By F.A., K.C., L.B.
Period 2
The Mayans
The Mayan homeland stretched from southern Mexico to central America
In the north lowland; dry scrub forest of the Yucatan peninsula
In the highlands is the dense, steamy jungle of southeastern Mexico and Guatemala
The south also had a range of cool, cold weather in the mountains that are between Mexico and El Salvador.
L.B
Geography
Most peasants were farmers. Food usually consisted of corn porridge or tortillas baked with
vegetables. Stone axes were used to maintain the farmland. Metal tools were not
used. Farmers grew a surplus of food to eat in the future. Women brought the crops into markets to sell and trade. Slash and burning farming was used. Farmers cut down trees in the
area then burning them. The ashes were used to fertilize other crops. Common crops were maize (corn ), beans squash, chill, peppers,
cacao, and sweet potato. Hunted wild turkey. When growing season ended the were enslaved until next season.K.C.
Agriculture
Religion was a great influence to the Mayans. Mayans worshiped nature gods in several ways. Mayans worshipped gods of sun, rain, and corn. They prayed and made offerings of food, flowers, and
incense. Mayans pierced their bodies with sharp needles and
offered their blood. Mayans also had rituals of human sacrifice. They gave importance to astronomy and the building of
pyramids and temples.
F.A.
Religion
The Mayans lived in hay huts, the walls were made of mud or stone. Wooden poles held up the structure and roof.
Stones were used to build houses for the higher class.Terraces were built on hillsides for farming plot.Temples usually had two chambers.Polished the stone blocks of each building. This
substance was called lime substance.The Mayans carved into the stone to create pictures on
the walls of buildings.Some temples and buildings were built accordingly to
connect to religion and astronomy.K.C
Architecture
Tikal is a huge ceremonial esplanade. Tikal has three big platforms. The temples were placed in the jungle. The wall are vertical with molded base corners. The stairs on the temples do not show any literal support. Some Tikal reach up to 70 meters high. Palaces stood like a trapezoid, 100 by 72 meters. Height depends
on the type of land they live on.
L.B.
Cities, Temples, and Palaces
Tulum: the Mayans called this city Tulum which means the wall in the Mayan tongue. Talcum's modern name is Zamá meaning “Sunrise”. Arose in A.D. 1200
Chichen Itza: means “mouth of the well of Itza”. The Chichen Itza is rated among the most important of the Maya culture. It was the capital of the second empire.
Uxmal: is one of the most beautiful Mayan cities.Tikal: the largest known Mayan city. Tikal was
home to more than 55,000 people in the year 700. F.A.
City Names
The Mayans have created over 5000 traditional dances. Wooden flutes and trumpets were made of seashells, or
clay. A popular game played was called Pok-A-Tok. Objective of
the game is to move a hard rubber ball with out housing your hands or feet.
The Mayans enjoyed chocolate drinks and food. Hieroglyphics were used as a writing system. The Mayans
wrote on buildings field with stores and sentences. The most common stone used for jewelry was the jade.
K.C.
Culture
http://mayas.mrdonn.org/index.html http://library.thinkquest.org/10098/mayan.htm http://www.mayadiscovery.com/ing/archaeology/architecture/astronomy.htm http://
www.kidsnewsroom.org/elmer/infoCentral/frameset/civilizations/maya/cult/index.html http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1123-maya-civilization-cities-of-the-maya http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1123-the-maya-civilization-cities-of-the-maya http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/spirits/html/body_maya.html http://www.locogringo.com/past_spotlights/apr2002.html
Bibliography