History Assignment given on 28 March 2018.

Due Date 18 May 2018

INSTRUCTIONS
Read the following paragraphs to answer the next twelve questions (Questions A- I) (107 marks)
On the Map provided, complete the three assignments. (15 marks)
3 marks for the Cover Page.
The total score of the paper is 125 marks.
The responses to the questions may be handwritten or typed.
When submitting the paper, it must have a cover page, which clearly states the following:
Name of Student
Form
Title: The Maya
Date of Submission.

Each Page must have a page number.

1
The Maya

The remnants of the Mayan civilization can be found in the Yucatan Peninsula. It takes in parts of
southern Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. The climatic type is tropical. The area provided the Maya with
the ideal conditions to develop their civilization.

Social Organisation

This refers to the way in which groups within a society are arranged. The position one holds within one's
society is based upon some specific characteristics such as race, occupation gender, or one's ancestral
lineage. Social organization allows various functions to be carried out within the society which are
necessary for its continuance. Simple societies do not have very much variation of roles, whereas in
larger or more populous societies, there is much variation of roles.

2
The Halich Unic -Real Man was the head of a city-state. He was the hereditary ruler. When the Halich
Unic died his oldest son succeeded him .He was responsible for formulating foreign and domestic
policies with the aid of a council composed of nobles. He was also the chief priest and military leader.
The Priests: reads and interpret messages from the gods. They were also the ones who performed
sacrifices. The Batabs: Members of the hereditary classes. They administered the town’s affairs and
served as local judges. He was responsible for the collection of taxes. Each bataba commanded his own
soldiers. The Nacoms: These were war chiefs who were elected to their post for 3 years. During those
three years they could not have relations with women nor eat red meat. According to one source they
were responsible for formulating military strategy. The society was highly stratified and was divided
into ruling class, merchant class and working class. The farmers worked the land as one community, that
is, communal relationship was a very important feature of the society. There were no formal educational
institutions so children learnt their roles from observation. The females were limited to domestic
responsibilities. The girls were trained by their mothers to be wives and mothers, while the men were
responsible for the training of the boys for manhood and at the same time, heads of households. The
economic support of the family depended heavily on the males. In addition, upward social mobility was
limited, marriage was considered sacred and divorces were few. Any kind of adultery was punishable by
death.

Traders/Ppolms: They were considered to be very important in Mayan society they even had their own
god. Ek Chuuah, their own rules for social behaviour and they paid no taxes. The traders operated canoe
fleets and maintained store houses along the Gulf Coast. Mayan society was very stratified and more
complex than Arawak/Taino and Carib/Kalinago societies. The common people worked the land
communally. However the upper classes owned private property.

Political Organization

This refers to the way in which society is governed and the way in which leaders are selected. Mayan
society was divided into a number of city states; there was no centralized government. The Maya were
ruled by a hereditary class or one family similar to that of the Arawaks/Tainos. The Balich Unic
received his office from his father. He was assisted by a council of hereditary rulers who helped with the
administration of the government. The Halach Uinic was the absolute head of the city state who held
civil, military and religious offices. In his religious capacity, the Halach Uinic co-operated closely with

3
the priest who acted as god-contacts for the people, and they, in turn followed the dictates of their divine
rulers. Villages were run by functional officials called "batabs". They, the batabs, organized the division
of land and work, they made sure that everyone gave their portion of crops as taxes. There was a war
chief that was elected for approximately three (3) years called—“nacoms.”

Religion

The priest played a central role in organizing activities of the Mayan people from their birth to their
death, agriculture, time count, astronomy and architecture. Each activity in the Mayan's life had a god:
Yum Kax - god of corn, Chae - god of Rain, Ix - Chel was the god of weaving and childbirth, Auh -
Puch -god of death. In order to ensure harmony on earth these gods had to be appeased. For example, if
drought was experienced human sacrifices were made in several ways such as the removing of the
human heart and the drowning of victims in wells. They worshipped 166 gods. These gods had good and
bad fortunes so they were always being worshipped. The ah-kin-priest were key figures in Maya
society, calculated days for harvests, planting, festivals and sacrifices.

Maya society was very influenced by religious beliefs. It had areas of huge stone pyramids with temples
on top. The great pyramids and ball courts were a concrete expression of their religious beliefs and their
devotion to the gods. These were decorated with beautiful writings. Apart from human sacrifice, it was
important that when the ball game "pok-a-tok” was played, winning was a must or else the loser could
be sacrificed. (This shows the influence of religion on the lives of these people, every aspect of their art
work and even recreation reflected religious beliefs and concepts)

Society, Agriculture and Food, Trade

The Mayans lived in city states which had large populations. They lived in round huts with spectacular
ceremonial buildings and grounds. The society was highly stratified and was divided into ruling class,
merchant class and working class. They had a good irrigation system in case of drought. They planted
enough food to feed families, for storage as well as for trade because of the vast expanse of land. The
Maya grew several crops such as cotton, sweet potatoes, chilli peppers, beans, squash, cassavas,
potatoes, corn/maize and pumpkins. However, their main crop was maize which was an important part

4
of their religion and everyday life. Like the Arawak/Tainos and Caribs/Kalinagos, the Maya had no
beast of burden. Production was based upon the use of human labour. They also utilised very simple
farming implements such as a coa - a fire hardened digging stick. The methods of cultivation were
similar, and in other ways different from the Amerindians of the Caribbean islands. All groups utilized
the "slash and burn" technique to clear the lands. However, the Maya developed more advanced
techniques such as terracing, swamp reclamation and the development of orchards and milpas -
cornfields. They stored enough food in chultunes for the future as well as trade. Bartering was popular
and a variety of goods passed hands ranging from food to minerals.

