The Mayan Civilization Ancient Civilization - 1425 Words

The Mayan Civilization: For many centuries the Mayan was of life was a mystery to archaeologists. Their geography, social structure, government, economy/trade, technology, writing, and arts were all thought to be forever lost. Now, as archaeologists are still uncovering more information, what was once referred to as â€Å"The Lost Civilization of Maya†, has been awakened from the grave of unknown. Geography: The ancient Mayan Civilization surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean stretched from the southern tip of Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The tropical climate was ideal for growing, their main crop, maize along with sweet potatoes, avocado pears, and paw paws. There was plenty of rain in the whole†¦show more content†¦Commoners could not vote as the Mayan Civilization was not a democracy. The Mayan Civilization has always had a strong social class and was always a monarchy. Government: The Mayans always were a separated nation, that was made up of a collection of city-states. They had a hierarchical system in their government. They lived in city-states much like the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians. The Mayans has no professional armies but warfare was still quite important to the government. Mayan government would also raid other city-states. The Mayan rulers were thought of as a human-god hybrid. The rules were passed down by generation. It was unlikely for women to become rulers but occasionally when the king was too young, at war or unavailable for some other reason women would rule. All city-states were similar in the laws, the gods they believed in, architectural style, clothing and their way of life. Yet the Mayans never came together because of the common greed that nobles shared: wanting more power and land. Economy/Trade: The most important trading item for the Mayans was salt and the Yucatan Peninsula had lots of salt. The people of the Yucatan Peninsula traded honey, beeswax, bird feathers, and slaves. The feathers traded ranged from toucans all the way to hummingbirds, these feathers were used in clothing. The lowland products included cacao, lime stone for building, vannila, jaguar pelts andShow MoreRelatedMayan Civilization : Ancient Civilizations1314 Words   |  6 PagesMayan Civilization The mayan civilization was one of the earliest civilizations that occupied areas that are today known as Guatemala, Northern Belize, and Mexico. The mayan civilization lived through what is known as the Classic Period. Their culture began about 250 C.E. and ended near 900 C.E. While most of the population lived in what is present day Guatemala the population of the mayans rose from 5,000 to almost two million people near the end of the Classic Period. Although the mayans are knownRead MoreAncient Civilization And The Mayan People917 Words   |  4 PagesEvery ancient civilization had a set of beliefs and the Mayan people were no different. The Mayan people believed in two worlds, the â€Å"everyday world and the underworld, or the Place of Awe,† (2012). The Mayans believed in many gods, human sacrifice and the burial process for the poor and the kings were very different. The Mayans became around 250 AD and the Olmec’s influenced their religious culture. It was not until 900 AD that the Mayans began to flourish in cities across modern day Mexico, GuatemalaRead MoreThe Ancient Mayan Civilization : A Rigid Social Structure1627 Words   |  7 PagesThe Ancient Mayan Civilization was built upon a rigid social structure based on their religious beliefs. They used a caste social structure in which divisions were based on wealth, inherited rank, privilege, profession, or occupation. Their beliefs were based on the fact that nature elements had the power to either help or harm. The Ancient Mayans used their social structure and beliefs to shape their daily lives. The Mayans were a very religious. They believed in many gods and all events centeredRead MoreAncient Maya Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesAncient Maya Essay Matthew Pitcher Mrs Meligrana Ancient Civilizations June 8th, 2011 Pitcher1 The Ancient Mayan civilization stands out from other ancient civilizations and is great because of its outstanding achievements and developments. The Mayans are still known to this day for their exceptional architecture, medical discoveries, astronomy, and military tactics which were very successful. In this essay I will explain what the Mayans have achieved to make themselvesRead MoreFactors That Affect The Rise And Fall Of Civilizations Essay914 Words   |  4 PagesRise and the Fall of Mayan Civilization Area and Egyptian Civilization Area In ancient time, environmental factors were very important. It directed the people to where they should settle to practice agriculture for their living. Among many different important environmental factors such as geography, geology, plant and animal species, agricultural potential, resource abundance, one of the most significants factors which influenced to the rise and the fall of civilizations is climate. In my paperRead MoreCharacteristics Of The Mayan Civilizations733 Words   |  3 Pagesof civilizations. Three major ones are the Aztec, Maya, and Inca . These different civilizations play a very important role in history today. The Maya empire was highly skilled at building and architecture. They also were the only empire in mesoamerica to develop a complete writing system. The Maya were also highly skilled at agriculture and farming. The Maya were by far the most advanced and smart civilization. The Maya empire was very precise and exact when it came to architecture. Mayans builtRead MoreThe Cultural Similarities Differences Between the Inca and Mayan Empires619 Words   |  3 PagesInca and Mayan empires existed at different times in history, they have a few things in common. Like other societies throughout history though, they have many things that set them apart from each other. The biggest similarity they share is that they both had control of massive empires that eventually ceased to exist. To start off with, the Mayans existed earlier in history than the Incas. The Mayans existed from 1000 BC to AD 1697 and no one is quite certain what wiped out their ancient civilizationRead MoreEconomy in Early American Civilizations: Maya, Aztecs and Inca865 Words   |  4 PagesThe economic systems of early American societies were very similar. One of these societies, the Mayans, lived in southern Mexico and northern Central America from the 3rd to the 10th century CE, and they relied on the trade of goods such as obsidian and crops such as cacao beans. Another American civilization was the Aztec civilization. They were located in the Valley of Mexico around the 13th to 16th century CE, and they used slash-and-burn farming to plant crops to trade. The Inca Empire existedRead MorePhilosophy624 Words   |  3 Pagesreligion plays a critical role in ancient civilization, culture creation, and preservation in the sense that they not only bind, but also influence the societal stru cture, statutes, and personal lives. This paper documents the Mayan culture taking into consideration their civilization, ideologies, as well as their rituals. Civilization Factors contributing to culture creation and preservation extend from geographical to a number of patterns. The origin of the Mayan culture from the central partRead MoreSimilarities Between Civilizations And Civilizations958 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout history there have been similarities between civilizations, some of which were on separate parts of the world. Many scholars and historians have been baffled by the discoveries of these similarities due to the fact that these cultures were not only hundreds of miles apart but also were separated by hundreds of years. The ancient Egyptian civilization located in northern Africa around 3,100 B.C. is considered to be one of the cradles of civilization and also a major contributor to the technology