social studies test on ancient civilizations grade 8 ms sheahan

maya

the people of an important mesoamerican civilization that lasted from 2000 bce to 1500 ce - 3500 years

mesoamerica

the reigon extending from modern mexico throughout central america

ceremonial center

a large plaza in a city center, surrounded by temples and palaces, where religious rituals and other public ceremonies took place

hieroglyphic

writing that uses pictures as symbols

social pyramid

a social structure in the shape of a pyramid, with layers representing social classes of different rank

ritual

a set of actions that is always performed the same way as part of a religious ceremony

slash and burn agriculture

a farming technique in which vegetation is cut away and burned to clear land for growing crops

sacrifice

a gift of an animal for slaughter to honor the gods

compass rose

shows the orientation or direction of the map

map scale

helps the viewer convert the map to real life

longitude

longitude lines begin at the prime meridian and are spaced at equal distance to the east and west to the international date line

latitude

latitude lines begin at the equator and are equal distances to the north and south poles

cardinal directions

north, south, east, west

intermediate directions

northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest

where are the andes mountains?

where is the amazon river?

where is the yucatan peninsula?

where is the mexican plateau

maya civilization

aztec civilization

inca civilization

classic

golden age

city state 

independent state that consists of a city and its surroundings

who was the highest authority in maya social structure

the ruler - halach uinic ‘true man’

second highest in social structure

nobles and priests

Only people (including ruler) who knew how to read 

Priests performed sacrifices, led rituals, and foretold the future

Nobles gathered taxes and supplies

Nobles led peasant armies in war

3rd in social structure

Merchants and Artisans

• Merchants imported valuable items used during religious ceremonies

• Artisans painted books on paper from bark

• Artisans painted murals

• Were skilled weaves and potters

4th in social structure

Peasants 

• Grew crops 

• Farm with wooden hoes

• Women worked at home preparing food, weaving, sewing, taking care of kids and animals

• Built temples, pyramids, served as soldiers 

lowest tier on social pyramid

Enslaved people 

• Did manual labor 

• Became enslaved if they committed a serious crime 

• Could become enslaved if they were war prisoners 

• Family could have sold them into slavery

Background information

• Built homes, royal palaces, ball courts, and pyramids in ceremonial center

Calendar system

• Based on 20, due to math

• Had different types of calendars (Ritual, solar, and long count)

• The Sacred Round (260 day calendar)

• Calendars were used to determine the best days to plant, hunt, cure, do battle, and perform religious ceremonies

• Had solar calendars (used astronomy to figure out weather) -  DAILY CALENDAR - 365 days

• Ritual calendar (Tzolkin - Sacred Round - only Priests could read this) - 260 days

Sacred Round

• Had two cycles, one made up of the numbers 1-13 and one with 20 day names

• Used to determine the best days to do activities, such as religious ceremonies

• Only priests could read the Sacred Round

Offerings and Sacrifices

• Made offering of plants, food, flowers, feathers, jade, and shells

• Animals and sometimes humans were sacrificed

Mayan Gods

• The Maya believed in more than 160 gods (polytheistic)

• Primary gods were the the god of rain, the god of corn, and the god of death 

• The jaguar was an important animal in the Maya religion

Pok-a-tok

• Ball games played by two teams of nobles

• Players tried to hit a rubber ball through a stone hoop using anything but their hands

• Members of the losing team MAY have been sacrificed 

EVERYTHING MAYANS DID WERE TO HONOR THE GODS!

Number System

• Based on the number 20

• Had symbols representing values  - dot (1), dash (5), shell (0)

• Number system could not function without 0

• Mayans DID NOT come up with 0, but incorporated it into their number system

What did peasant women usually work on

sewing and preparing food

How did maya peasant men work

worked in fields and built structures