Maya Study Guide Test Date Geography

Mexico Pacific Ocean Gulf of Mexico Yucatan Peninsula

Tropical Rain Forests/ Jungles

City-states each had a king

Kings-Leader

Priests- Upper class

Farmers- Lower class (most of Mayan society)

Believed in many gods

Believed in blood sacrifice, human sacrifice, and paying tribute (sacrificing belongings and gold)

Temples were a place of worship

Writing System- glyphs

Calendar- solar and lunar- used to predict planting seasons and to plan religious festivals

Architecture- building design (temples and observatories)

Art- paintings, sculptures, jewelry

Math- the number zero

Grew crops like squash, beans, and corn (maize)

Corn was the most important crop

Grew cacao beans- used as money and to make a drink for religious ceremonies. The rich had the luxury of turning the beans into chocolate.

Used a planting stick

Slash/burn- cut trees and burn land to make room for farming

Terrace farming- cut steps into the hillsides to make more land flat and usable for farming

The End of the Maya Civilization

Remains a mystery but scientists believe the following could have happened:

Food shortages Overpopulation