7th Grade World History Medieval to Early Modern Times Unit 7 - Chapter 14 Early Americas

A I ! I art In what You will Learn In the Americas , civilizations developed after people learned to grow crops like maize , or corn , and potatoes . Having a steady food supply allowed Native Americans to build large , complex societies . Three major civilizations developed in the Americas . They were the Maya , Aztec , and Inca civilizations . Each civilization developed farming and trade networks and built large cities and temples . In the next two chapters , you will learn where the civilizations of the Americas developed and what they were like . Explore the Art In this scene , Aztec teenagers attend a special school to learn about the Aztec way of life . What does this scene indicate about education in the Aztec Empire ?

! Willie , California Standards Science Students compare and contrast the geographic , political , economic , religious , and social structures of the and Andean civilizations . Analysis Skill Distinguish relevant from irrelevant , essential from incidental , and verifiable from unverifiable information . Arts Writing Support all statements and claims with anecdotes , descriptions , facts and statistics , and specific examples . Reading Assess the adequacy , accuracy , and ness of the author evidence . FOCUS ON WRITING A Travel Brochure Each year , millions of people visit the places you read about in this chapter . Try your hand at writing part of a brochure for a historical tour of the early Americas . As you read , you lI discover spots you want to miss . The first people arrive in the Americas . 5000 EVENTS Irrigation is used in Mesopotamia and Egypt . 380 CHAPTER 14

domesticated in . 3000 Egyptians begin to write using hieroglyphics . The civilization begins in . History Impact video series watch the video to stand the impact of Mayan achievements on math and astronomy . I What You will Learn I In this chapter you will learn about the development of civilization in the cas . This photo shows the ruins of a great Maya temple in , Guatemala . More than years ago the Maya built large cities in their American homeland . 1000 500 Athens develops the world first democracy . AD 200 A The Maya AD 900 begin building The Maya large cities in Classic Age the Americas . ends . AD 476 The Roman Empire falls . THE EARLY AMERICAS 38

Reading Social Studies Economics Politics Geography Focus on Themes In this chapter , you will read about the development of civilizations in , which is in the southern part of North America , and in the Andes , which is in South America . As you read about the and Maya by Beers Society and Culture in and in South America , you will see how the geography of the areas affected their way of life . You will learn that these ancient civilizations made interesting advancements in science and technology . Analyzing Historical Information relevant , or related to the topic you re studying . It should also be essential , or necessary , to standing that topic . Anything that is not relevant or essential distracts from the important material you are studying . Focus on Reading History books are full of information . As you read , you are confronted with names , dates , places , terms , and descriptions on every page . Because you faced with so much information , you do want to have to deal with unimportant or untrue material in a history book . Identifying Relevant and Essential mation Information in a history book should be The Maya The first sentence of the paragraph , expresses the main idea . Anything that does support this idea is . Communication The Maya developed an advanced Who They Were Maya were an American Indian people who developed a civilization in , which is the southern part of North America . They built their largest cities between AD 250 and 900 . Today , many people travel to Central America to see Maya ruins . The passage below comes from an encyclopedia , but some irrelevant and nonessential information has been added so that you can learn to identify it . The last sentence does not support the main idea and is nonessential . The needs of This paragraph . haye owing discusses Maya form of that used many symbols . Our writing to do with communication . tem uses 26 letters . They recorded information on large ' i ?

stone monuments . Some early civilizations drew pictures irrelevant . Portions of this text and the one on the on cave walls . The Maya also made books of paper made from the fig tree bark . Fig trees need a lot of light . Additional reading support can be found in the were taken from the 2004 ' World Book Online Reference Center ' 552 Reader and Study Guide 382 CHAPTER 14

You Try It ! The following passage has some sentences that are important , or relevant . Read the passage and identify those sentences . Analysis Distinguish . ELA Assess the adequacy , accuracy , and appropriateness of the author evidence . The Maya Way of Life Religion The Maya believed in many gods and es . More than 160 gods and goddesses are named in a Maya manuscript . Among the gods they worshipped were a corn god , a rain god , a sun god , and a moon dess . The early Greeks also worshipped many gods and goddesses . Family and Social Structure Whole families of parents , children , and lived together . Not many houses today could hold all those people . Each family member had tasks to do . Men and boys , for example , worked in the . Very few people are farmers today . Women and older girls made clothes and meals for the rest of the family . Now most people buy their clothes . After you read the passage , answer the following questions . Which sentence in the first paragraph is irrelevant to the topic ?

