others!
Timeline:Day 1 - read and fill in the graphic organizer (as a group of 8 or so)Day 2 - finish graphic organizer and begin brochure (brochures done in groups of 3-4 with each section having 2 finished brochures)Day 3/4 - Completion of brochure Suggestions (as you cannot all be working on one paper at once):Person 1 - responsible for photos - separate paper taped on laterPerson 2 - setup/assembly of brochure (gluing, titles, labels, pictures in correct locations)Person 3/4 - writing of the sections of the brochure
Mayan Reading and Brochure