Glencoe World History © 2008

The Maya

Introduction
The Maya developed one of the most stunning early civilizations in the Americas. Yet they did so under challenging conditions. In this activity you will learn about the achievements and society of the Maya. You will then have a chance to compare the Maya with one of the other early civilizations in Mesoamerica.

Destination Title: Ancient and Lost Civilizations

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Directions

• On the Web site’s home page, scroll down to “Mesoamerica” and click on “Maya Civilization.”
• Scroll down and click on “History.” Read the first two sections: “Mayan History” and “Mayan Classic Period.” Take notes about what you read.
• Click the back arrow, and then click on “Society.” Read through the information, taking notes as you go.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			List five achievements of the Maya.
2			What do historians believe caused the Maya population in the central lowlands to decline?
3			What happened when captives were “double sacrificed”?
4			Into what three general classes was Maya society organized?
5			On the Web site home page, select another Mesoamerican civilization. Read about that civilization and compare and contrast its development with that of the Maya. Create a two-column table on a separate piece of paper. In rows, list at least five categories to compare, such as geography, architecture, and political structure. Complete the table with information comparing the two civilizations.