How can you tell ?

Which three sentences in the second paragraph are not essential to learning about the Maya ?

Do those sentences belong in this passage ?

A and chapter 14 Section ( 384 ) maize ( 387 ) Section obsidian ( 390 ) 392 ) Section observatories ( 398 ) 399 ) Academic Vocabulary Success in school is related to knowing academic words that are used in school and . In this chapter , you will learn the academic words rebel ( aspects ( 397 ) As you read Chapter 14 , notice how the writers have left out information that is not essential or relevant to whatyou are reading . THE EARLY AMERICAS 383

SECTION Geography and Early Cultures IfYOU were there You are a in North America . All of your life you have been moving south , following herds of animals . This year you have found a place where the climate is warmer and there are more kinds of plants to eat . Some people say this would be a good place to stay and make a permanent home . But others think what You Will Learn . The geography of the cas is varied with a wide range . The first people to arrive in the Americas were gatherers . The development of farming you need to keep moving led to early settlements in the Americas . Do you think your people should keep going or settle down in this new place ?

Why ?

The Big Idea The landforms and climate of the Americas affected farming and the development of early ' cultures , BUILDING BACKGROUND The first people to arrive in the cas were . Their ability to find food greatly ed on the geography of this new land . Key Terms , 364 maize , 387 Geography of the Americas Two America and South up the region we call die Americas . These two continents have a wide range of landforms and climates . The northern continent , North America , has high , desert plateaus , grassy plains , and forests . Look at the map to the location of some of these physical features . In the northern part of the continent , the climate is cold and icy . get warmer toward the south . In the southern part of North America lies . is a region that includes the southern part of what is now Mexico and parts of the northern countries of Central America . Steamy rain forests cover some of this region . In some Lu places , volcanoes rise above the forest . Their activity over the years has made the surrounding soil very fertile . Fertile locations . landforms , and climates of Mexico , Central America . and South America tain valleys , rivers , and a warm climate make good Va ' for farming . In fact , the farmers in the Americas and lncan economies , trade , and development of urban societies . plants in . 384 CHAPTER 14

The Americas Physical 160 140 ARCTIC OCEAN Labrador Sea Alaska In North America , long mountain ranges run from north to south , and ' rolling plains occupy the heart of the continent . PACIFIC OCEAN 035 , In South America , the areas of rain forest and . Andes Mountains run along ' a warm climate that is the western edge of the good for farming . continent , and the Amazon Basin dominates the east . Gulf of Mexico Pico de ELEVATION Feet Meters 500 , 656 zoo level ) Sea level ) 750 Miles 75 Kilometers INTERPRETING MAPS . Location Describe the relative location of , Place What is the name ofthe large peninsula in eastern ?

del 80 60 Like North America , South America River drains this region . As you will has many different kinds of landforms . see , the geography of the Americas played The towering Andes Mountains run along an important role in the development of the western shore of the continent . There , early societies there . a narrow desert sits on the edge of rich waters in the Ocean . East of Comparing What kinds the Andes lies the Amazon huge , of landforms and climates do North and South hot , and wet rain forest . The mighty A ' ha ' A ' A , The First People Arrive Migration to the Americas . No one is sure how the first people got to the Americas or when they arrived . Most A historians think they came to North ica from Asia by . They probably walked across a land bridge that crossed the Bering Strait . A land bridge may have formed there during the ice ages when ocean levels dropped and exposed land . Most scientists accept the theory of the land bridge to explain how the people came to the Americas . But some scientists today are challenging that theory . They think the Americans may have arrived even by sea . Regardless of how they arrived , the first people to arrive in the Americas were . They hunted herds of large animals that wandered the land . These animals , including bison and huge ly , provided their main food source . Early people also gathered fruits , nuts , and wild grains to eat . Early people did settle in one place very long , because they were always looking for food . ATLANTIC OCEAN Possible land route Possible sea route Glacier Sea ice 750 Miles to settle down . They formed small ments on the coasts of North and South America , where they and gathered food . As populations grew , people started to experiment with seeds . READING CHEEK Drawing inferences How do you think the geography of the Americas affected early peoples search for food ?

