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History Unit 1 Lesson 1 The Mayans Introduction

History (The King's University College)

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CAPE® HISTORY
UNIT 1
THE CARIBBEAN IN THE
ATLANTIC WORLD
LESSON 1
Directed by
REMONE L. FOSTER, LL.B

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ABOUT CAPE® HISTORY UNIT 1

• CAPE ® History Unit 1 is divided into three (3) Modules:
Module 1: Indigenous Societies
Module 2: Slave Systems: Character and Dismantlement
Module 3: Freedom in Action

• Assessment:
Paper 01 – 45 Multiple Choice Questions – 15 questions per Module (90 mins) – 30%
Paper 02 – 3 Document Based Question and 3 Essay Question
Paper consists of 3 Sections. Each section comprises TWO questions: ONE document-based question and ONE
essay question. There are SIX questions. Students must answer THREE questions, ONE from EACH section. You
must answer ONE document-based question and TWO essay questions. (2½ hours) – 50%
School Based Assessment (Internal Assessment) – 20%
(Another lesson will focus exclusively on answering MCQs and writing responses to EQs)

What the Examiners want?

Knowledge – Have knowledge or understanding of the various concepts and theories
Synthesis and Evaluation – present this knowledge in a coherent and logical manner
Applicability – apply the concepts and theories to various sociological issues

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RECOMMENDED LIST
Essential
• CAPE® History Syllabus – download the latest version of the syllabus

Textbooks
• History for The Caribbean in The Atlantic World – John Campbell and Heather Cateau – CXC *
• Atlantic Interactions: A Textbook for CAPE History Students – David V. C. Browne
• Use also the books for CSEC History – However note that these will offer basic understanding of topics and
CAPE Examiners want more

Study Guides specifically for Exam Preparation

• Foster’s CAPE® History Unit 1 Multiple Choice Questions & Answers
• Foster’s CAPE® History Unit 1 Essay Questions & Answers – available Jan. 2021

When in Doubt:
• Google (with extreme caution)

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CAPE HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL

The point is that at the CAPE level students should not rely too heavily on their CSEC
knowledge. Although some of the topics are similar, you are required to think more critically.
Remember that CAPE History Unit 1 is perhaps the hardest subject because it has some of the
lowest grades.
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INDIGIEOUS SOCITIES
THEME 1:
Social, Economic and Political Development of Caribbean and
South American Systems
Comparative Analysis of TWO indigenous groups:
Category I: Maya, Aztec and Inca;
Category II: Kalinago, Taino, Tupi

CAVEAT: For multiple choice purposes, you should know the basic social, economic,
religious and political activities of all of indigenous groups. However, for your essays, you
will be asked either a question on a single advanced indigenous group (i.e. The Aztec, Inca
and Maya) or you will be asked to make a comparative analysis on either the social,
economic, agricultural and political activities of these advanced group and a less advanced
group (i.e. the Kalinago, Taino and Tupi).

This lesson is concerned with the essay aspect. For the purpose of these lessons, we will
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OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to answer the following
questions:

• What are the agricultural achievements of the Maya?

• What reasons led to the development or advancement of the Maya
society?
• Discuss the advanced social and political systems of the Maya.

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THE MAYA
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• The Maya developed their civilization in the Yucatan peninsula in

Central America.

• They were one of the most civilized people in the Americas in the pre-
Columbian era and were able to built splendid temples and pyramids.

• They were known for a sophisticated and highly developed writing

system, art, architecture, mathematics, calendar and astronomical
system.

• Essentially, they were a farming people and after constantly clearing

the dense rain forest, over time, their entire civilization came to
include much of Central America and southern Mexico.

