G U I D E
T O
R E A D I N G
N O T E S
Section 2
1. Check students’ maps against the map below to
make sure they have drawn in the boundary of
the Mayan civilization; shaded the northern
lowlands, southern lowlands, and highlands
on the map and key; and labeled the Yucatán
Peninsula and Petén Jungle.
Mayan Civilization
3. Check students’ timelines against the one
below.
2000
B.C.E.
1500
B.C.E.
1000
B.C.E.
YUCATÁN
PENINSULA
Highlands
Caribbean
Sea
N
PETÉN
JUNGLE
E
MEXICO
GUATEMALA
PACIFIC
OCEAN
0
0
100
BELIZE
HONDURAS
NICARAGUA
200 miles
100 200 kilometers
Map MW_LG_22_01.eps
1000
C.E.
1500
C.E.
Post-Classic
900 C.E. to 1500 C.E.
Southern lowlands
S
500
C.E.
Classic
300 C.E. to 900 C.E
Northern lowlands
W
1
Pre-Classic
2000 B.C.E. to 300 C.E.
Gulf of
Mexico
Modern political boundaries
500
B.C.E.
EL SALVADOR
Mayan Civilization, About 900 C.E.
Fourth
Proof will vary. Possible achievements and
2.
Symbols
TCI20 51
explanations include:
• Farming—The Olmecs turned from hunting
and gathering to farming, and maize was an
important crop.
• Permanent Settlements—Farming allowed
the Olmecs to create farming villages, which
were linked by trade routes.
• Capital City—The Olmecs’ capital city
boasted palaces, temples, and monuments.
• Religious Centers—The Olmecs were
the first Mesoamericans to develop large
religious and ceremonial centers.
• Calendar—The Olmecs were the first
Mesoamericans to use a solar calendar.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Section 3
Possible answers:
The Ruler Called the halach uinic, or “true man”;
decided when and where to go to war; at religious
ceremonies, wore a very tall headdress; might have
been influenced by female family members.
Nobles and Priests Nobles knew how to read and
write; nobles gathered taxes, supplies, and labor
for important projects; nobles led peasant armies
in times of war; priests led rituals and performed
sacrifices.
Merchants and Artisans Merchants traveled by
sea, rivers, and roads to trade with other citystates; merchants traded such goods as obsidian,
jade, copal, and quetzal feathers; artists painted
murals of Mayan life and important battles; artisans were skilled weavers and potters.
Peasants Peasant men worked mostly in the
fields; peasant women generally worked at preparing food, weaving, and sewing; peasants also
built temples and pyramids and served as soldiers;
peasants sometimes attended royal weddings and
religious ceremonies.
Slaves People could become slaves if their families
sold them into slavery; soldiers of humble background who were captured in war were enslaved;
people who committed serious crimes were
enslaved; slaves were often sacrificed when their
masters died.
The Mayas 1
G U I D E
T O
R E A D I N G
N O T E S
Section 4
1. Possible answers:
That young woman is very pretty. I wonder
if she also . . .
• knows how to keep a clean house.
• is a good cook.
• likes children.
• is a good weaver.
That young man is very handsome. I also
hope
that he is . . .
• a hardworking farmer.
• a good hunter.
• a skilled builder.
• a brave soldier.
Section 5
Students’ webs will vary. Possible answers:
Sacred Round
• The Mayas’ knowledge of astronomy and
math let them develop a complex calendar
system.
• The Sacred Round was made up of two cycles.
One cycle was made up of the numbers 1 to
13; the other had 20 day names.
• The Sacred Round was used to determine the
best days to plant, do battle, perform religious
ceremonies, and many other activities.
Mayan Gods
• The Mayas believed in more than 160 gods.
• Primary gods were the god of rain, the god of
corn, and the god of death.
• The jaguar was an important animal in the
Mayan religion.
Pok-a-tok
• This is a ball game played by two teams of
nobles.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
• Players tried to hit a rubber ball through a
stone hoop using their elbows, wrists, and
hips.
• Members of the losing team may have been
sacrificed.
Offerings and Sacrifices
• The Mayas made offerings of plants, food,
flowers, feathers, jade, and shells.
• Animals, and sometimes humans, were
sacrificed.
Section 6
Students’ answers and drawings will vary.
Possible answers:
Crops
• maize, or corn
• beans
• squash
Agricultural Techniques
• In the mountainous highlands, the Mayas
used terraces to create more flat land on
which to farm.
• In the swampy lowlands, the Mayas used
raised earthen platforms surrounded by
drainage canals.
• In the densely forested lowlands, the Mayas
used slash-and-burn agriculture to clear land
for farming.
Theories for Decline of the Mayan Civilization
• The population of Mayan cities grew faster
than their farming systems (or food supplies)
could sustain.
• There was uncontrolled warfare.
• Mayan city-states were invaded by groups
from central Mexico.
• Drought may have caused massive crop
failure.
The Mayas 2