760 1500 Kilometers GEOGRAPHY SKILLS INTERPRETING MAPS . Place According to the map , from which continent did the first Americans come ?

The sea route runs along which can or west ?

385 CHAPTER 14 Eventually , some early people began , Farming and Settlement From their experiments with seeds , ple eventually learned to farm . Farming allowed people to stop following animal herds and settle permanently in one place . First Farming Settlements The first permanent farming settlements in the Americas appeared in . This region had rich soils , warm , and plenty of rain . By 3500 ple in were growing maize ( or corn . Later they learned to grow beans and squash . By growing these foods , settlements could support larger tions . More advanced societies grew , and people began to focus on activities such as building , trade , art , and organized religion . Eventually , settlements developed into towns and cities . The The ( formed the first Maize . Mexico . In the early Americas . main Ills widely grown and supported lame urban civilization in around 1200 . Most lived in small es , but some lived in larger towns . These towns were religious and government ters with temples and plazas . Impressive sculptures and buildings mark the as the first complex civilization in the Americas . They built the first pyramids in the Americas . They also made sculptures of huge stone heads . Each head probably represented a different ruler . Other sculptures , such as jaguars , probably gods . Other factors that may mark the as a complex civilization are writing and study . Some researchers think the may have developed the first writing system in the Americas . Scientists recently found an artifact with bols that might be an early form of writing . The may have also had a calendar . populations . Why was the growing of maize important to urban growth ?

The civilization also had a large trading network . Villages traded with each other and other peoples farther away . The may have even established a string of trading colonies along the Pacific coast . Through trade the got able goods such as the stones they used for building and sculpture . civilization ended around 400 . By then trade had spread ence around . Later peoples were able to build on their achievements . Some later peoples in also followed some traditions . THE EARLY AMERICAS 381

Primary Source ' I OF VIEW Views of Writing Scientists have discovered an roller used for printing symbols . It may be evidence of the earliest writing system in the Americas . Some people do believe the had a written language . Scientists disagree on a ten language . Some scientists think written language must include symbols for for images . Even if you have a light bulb in a not writing . Focus on READING What is the purpose ofthis paragraph ?

Are any sentences irrelevant ?

Grove . Professor Emeritus of Anthropology , University of Illinois ANALYSIS scientists think a system of symbols is a form of written communication . The symbols do not have to or spoken language . These scientists think written communication is the same thing as written language . We not arguing that we have phonetics ( sounds ) But we say we do have ( symbols representing words ) and we ing the Maya copied this . We have a system here that goes back to the . Professor at Anthropology , Florida State University SKILL I POINTS OF VIEW Why might it be hard to written language ?

Farming and the Growth of Other Civilizations Early civilizations also developed in other parts of the Americas . As in , people in North and South America formed civilizations after they domesticated plants and learned how to farm . About the time Mesoamericans started growing maize , South Americans in the Andes started growing potatoes . Later , maize farming spread south into the Andes from . By about 2000 , South Americans were growing maize and beans as well as potatoes . A number of small civilizations oped in South America , but the major civilization began in the Andes . It is known 388 CHAPTER as the ( culture , and it lasted from about 900 to 200 . Its city was a major religious and trading center . The culture is known for its woven textiles , carved stone monuments , and pottery shaped like animals and humans . Several hundred years after farming began in South America , maize farming also spread north from . ple began growing maize in what is now the southwestern United States . The dry climate made farming difficult there , so people learned to choose fertile soils and use river water to irrigate their crops . tually maize became an important crop to people in the region . It was the main food of people in hundreds of small villages .

This Native American legend reveals the importance of maize , or corn The breaths of the corn maidens blew from their homes in the , and when the rains had passed away green corn plants grew where the grains had been planted . legend , quoted in Kingdoms , Kingdoms by Brian The development of farming was important in the growth of civilizations all over the Americas . As with other peoples you have studied , a steady food supply led to population growth . Farming also encouraged people to establish permanent villages and cities . Finding Main Ideas How did farming influence settlement patterns in the Americas ?

SUMMARY AND PREVIEW You have learned that geography affected ment and farming in the Americas . ly civilizations , such as the and , developed there . In Section you will learn about a later civilization by the Maya . Section I Assessment Ear in the Americas ' ATLANTIC OCEAN PACIFIC OCEAN I I ac i 200 200 GEOGRAPHY ( INTERPRETING MAPS . om Online Quiz KEYWORD Reviewing Ideas . Terms . and People HE critical Thinking a . Recall Where is ?