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THE ADVANCED AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

OF THE MAYA
• The Maya, by far, were one of the most successful set of agricultural people in the Americas up
to 1500s. These people were able to grow fields of maize, peppers, cotton, and ground crops and
this was done not only to feed their growing population, but to enhance their economy.
• Agriculture in the Maya society was not an isolated entity and it was linked to their political,
social, economic and even religious wellbeing (Foster, 2005). Of importance was that the Maya
people were able to develop agricultural despite the many problems they had: Indeed, the land
was often waterlogged, arid in nature, hilly and in some instances the quality of soil in low areas
were different from that in highland areas.
• Even so, forest lands when clear were often infertile and as Foster (2005) mentions, seasonal
flooding was a major problem. As agriculture was of vital importance, the role of the peasant
could not be understated and as Claypole and Robottom (2001) mention, “the whole success of
the Maya civilization depended on the peasant’s crops.”
• Campbell and Cateau (2005) mention, “The Maya were an agricultural people who depended,
to a large extent, on the productivity of their fields in order to expand their culture. As Mayan
society increased in size so too did the need to bring more and more land under agricultural
production.”
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• The practice of surplus farming: Farming was an economic activity and there was need to plant in
excess to facilitate trade. Land was therefore constantly cleared, and each city-state was able to
cultivate cash crops that were able to not only feed the population, but expand trading ventures.

• The Slash and Burn technique (Mila or swidden agriculture): Almost all of the indigenous
Americans had employed the slash and burn technique. This technique involved forest areas being
clear (sometimes for domestic purposes). The fell tresses were then burnt, and crops planted in the
ashes among the blackened tree stumps, over a period of months or years. By clearing the forest and
burning the cut and unwanted trees, they were able to further ensure the lushness of the newly
cleared lands, and thus more productivity from their peasants (Hammond, 1987).

• The use of simple effective tools: Foster (2005) mentions that Maya farming technology required
backbreaking labour and patience. There were no steel axes for felling trees, no oxen to plow the
fields. Studies have shown, however, that they did have copper axes and simple stone tools.
Although they were effective, the clearing of forest was an unusually time-consuming process.

• Irrigation: Most of the lands cleared by the Mayas were arid in nature. This meant that they were
extremely dry. Water had to be constantly fished to the area in order to nurture the crop that was
planted. As such, irrigation ditches were created to funnel water from rivers, or artificial created
reservoirs to ensure that these areas are constantly fertile.

• Fertilization: The Mayas normally farm on lands that lack fertility, this is because it was either
swampy, arid or it is waterlogged. As such, fertilization played an imperative role in their
agricultural advancement. Fertilizers were created from natural ingredients found in the
environment, from the remains of animals and other domestic items.

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• Field Raising: Foster (2005) mentions that there was always the need to drained and
raised fields. Hammond (1987) notes that periodic flooding was always an issue and
therefore farming plots had to be raised. Farmers would cut ditches and pile up the
dirt so as to seemingly clear a raised field.
• Crop rotation: The Maya had to learn to replant crops in different areas when the
land became infertile and yields became low.
• The creation of inland fishing ponds: The Mayans engage in massive fishing
ventures, though most of their civilization was inland. They had created ideal canoes
that could have travel the sea and capture fish of all variety. Over time, they had
blocked inland rivers thus creating artificial ponds, which hosted numerous fish for
the people in the empire.
• The capturing and maintenance of forest deers: The Maya kept some form of
animals, but not to the extent of the Incas. Forest deers were plentiful in Central
America. As the Mayans cleared more and more lands, these creatures were captured.
They were fed and raised by their owners until ready to be cooked. This provided a
ready source of protein to their diet.
• Terrace: The development of Terraces in hilly areas to prevent soil erosions and to
make lands fertile.

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REASONS WHY THE MAYANS WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP

INTO AN ADVANCED SOCIETY
• The Maya were a communal set of people and so the fact that they had the determination
to work together was one of the main reasons for their development as an advanced
society. The Maya worked for a common cause, which was to see the overall development
of their society.
• The increase in their population fostered a constant flow of workers that could benefit the
society. The common people under supervision enjoyed effective division of labour,
which meant more progressive activities.
• In the Mayan society, just like all other indigenous societies, religion played an essential
role. Religion was a strong mechanism used to instill obedience in the people within
the society. They will work hard to please their gods, as they were highly polytheistic in
nature.
• The Maya were highly militaristic in nature and so war was extremely important. War
was employed at all times to capture other indigenous groups or to displace others in
order to extend their borders. The people who were conquered were also transformed
into slaves and were made apart of the work force.

