maya history s.s.

Terms in this set (41)

Where were the Maya located?
the Yucatan Peninsula - Southern Mexico, Belize & Guatemala
Maya cities in the classic age included:
large stone pyramids, temples, palace, market, plaza, & ball court
What was a City- State?
a city that owns the region around it.
Did the Mayan have any central government?
no, each city had its own ruler and each city was isolated from each other. They had roads through the forest to lead to each city.
What class were the Maya rulers?
the nobles
In the popular Maya ball game, players tried to
get a rubber ball through a stone ring without using their hands or feet.
The lower class
provided food, goods and labor
How were the gods pleased?
they had human, animal, and crop sacrifices
Stelae
long poles in which glyphs wre inscribed
Codex
The Maya recorded their knowledge in screen-fold books called...
glyphs
a form of picture writing used by Mayans
Highest Mayan class
nobles
nobles
ruled the city, they were related to the gods, lived in palace
priest
talked to the gods, were needed to make all decisions, treated sick
warriors
highly respected, protected the city
craftsmen
traders, merchants
farmers
worked in the field, were allowed to see religious festivals, built temples
slaves
worked for nobles, farmed, took care of the children.
upper class
led the religious cermonies
Maya cities were linked...
through a trading network
The early Maya lived...
in isolated villages
Cotton & Cacao were grown...
in the Maya lowlands
Jade & Obsidian were found...
in the Maya highlands
What did Pacal have built to record his achievements
A huge temple
Losers of the Maya ball game...
were sacrificed
Lower class Mayans paid their rulers...
by giving them part of their crops, some of their goods, and by helping to construct public buildings
Mayan gods need blood to...
prevent disasters.
Maya built observatories so priest could watch the stars and...
plan the best times for religious festivals
Mayan mathematical achievements included:
a symbol for zero, an accurate calendar & a number system
Mayans created their architecture without...
wheeled vehicles
Maya system of writing had symbols that represented both...
objects & sounds
theories for Maya decline include: (three)
Increased warfare between city states, Population grew - not enough food, and Serious droughts - lower crop production.
To be King / Queen in ancient Maya you must be born into a...
royal family
High ranking group responsible for tracking the movement of stars and making predictions for the King are called the...
astronomers
Largest group of Mayan population...
commoners / farmers
The Maya built their monuments without...
beasts of burden, metal tools, and the wheel
The Maya numbering system is based on multiples of ...
twenty
Mayan temples where found on top of what kind of pyramids?
step pyramids
The Mayans developed two calendars
One for farming... one for religious events
The Maya thought their Kings were related to...
the gods.
Mayan civilization was destroyed by who in the 1500's?
The Spanish
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