Explain In what ways is the geography of good for agriculture ?

a . Identify What do most scientists think the people crossed to reach America ?

Make Inferences Why do you think scientists are sure how the first people came to the Americas ?

a . Identify What was the first crop in ?

Predict How might the civilization have influenced later civilizations in america ?

Sequencing Draw the graphic organizer below . Use it to show how the development of maize farming laid the foundation for cultural advances . Maize . Taking Notes about Early Settlements in the Americas Note where people first settled in the Americas . What sites would show how early and farmers lived ?

What graphical features are important to mention ?

THE EARLY AMERICAS 389 The Maya If YOU were there You live in a village in the lowlands of . Your What You ily members have always been weavers , and now your aunts are teaching you to weave cloth from the cotton grown by nearby farmers . Traders from other areas often pass through your village . Main Ideas . Geography affected early Maya , They tell wonderful stories about strange animals and sights they The ?

see in their travels . After talking to the traders who buy your cloth , characterized by great cities , me , and wa , fa , you begin to think about becoming a trader , too . Maya civil tion declined , and have several Why you want to become ' trader ?

theories as to why . The Bi ldea Maya was BUILDING BACKGROUND Through trade , people get resources tamed by trade , unavailable in their own natural environment . The natural and Warfare . but it disappeared ment , of affected how a people called for reasons that are still unclear . the Maya lived . A Key Terms and People obsidian , 32 , Geography Affects Early Maya The Maya ( civilization developed in . Early Maya lived in the lowlands of this region beginning around 1000 . Thick forests covered most of the land , so the Maya had to clear wooded areas for farmland . Like earlier cans , the Maya grew maize and other crops . Although the thick forests made farming hard , they ed valuable resources . Forest animals such as deer and monkeys were a source of food . In addition , trees and other plants made good building materials . For example , the Maya used wood poles and vines , along with mud , to build their houses . The early Maya lived in small villages . Eventually these the locations . started trading with one another . They traded goods such as cloth and obsidian , a sharp , glasslike volcanic rock , that came and their effects on Mayan , Aztec , from different parts of . As trade helped support larger populations , villages grew . AD 200 the Maya were building large the Americas . Explain how and where each Finding Main Ideas What were two ways in which Spanish . the early Maya relied on their physical environment ?

390 CHAPTER Maya Classic Age The Maya civilization reached its height between about AD 250 and 900 . Historians call this period of Maya history the Classic Age . During the Classic Age , Maya tion spread to the Yucatan Peninsula and grew to include more than 40 cities of to people each . Trade Maya cities in the highlands traded with those in the lowlands . In this way people all over Maya territory got things that they did have nearby . Maya Civilization til Maya areas Maya city ' Trade routes Cacao I Jade Cotton Obsidian ' 50 50 100 Kilometers . it , Obsidian , valued for its sharp edges and sacred by the Maya , was mined in the mountains and traded out the Maya . Gulf of Mexico Look at the trade routes on the map to see the goods that were available in ferent areas of . For example , the warm lowlands were good for growing cotton , rubber trees , and cacao ( beans , the source of chocolate . Cacao beans had great value . Chocolate was known as the food of rulers and of the gods . The Maya even used cacao beans as money . Lowland crops didn grow well in the cool highlands . Instead , the highlands had valuable stones such as jade and obsidian . People carried these and other products along Maya trade routes . Yucatan Honduras world . GEOGRAPHY MAPS trade routes followed ?

What are same natural features that Maya , Jade was mined in the mountains and traded ' to lowland cities .

Cities Maya cities had many grand buildings , including large stone pyramids , temples , and palaces . Some of these buildings local Maya kings . For example , in the city of ( a temple honored the king ( had the temple built to record his ments as a ruler . Maya artists decorated temples and palaces with carvings and colorful paintings . In addition to temples and palaces , the Maya also built structures to improve life in their cities . For example , builders paved large plazas for public gatherings , and they built canals to control the of water through their cities . Farmers shaped by hillsides into terraces so they could grow crops on them . Most Maya cities also had a special ball court . People played or watched a type of ball game in these large stone arenas . Using only their heads , shoulders , or hips , ers tried to bounce a heavy , hard rubber ball through a stone ring above their heads . Players were allowed to use their hands or feet . The winners were awarded jewels and clothing . The losers were sometimes killed . This ball game was one that the Maya had picked up from traditions . History ' more land usable for farming . The ancient Maya city of was a major power on the border between the Maya highlands and lowlands . its great temples and plazas were typical of the Classic Age of Maya civilization . if Ii . Priests led religious ceremonies from the tops of temples . 392 CHAPTER 14