Technology

Technology refers to the tools or processes (techniques) used to achieve a specific goal:

The Mayan Calendar - The Mayans developed calendars which accurately predicted celestial
phenomena such as a solar eclipse. They also accurately identified that they were 365 days in a year
.The calendar was of great importance because it meant they could determine when and the type of
sacrifice the gods may require. The calendars were also used to assist the Maya with their everyday
activities of farming and trade activities.

Roads (Sacbeob) - The roads helped connect Mayan cities. Many of the roads were used for ceremonial
purposes. One road was said to be 62 miles long.

Chultunes: large underground storerooms and granaries. Cenotes: large wells some used for
ceremonial purposes. Canoes: made from cedar -8 feet wide- which could accommodate 40 sailors. It is
believed they could travel as far as Venezuela to the pearl producing territory of Margarita. Trading
canoes were paddled by slaves. They also had an advanced form of writing called Hieroglyphics. It
consisted of many symbols which when used depicted a series of pictures which tell a story. The
characters were used to represent abstract ideas. Though very little of their books remain, much can be
seen on artefacts that survived the coming of the Europeans. They knew Mathematics and astronomy
and they used both to develop sophisticated calendars. The Maya were also able to create their own
counting system. A mollusk shell represented 0, a dot represented 1, a represented five. Much of

5
the writings of the Maya were recorded on large stone monuments called stelae as well as on buildings
and household utensils. They did not have metal tools, but they used wooded hoes and fine hardened
wood ploughs. Limestone blocks were cut without metals. Weapons of war were forged from obsidian
blades.

Mayan Technology

The Maya unlike the Arawak/Taino and Carib/Kalinago were an advanced society and they employed
much technology. The Maya created large and impressive architectural style in the pyramids and
temples, ball courts, gateways, bridges and sweat baths. Many of the ordinary citizens lived in homes
made of thatched roofs .The pyramids were made of stone quarried and sculpted by hand. Many of the
pyramids had corbelled arches, the bricks were held together with pulverized lime mortar.

Weaving- this was done by women using handlooms. The woven articles were dyed using minerals and
vegetable dyes. Feather weaving was also practiced by Mayan' women and the prized bird was quetzal.

Basketry- rope making and pottery were very important. The ropes were used in construction and
Maya pottery was highly decorated with pounded stone and minerals. The main colours were brown,
white, yellow, black and red.

Pyramids soared to 229ft and were made of stones cemented together with powdered stone.

Agriculture- Similar to the Tainos and Kalinagos, they used the slash and burn method to le he forested
areas for domestic use. Due to their large population, the slash and bum method was not effective and
they therefore needed to employ chinampas or raised field agriculture to turn swamp land into
productive plots of lands. To do this they drained these swampy areas and heaped the fertile soils to
provide beds for their crops. An irrigation system using cenotes/walls was used to irrigate the crops.
This irrigation system consisted of canals which were fed by artificially created dams which ensured that
the arid areas were made fertile.

The use of fertilizers was also employed by the Maya. These were generated from the sediments
taken from the reclaimed land and the nitrates and ash created from the land clearing process.
They were also able to reshape the unusable mountainous terrain by creating agricultural terraces which

6
allowed them to cultivate areas on slopes. To store excess food especially com, the Mayan used
chultunes or underground storerooms/ granaries.

Weapons: Spears and clubs tipped with obsidian, slings with stones the size of eggs, feathered shields,
to protect themselves, Maya soldiers also used tough padded cotton jackets to cover their chests.

Calendar: Time was of great importance to the Maya. They developed a complex calendar of 3 circles
which kept track of days, months and years. The haab year was 18 months long and each month had 20
days. In addition, they were 5 unlucky days or vayela. The Maya also had a sacred calendar of 260 days.
The 3rd calendar recorded the no. of days since the beginning of civilization.

Writing: Mayans wrote using glyphs, most of their writings are difficult to understand. Their number
system is not.

Mayan Practices and Customs

The flattening of the foreheads of infants as a mark of beauty.

Pok-a Tok - A ball game played with a rubber ball. The object of the game was to place the ball into a
hoop made of stone using only their hips .The ball courts were found in the temples.

Crimes - were punished severely. For example, thieves were enslaved to pay off debts and the thief was
tattooed. Mayan doors had no locks. Cross-eyes was also achieved by hanging a ball between the child's
eyes. Important men were carried around on litters and cooled with fans by slaves. The priests studied
the stars and told farmers when to plant and when to reap. In turn the farmers had to supply the priests
with everything they needed. Men held the top positions in Mayan society. The Mayan tattooed their
bodies and wore bone and semi precious stone ornaments such as jade and topaz. They captured enemy
soldiers for sacrifice.

