Bell Ringer 4/4/16You are a Maya farmer, growing corn in fields outside a city. Often you enter the city to join in religious ceremonies. You watch the king and his priests standing at the top of a tall pyramid. They wear capes of brightly colored feathers and gold ornaments that glitter in the sun. Far below them, thousands of worshippers crowd into the plaza with you to honor the gods.

How do these ceremonies make you feel?

objectives

• 7.69 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support the analysis of the impacts of the Mesoamerican developments in astronomy and mathematics, including the calendar, and the Mesoamerican knowledge of seasonal changes to the civilizations’ agricultural systems. (C, H)

• 7.65 Describe the highly structured social and political system of the Maya civilization, ruled by kings and consisting of agriculturally intensive centers around independent city-states.

Predict

Agriculture• The Maya inhabited

Mesoamerica. • Around 1000 BC the Maya

began settling in the lowlands of what is now northern Guatemala. This region is full of mostly tropical rainforest- so people cleared the land to farm crops: beans, squash, avocados, and maize (corn)

• They used their vast collection of wood to build.

The Classic Age • By 200 AD, the Maya had

begun to build large cities in Mesoamerica, mostly within the ___________ Peninsula. It reached its height between AD 250- 900.

• The cities were really city states. Each had its own government and its own king.– What are city states?

Mayan Cities• Trade held the Maya civilization together and

through trade, they got supplies for construction.– palaces decorated with carvings and paintings– stone pyramids topped with temples (temples

honored kings)• The city of Palenque built a temple to honor the

king Pacal's achievement. • Answer the Analysis Skills question on page 471.

builders• Maya also built canals

and paved large plazas (open squares for public gatherings)

• Farmers used stone walls to shape hillside into flat terraces s0 they could grow crops.

• They also played games in a stone court!

Social Structure• King- held highest

position- believed to be related to the gods

• Priests, merchants, and noble warriors were also upper class - They all held the power in society

• lower class – farmers (most of population)

• Slaves

Farmers- lower class

• Women cared for their children, cooked, made yarn, and wove cloth

• Men farmed, hunted, and crafted tools– They had to pay their rulers by giving them crops,

tools, and salt • The men would also go to battle if needed– If they were captured in battle they would become

slaves

RELIGION • The Maya worshipped many gods:– Creator– Sun god– Moon goddess – Maize god

• Why would pleasing the gods be such an important part of their daily life?

• On special occasions they would make human sacrifices

Achievements • The religious beliefs of the

Maya led them to make advances in science. They built observatories so their priest could watch the stars and plan the best time for festivals.

• With the knowledge they gained about astronomy they made two calendars!

What do you know about the calendars??

Calendar• One had 365 days on it – this

guided planting, harvesting, and other farming activities. This calendar was more accurate than the calendar of the Europeans at the time.

• They also had a separate 240 day calendar that they used to tracking of religious events.

Mathematics• They could measure time accurately because

they were skilled mathematicians• They created a number system that helped

them make complex calculations • They were among the first to have a symbol

for the number zero• They used the numbers to record dates in

their history.

Writing System • They also developed a writing system – it was

similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics, because symbols represented both objects and sound.

• They would carve them in stone tablets• They also wrote in bark paper books and passed

down books and poems by mouth

Decline • Maya civilization began to

collapse in the 900s • People stopped building

structures and buildings• They left the cities and

went back to the countryside.

• Predict- what do you think caused this collapse?

theories• Historians are not really sure! • One factor may have been the burden of the

common people- the kings forced these people to work and farm. Maybe people didn’t want to work for the kings- they may have decided to rebel against their rulers and leave the cities!

theories• Increased warfare between cities could have

also caused people to leave. The cities always fought for power- people could have fled the cities for safety!

theories• Maybe the Maya could not produce enough

food to feed everyone. Growing the crops year after year weakens the soil – and the population continued to grow

• Climate change could have also been a factor because many droughts were occurring – so people could have left the cities

recap1. Describe Maya’s classical age.2. What were the achievements of the Maya?3. How was the Maya social structure set up?4. How did the roles of men and women differ in the Maya society?

TASK• You are a Mayan living during the Mayan times.

Look at the pictures on pages 470- 471. Use the information you gained today and in the section of the pictures. Also use your historical imagination!

• Write a narrative based on the picture and the information. – What role are you in society (social structure). – What achievements did you all accomplish?– What do you think will happened to your civilization

(use the theories we discussed).

Architecture• The Mayan also had amazing architecture