The Maya cities were really . Each had its own government and its own king . No single ruler united the many ies into one empire . Warfare between cities often led to ing . Maya cities usually battled each er to gain power and land . For example , the city of ( fought many battles with its rival ( MooL ) Both cities wanted to control a smaller city that lay between them . Power shifted back and forth between the two larger cities for years . Maya temples were shaped like mountains , which the . I . Maya considered sacred I . cause they allowed people to approach the gods . Maya warfare was bloody . Warriors fought using spears , knives , and wooden clubs . The Maya often captured enemy prisoners and killed them in religious Ceremonies as a to their gods . They burned enemy towns and villages . Warfare probably tore up the land and destroyed crops . Maya warfare was so destructive that some scholars think it may have contributed to the end of the Maya civilization . Summarizing What were two ways Maya cities interacted with each other ?

became king of the Maya city of when he was just 12 years old . As king , led many important community events , such as religious dances and public meetings . When he died he was buried at the bottom of the Temple of the . Maya buildings were covered with stucco and painted in bright colors . mums SKILL In what ways might setting have helped the city ?

In might it have hurt the city ?

393 THE EARLY AY Maya Civilization Declines Maya civilization began to collapse in the 9005 . People stopped building temples and other structures . They left the cities and moved back to the countryside . What Some historians also think climate might have played a role in the collapse of Maya civilization . Scientists have learned that the region suffered from a long dry period and droughts for about 150 years . This dry period took place about the time caused this collapse ?

Historians aren sure , the Maya moved away from their Cities . throughout but they do have some ' A drier climate and droughts would have ' the one theory Says that Increased warfare made it hard to grow enough food to feed have brought about the end of the Maya Classic everyone in the cities Age . A related theory is that , as cities grew , Most researchers agree that there was perhaps the Maya Could not grow enough probably no single event that caused the food to feed everyone the Same end of the Classic Age . More likely , a mix Crops year after year have left the of several factors led to the decline of the soil too weak for farming . As a result , Maya civilization petition between cities for land may have increased . This competition could have led Drawing Why to even me Warfare than Increased do you think scientists are sure what caused warfare would have destroyed more crops the end of Maya and made farming more difficult . Another possible cause of the decline of Maya civilization is the demands Maya SUMMARY AND PREVIEW You have kings made on their people . Kings forced learned that the Maya built a great people to build huge temples or farm for tion , but it collapsed probably ' them . Maybe people did want to work several reasons . In Section you will learn fE , for the kings . They might have rebelled or more about what Maya life and society was against authority left the cities because of these demands . like at its height . the 9005 ?

Section Assessment . a . Identify Who was an important king of . Make Generalizations Why did Maya cities fight each other ?

a . Describe What happened to Maya civilization in Reviewing Ideas . Terms . and People , a . Recall What resources did the Maya . Identifying Cause and Effect get from the forest ?

Draw a diagram like the one to . Make How might the Maya have the right Use it to show four used obsidian ?

causes for the decline of the Classic Age in Maya civilization . FOCUS ON WRITING . Gathering Information about the Maya Much of the tour would likely be devoted to the Maya . Use . om online Quiz KEYWORD the maps and pictures in this chapter to help you choose which places to write about . What areas and features of each site would you point out ?

What would you say about the history of these different places ?

Analyze In what way did growth of cities , fare , and drought possibly affect Maya civilization ?

Elaborate What might scientists study to find out about the end of Maya civilization ?

