Maya history exam study guide
Make sure to study the diagrams or images of agriculture, the Maya periods, calendars and the Maya social structure.
Migration
-According to evolution humans originated in Africa.
-CHEIK ANTA DIOP- theorized two routes that homo-sapiens took to move out of Africa
-Migrated through the Sahara into the Iberian Peninsula (Europe); Isthmus separating the
Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
- America was named after Amerigo Vespuci
- 1 st theory Land bridge theory- the Last Glacial Maximum of the Wisconsin glacial period occurred approximately 20,000-18,000 years ago.
-Extremely cold weather; Ice sheets formed, sea levels dropped worldwide.
-because the ice sheets were formed the sea levels dropped and some lands were exposed. The Land bridge referred to as BERINGIA was exposed and connected Siberia to North America.
- the Paleo-Indians were following their food and they crossed the Bridge from Siberia into North
America. The bridge had a lot plants that is food for the Megafauna.
Paleo-Indian period 15000-7000 BC
-Had Asiatic origins and migrated to the Americas in pursuit of the large Pleistocene animals
(megafauna) that they relied on for subsistence. They were the first inhabitants of America.
-the basis of life was hunting and gathering. Paleo-Indians hunted for huge mammals called
MEGAFAUNA (most are now extinct). They used the clovis point which is an arrow point.
-They had a Nomadic lifestyle because they were hunter-gatherers they were nomadic which means they moved from place to place.
Archaic period- 7000 BC- 3000BC
-In 7000 BC severe climatic changes occurred the weather became warmer and wetter, glaciers in the north melted, this caused environmental changes=death of the megafauna.
- The humans began to rely on plants and hunting small animals; that is the reason this period has a different name!
-focusing on Agriculture lead to a change from Nomadic lifestyle (Paleo indian period) to sedentary life
(settling). Also a shift from small bands to large bands settlements.
Maya Origins
Introduction to the Maya
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Mayan” – refers ONLY to the language family

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“Maya” – refers to culture, civilization, sites, art, artifacts, etc.
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Why study the Maya? It’s interesting o It’s another case study for understand the human species more broadly o It provides us with a mirror for self-reflection o We can learn lessons that apply to our world today o What we learn can help Maya people today.
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Mesoamerica: Is a region and cultural area in the Americas within which a number of pre-
Columbian societies flourished! “Meso” means middle.
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What makes the Maya period different from the Archaic period? Language, Agriculture, and culture.
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Olmec as a mother/sister culture: It means that the Olmec influenced the Maya in several things such as Arts, Architecture, religion, mathematics, Astronomy, etc. The influence occurred through trade.
Geography: The Maya were occupying an area referred to as the geological bridge, which is essentially the upper part of Central America and parts of Mexico.
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The area is divided into the lowlands, highlands, islands (marine)
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Highlands divided into 2: The mountainous zone of central and western Mexico (northern
Highlands), the highlands of Guatemala and the Mexican state of Chiapas (southern highlands).
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Maya periods: Pre classic: 2500-300BC, Classic: 300-800AD, post-classic: 800-1502
Pre classic period: The Olmec also were experimenting with Agriculture in the Coastal Areas of Veracruz.
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Early forms of Agriculture! Farming first took place in Chiapas (Mexico), and El Salvador.
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2000 BCE pollen analysis shows that corn was grown in Peten, Guatemala
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Development could not occur without the rural people (farmers)
Middle pre-classic: Agricultural surplus production that societies became more populous, stratified, and diverse. Especially within the Belize River Valley! Made the Maya become Maya.
Late pre-classic: Major achievements were already set in place: mathematics, astronomy, calendrics, architercture, etc.
What lead to the height of the Maya civilization?
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Agriculture! Because the people began to plant they settled in an area, eventually they specialized in different areas of work and some became full time farmers.
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Surplus production lead to growth their grandeur expanded.
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The rural areas were essential since the farmers were from there.
Development of Agriculture
We were first- Hunter Gatherers; Hunter gatherers- a member of a nomadic people who live chiefly by hunting, fishing, and harvesting wild food.
-How did agriculture impact life? Because of agriculture they began to develop a sedentary life which lead to population growth and more people required more food so they had to perform more intensive agriculture.

Agriculture in the highlands; Terracing- a piece of sloped plane that has been cut into a series of successively receding flat surfaces, which resemble steps, for the purposes of more effective farming.
- What are the benefits of terracing? 1. Create farms out of steep hills, 2. Decrease soil erosion, 3.
Decrease in surface runoff 4. Provides very good irrigation.
- Chinampa- Small artificial island built on a freshwater lake for agricultural purposes.
Agriculture in the Lowlands; Raised fields are large artificial platforms of soil created to protect crops from flooding.
Slash and burn- slash and burn was quite easy, Ashes made the soil rich in nutrients. Cenotes are fund in the lowlands. Belize is in the lowlands.
Why trade started? They had surplus production of goods. Interaction within cities lead to competition
(started a market system). People demanded for goods from different regions.
Cacao seeds were used as currency.
What was traded: salt, obsidian, copper, jade, granite, melon seeds, quetzal feathers, axe heads, shells
Maya social organization
Social Organization: a group of social positions, connected by social relations, performing a social role.
Evolution of society: Paleo-indian period: small groups no leader Archaic period: groups got bigger! Egalitarian society!!! Chiefdom Class system
Class system: people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories, the most common being the upper, middle, and lower classes.
Class structure! Maya society was divided into groups: Ruler (halach Uinic), Nobles/priests, Commoners,
Peasants/serfs, slaves.
Slaves: Were owned by Nobles and commoners
Who were enslaved? People who committed crimes were punished with enslavement, Also for failing to pay debts, Unwanted orphan children, Prisoners of war.
Slaves were sacrificed when the owners died
Peasants/serfs: worked lands that belonged to the ruler or local town leader,
Commoners: Worked as farmers, laborers, and servants
Nobles/ priests: Noble status and occupation were passed through lineages
Ruler: Center of power and passed through lineages
Leaders of the military
Pledge to have divine connections
Maya Government