Gender Relations -The males were the head of the households there. They were responsible for training
the boys for manhood, this included training for warfare and priestly duties with the help of the older
boys. The men were also responsible for the primary economic support of the family. They grew and
harvested all the corn, beans among other crops, needed by the family. They hunted and brought home
the salt and meat that were needed for the family. The men were responsible for the cutting of
wood for building of houses and to supply the firewood.

7
Mayan women, on the other hand, were primarily involved in domestic chores such as cooking,
childcare, washing and sewing among other duties. As primary care givers they provided the children
with the Mayan beauty marks such as flattening foreheads, pierced ears and crossed eyes. Mothers
taught their daughters socially accepted behaviour. For example, how to dress and clean themselves and
have successful relationships with men. Girls were not allowed to have sexual contact outside of
marriage. They could not look directly at men and had to lower their eyes in their presence. The mother
kept the children together until at age 12, when the boys are separated and sent with their fathers for
training. The girls remained home until marriage. Marriage was considered sacred and divorces were
few.

Arts & Craft

Mayas produced exceptional architecture, paintings, pottery and sculpture; built tall pyramids of
limestone with small temples on top, the artists decorated the walls with brightly coloured murals that
feature life-like figures taking part in battles and festivals, pottery made of many styles, women prepared
the clay, shaped it, painted it and fixed the ornate containers. They used the pottery to hold water and
food, basketry and rope-making were also great arts, rope- making was important for the men as they
wrapped it around their shoulders to pull huge rock masses into position, beautiful feather costumes
were made for the soldiers and the nobility.

Leisure and Recreation

Religious festivals provided one of the favourite forms of recreation for the Mayas. At these - various
festivals, persons danced from music provided by percussion instruments and wooden drums.

Reasons for the advancement of Mayan Society

(1) The availability of large tracts of land which they used to develop large-scale farming (2) they had
more advanced methods to assist cultivation (3) they had surplus production which facilitated trade (4)
specialization of labour and the development of a culture in the areas of art and architecture (5) they had
mineral resources from which they could use to their advantage (6) they kept historical records on large
stone monuments called stelae as well as on buildings and household utensils (7) they were not
disturbed by other Amerindians groups which allowed them to settle down quicker. There was stability
in their society. They were artistic, highly intelligent, and skilled in mathematics and had worked out the
concept of zero (0) long before it was introduced to Europe from the Far East. They produced great

8
work in sculpting, paintings and architecture. The size and number of their buildings were staggering -
all the more remarkable because they were built with the simplest tools of stone, obsidian and granite.
The Europeans commented on the Maya "glyph" writing.

a. Describe the main features of the political organization of the Maya. (9 marks)

b. Name THREE achievements of Mayan technology. (6 marks)

c. Explain why Mayan technology is considered more advanced than the technology of the Tainos

and Kalinagos. (4 marks)

d. Explain what is meant by “slash and burn” agriculture, (3 marks)

e. Explain why the Mayan system of agriculture can be regarded as efficient. (12 marks)

f. Explain the ways in which the Mayan civilization showed evidence of great intellectual ability

and engineering skills. (15 marks)

g. State THREE features of gender relations in Mayan society. (12 marks)

h. Describe THREE features of the Social organization of the Maya. (13 marks)

i. What was the name of the Mayan leader? (2 marks)

j. Describe three functions of the Mayan leader. (9 marks)

k. Describe FOUR aspects of high culture in Mayan society. (16 marks)

l. State TWO customs of the Mayan people. (6 marks)

Total Marks 107

9
 The Maya civilization once spanned hundreds of cities
throughout Mesoamerica. Today this part of the world makes

Maya Map up present-day Central America and Mexico.

Grab your expedition map! It’s time to visit four ancient Maya
sites, but first you’ll need to complete three assignments.

1. Central America is an isthmus.
An isthmus is a strip of land that
connects two larger land areas.
It is surrounded by water. Add
these to the map:
• Caribbean Sea
• North Pacific Ocean
2. Use your geography skills and 3. Four ancient Maya sites have
knowledge of capital cities to been marked with triangles on
label the following countries on the map. Use the clues below to
the lines with the circles: locate and label the sites.
• Belize • Caracol is in the only Central
American country without a
• El Salvador coastline on the North Pacific
Ocean.
• Guatemala
• Cerén can be found in the
• Honduras smallest country in Central
America, which is also the
only Central American country
without a coastline on the
Caribbean Sea.

• Copán is in a country that is

bordered by three countries
and two oceans.

• Tikal can be found in the

country with the most land
Belmopan
borders. Its capital and country
M EXI C O
share the same name.

p
Guatemala
City
Tegucigalpa

San Salvador

NI C AR AG U A

Managua

C O S T A
R I C A
6DQ-RVp
Panama Canal

Panama City

PANAMA

MAP KEY
Country
Area Capital
Shown
Body of Water
Maya Site Photo: map, © Jim McMahon/Scholastic Inc.