394 CHAPTER 14 Maya Life and Society If YOU were there You are a Maya farmer , growing corn on a farm near the city Often you enter the city to join the crowd at a religious ceremony . You watch the king and his priests , standing at the top of a tall pyramid . They wear capes of brightly colored feathers and many heavy gold ornaments that glitter like the sun . As the king offers a sacrifice to the gods , a ray of sun strikes the pyramid . How do these ceremonies make you feel about your king ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND Fancy clothes and important showed the role kings and priests played in Maya society . The roles people played determined what their daily life was like . Roles in Maya Society Maya society had a complex class structure . As you might expect , life for the upper social classes differed greatly from life for the lower classes . Upper Class The upper class of Maya society included different groups of people . The king held the highest position in society . Priests , warriors , and merchants were also part of the upper class . Maya society had a rigid class structure . SECTION What You Will Learn . Main ideas . Roles in Maya society were based on a complex class structure . Religion in Maya society was often bloody . The Maya made ments in art , science , math , People fferent roles in Maya society , but together they made great achievements in art , science , math , and writing . Key Toms observatories , 399 IE Study the roles of people in each society , including class structures , family life , warfare , religious beliefs and practices , and slavery . Describe the artistic and oral traditions and architecture in the three civilizations . Describe the achievements in astronomy and , including the development of the calendar and the knowledge of seasonal changes to the civilizations agricultural systems . THE EARLY AMERICAS 395

The Maya believed their rulers were related to the gods . For this reason , rulers were often involved in religious . They also led battles . As the richest people in Maya society , rulers had ful clothing and jewelry . Kings wore huge feather headdresses and capes of cotton , jaguar skins , and feathers . Priests were usually born into their role in Maya society . They led religious ceremonies . They were also the most people . Priests used their knowledge of astronomy and math to plan the best times for religious ceremonies . Professional warriors fought battles against other Maya cities . In battle , these warriors wore animal headdresses , jade jewelry , and capes . They ed their bodies red and black . Merchants directed trade among the cities . They organized the tion and distribution of goods . They also supervised the people who carried goods between cities . Together , the members of the upper class controlled the politics , and economy in Maya society . Lower Classes Although the upper classes had the most power , most Maya belonged to the lower classes as farming families . These Maya lived in small houses outside the cities . Girls learned from their mothers how to cook , make yarn , and weave . Women cared for children . Men crafted household tools such as knives . They had to provide food for their family , so they also spent a lot of time hunting and farming . They kept small gardens next to their houses and worked together to farm larger . Farmers had to give some of their crops to their rulers . Maya also had to pay their rulers with goods such as cloth and salt . They had to work on ing temples , palaces , and other buildings . 396 CHAPTER 14 They also had to serve in the army during times of war . If captured in battle , a class man usually became a slave . Slaves held the lowest position in ety . Orphans , slaves children , and people who owed money also became slaves . Slaves had to carry trade goods between ies . They also served Maya by working as farmers or household servants . The lower class supported the upper class with food and labor , but the upper class also helped the lower class . For ple , Maya led the religious that were vital to daily life for all classes of society . Identifying Cause and Effect How might one become a slave in Maya society ?

A Maya King and His Court The king and his court were the center of Maya government and religious life . This vase painting shows a Maya king relaxing with some of his servants . Kings enjoyed all the luxuries of Maya life , such as music , fine clothing and food , and even chocolate .

Religion The Maya worshipped many gods related to different aspects of their daily life . The most important god was the creator . This god would take many different forms . ers included a sun god , moon goddess , and maize god . The Maya believed their kings communicated with the gods . According to Maya beliefs , the gods could be helpful or harmful , so people tried to please the gods to get their help . The Maya believed their gods needed blood to prevent disasters or the end of the world . Every person offered blood to the gods by piercing their tongue or skin . The Maya sometimes held special ceremonies to give blood at events such as births , weddings , and funerals . The king is gazing at this mirror . which the Maya believed held magical powers . The fly whisk in the king hand is a symbol of authority . On special occasions the Maya believed they needed extra amounts of blood . On these occasions they made human to their gods . They usually used captured in battle for this ritual . A priest would offer human hearts to stone carvings of gods . These usually took place at a temple . Generalizing Why didthe Maya want to please their gods ?