The halach Uinic was the supreme power any body who disrespected him was punished severely!
Power of the Halach Uinic was limited by his council the Halpop (made up of the Nacom, high priest and the Foreign advisors)
Nacom (military leaders): Served a three year term, Responsible for formulating military strategy and calling troops to battle
High Priests: Had a high priest who led a hierarchy of priests
Determined the dates for festivals and ceremonies, and foretold auspicious events for the ruler
Batabs: The batab was like the Minister of today!
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Batabs were administrators of dependent cities and villages
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They ensured tribute was paid and supplied troops in times of war
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Each batab presided over a local council composed of town officials (al Cuh Cabob)
Al cuch cabob: AL CUCH CABOB represented the various areas within the states.
Tupiles: they were like police: Each town had Constables! Called Tupiles!
Maya warfare; Reasons for war: Taking of captives, Taking of territory
Who declared war? The Halach Uinic with the advice of the Nacom declare war
Who were the soldiers? The batab gathered the fittest individuals, The Maya did not have a standing army.
Rituals for war: 1. Warriors lit incense before war to sooth the soul, 2. Warriors wore headdresses before and during war to please the gods, 3.They had their masks ready for war, 4. Warriors shaved a strip down the back of their heads before war, 5. The warrior's wives performed dances for the warriors before they fought in wars, 6. Warriors wore costumes during war.
Introduction to Maya Astronomy:
Astronomers came from the nobles/priests class
The Maya believed in 13 heavens and 9 hells
They believed that the Gods sent them messages through the events in the skies.
They paid keen attention to; Sun, Stars, Venus, Moon
Instruments used: solar dagger, gnomen, alignments, visual record keeping, zenith tubes
E groups: Are Architectural structures aligned for astronomical observation; Used to function also as religious center and was for agricultural predictions.
They observed the sun (kinich Ahau): They followed it year round, used it to say the time of the day,
They observed the stars: the stars shift seasonally and were used by Maya astronomers to predict when the seasons would come and go.
The solar calendar or haab calendar;Dealt primary with seasonal changes and agriculture.
- Has 365 days, 18 UINALS (MONTHS), Each month has 20 days, there is one month with 5 days (unlucky days- Uayeb), Each Uinal (month) had a patron. Each Month went from 0 to 19! (still 20 days)

The Tzolkin! Used for agricultural purposes and beginning of religious ceremonies. Has 260 days in a year, 20 day names, it works with 13 day cycles (trecena)
Long count calendar: used for Historical purposes! To record events
Kin 1 day uinal 20 kins 20 days months tun 18 unials 360 days
Year
Katun 20 tun 7200 days
Century baktun 20 katun 144000 days
Millennium day- kin, month-uinal, year-tun, century-Katun, baktun- millennium
Maya worldview
What is animism? The belief that all plants, animals, and objects have spirits.
What is polytheistic?? The doctrine of or belief in more than one god or in many gods.
Itzamna; Is the creator god, the god is residing in the sky, also the God of corn.
Popul Vuh- “the record of the community”
The Popul Vuh is the Maya creation story which stems from the Quiche Maya from Guatemala.
It is written in the quiche language
- Creation of animals; After earth was created they needed guardians of the forest. The animals could not praise so they decided to create humans; animals became their food.
-Creation of humans; 1st creation; humans mud but it dissolved. 2nd creation; humans of wood but they were washed away (destroyed). 3rd creation; humans were created with corn dough and that is us today.
Part 11 the hero twins; First set of twins “ the fathers”; they killed one of the gods of Xibalba, they went into Xibalba; they were killed.
Ixpuic a daughter of a lord of the Xibalba got pregnant (from blood dripping from a skull on the a tree). She gave birth to the hero twins; Hunahpu and Ixbalanque.
The hero twins; they tricked the lords of Xibalba. They brought back their fathers and they turned into gods.
Maya writing (hieroglyphs)
Paleo-indian and archai period writing; they did carving, simple painting, and they carved and painted animals.
Origins of the scripts; they copied some aspects of the Olmec Writing system, An early form of writing was found in Cerros, Belize. Language: Eastern Ch’olan language. They wrote on: codices, pottery, and stelae.

Importance of hieroglyphs: It helped to record major events in history. It was used for communication of the greatness of cities/kings. It was used for recording of upcoming events (calendars).
Maya mathematics
Importance of mathematics;
Their ability to write numbers enabled them to add and subtract with ease.
Helped them in architecture.
They were able to maintain financial records.
They maintained several calendars.
They were able to record events / dates
Information on Maya Mathematics was found in the Dresden, Grolier, Madrid and Paris Codices.
It was found in the Dresden codex; dot for 1, a bar for 5, a shell for 0.
Base 20 system: The Maya counted using their fingers from their hands and from their feet. The first number would denote the number of units up to 19, after its 20’s . Thereafter; it would be 20’s,
400’s.