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• Another key factor to the success of their civilizations was the availability
of land and its common resources (e.g. trees). They were not restricted by
the hills and mountains. They were thus able to use the natural terrains and
expanded their empire.
• The Maya normally farmed for personal purposes and so agriculture had
always been among them, thus shaping them as a highly agricultural
group of people. As their population had increased, they quickly developed
techniques to extend such agricultural systems thus establishing surplus
farming.
• The existence of a strong political system was crucial to their
accomplishment as an advanced society. The population respected the
orders of their leader (the Halach Unich), nobles and chiefs and so they
were equipped to follow plans in advancing their society. Specific sanctions
were enforced in the city-states under each leader.
• The fact that they were great, artistic builders is manifested by the
structures they had left behind.

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EVIDENCE OF ESTABLISHED SOCIAL AND POLITICAL

SYSTEMS IN THE MAYA SOCIETY
Social System:
• The Mayans had an organized society based on prestige and status. Just like European states in the
1400s, people were treated according to their status. Among their advanced organized society, were
agricultural workers, artisans, soldiers, priests and nobles. Nobles and priests held high position in
their society. Each group had their own social treatment, standard of living and privileges.
• They had advanced agricultural systems. They created large farmlands using irrigation, artificial
fishing ponds, slash and burn, draining of swampy lands, terraces and reservoirs. Many of these
practices are still being used today and so it is important to note such advanced systems.
• Grand architecture was evident. Skilled craftsmen were able to design and maintain sculptures,
monuments (staele), buildings of stones, and temples. Paintings were done in the three (3)
dimensions. They created bridges, roads, and markets which helped greatly with communication
and economic development etc.
• Constantly expanding the borders of their empire similar to the imperialistic nature of the
Europeans. In Europe, the amount of land a country has determined their strength and power. Like
that, the Maya led a campaign of war among the other indigenous groups. Their lands would have
been incorporated into theirs and most of the captives will, become their slaves.
• Effective Law enforcement showed that the Mayans were an advanced group socially. They had
laws which governed their city-states so as to protect the commoners who formed the basis of their
society and work-force.

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Political System:
• The organization of their city-sates suggested the advancement of their
political system. The Mayan society was divided in numerous city-states. Each
city-state had a great degree of political independence and yet still they were
still integrated. This is common to the United States of America.
• They had a policy of inherited leaders, and so the kings and nobles can only
be given position based on their kinship to the previous leaders. Each leader
was also assigned a council of men which acted as advisors and lesser
leaders. This is common to present day cabinets, where the Prime Minister
may have members of parliament concerning different portfolio.
• There was constant recruiting of warriors to protect their empire. These men
would be recruited from as early as they hit puberty and they were trained in
combat by war chiefs and leaders called batabobs. This was to ensure military
supremacy and national security. These groups of men would form large
military forces to expand their Empire through wars.
• The use of political and militaristic power to enforce laws and rules
suggested how their society functioned, e.g., the role of polices and soldiers.

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ESSAY QUESTION

CAPE 2005:

Select ONE of the advanced indigenous American groups and discuss the
factors that enabled the selected group to develop advanced society before
1492. (30 marks)

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SOURCES
Campbell, J. and Cateau, H. History for the Caribbean in the Atlantic World,
CXC, 2005

Claypole, W. and Robottom, J. Caribbean Story (3rd Edition), London:

Longmans, 2001.

Foster, L. V. Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World, Oxford: Oxford

University Press, 2005.

Hammond, N. “The myth of the Milpa: Agricultural Expansion in the Maya

Lowlands”, in Pre-Hispanic Maya Agriculture, edited by P.D. Harrison and
B.L. Turner, University of New Mexico Press, pp. 23-34, 1987.

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