Achievements The Maya many artistic and architectural skills are in their sculpture and in their temples . Maya achievements also included discoveries in science and math , as well as developments in writing . A bodyguard stands behind These vases held a chocolate drink . a favorite of Maya nobles . ANALYSIS ' What about the king indicates he is an . I aspects pans

Art and Architecture Some of the Maya art is their sculpture and their jade and gold jewelry . They carved stone sculptures of kings or gods for their cities . Maya cities showed the talent of their architects and builders . The Maya built ies without using metal tools . They even have wheeled vehicles to carry plies . Instead , workers used obsidian tools to cut limestone into blocks . Then , to move the giant blocks , workers rolled them over logs and lifted them with ropes . It took many workers to build Maya cities , perhaps the most recognizable Maya achievement . Science and Math Maya achievements in science and math were just as important as their ments in art and architecture . The Maya built observatories , or buildings to study astronomy , so their priests could study the stars . Maya astronomers out that a year is about 365 days long . They also learned about the cycles of the moon and how to predict eclipses . Maya Astronomy and Calendars Partly based on their discoveries in astronomy , the Maya developed calendars . They had a religious calendar to plan events . The Maya used a different calendar for agriculture . It had symbols for different months tied to farming activities such as planting or harvesting . These matched changes in the seasons . The Maya calendar was more accurate than the calendar used in Europe at that time . To go along with their calendars , the Maya created a number system that included some new concepts in math . For example , the Maya were among the first people with a symbol for zero . The Maya used their number system to record tant dates in their history . Writing and Oral Traditions The Maya also developed a writing tem . It was similar to Egyptian . Symbols represented both objects and sounds . The Maya created records , about achievements of their kings , by carving symbols into large stone tablets . They also wrote in books . This photo shows the observatory at the Maya city of ' The diagram shows the Maya religious and farming calendars . The Maya used these two calendars together to coordinate planting , harvesting , and important religious events . farming calendar

Primary Source This carving comes from the palace at ( The Maya recorded historical events on carvings like this one . Historians can now translate most Maya ing . They study the pictures and writings to learn about events in Maya history . ANALYSIS Stories and poetry got passed down ly from one generation to the next . After the AN The Maya had Spanish arrived , Maya legends and history Complex Social TheY 3150 were written in book Called the made achievements in art and learning . This book provides They left behind many records of their able about the society and history . In the next chapter you will learn about two great empires Analyzing that developed later in the did the Maya calendar regulate ?

the Aztecs and Incas . Online Quiz KEYWORD 507 , Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas and Terms IE Critical a . Identify Who were members of the upper ' class in Maya Society Draw a diagram like the one . Explain In what ways did Maya the it support Maya ?

a . Describe What did the Maya do to try to the please their gods ?

Explain Why did the Maya practice human Focus ON Na Sacrifice ?

Identifying Key Details about Maya Culture a . Recall What did the Maya study from Some sites might have displays of Maya art and observatories ?

tools . There could even be scenes and live . Rank What do you think was the most of how the Maya lived . Make a list of what impressive Maya achievement ?

the people on the tour might see of Maya culture . THE EARLY AMERICAS 399 ( Literature in History Guinea READING WORD HELP disintegrating breaking apart mason one who works with stone or brick dismantled took apart the gods wish to make human beings ?

What do the gods use to make me body ?

What pens ta it ?

Reading Identify events that advance the plot and determine how each event explains past or present action ( or foreshadows future action ( 400 CHAPTER 14 from the translated by Dennis About the Reading In the language of the Maya , means Council This work contains both the myths and the history of a group of Maya . It was first used by Maya kings and lords to help them govern their people . Today , the helps modem readers stand how the Maya lived and what they believed . The following myth , for example , tells us how the gods tried to create people several times before they eventually succeeded . Pay close attention to the behavior of the . Again there comes an experiment with the human work , the human design , by the Maker , Modeler , Bearer , Begetter It must simply be tried again . The time for the planting and ing is nearing . For this we must make a provider and nurturer . How else can we be invoked and remembered on the face of the earth ?

We have already made our first try at our work and design , but it turned out that they did keep our days , nor did they glorify So now let try to make a giver of praise , giver of respect , er , nurturer , they said . So then comes the building and working with earth and mud . They made a body , but it did look good to them . It was just ing , just crumbling , just loosening , just softening , just disintegrating , and just dissolving . Its head would turn , either . Its face was just lopsided , its face was just twisted . It could look around . It talked at first , but senselessly . It was quickly dissolving in the water . It wont last , the mason and sculptor said then . It seems to be dwindling away , so let it just dwindle . It ca walk and it ca ply , so let it be merely a thought , they said . So then they dismantled , again they brought down their work and design . Again they talked What is there for us to make that would turn out well , that would succeed in keeping our days and praying to us ?

they said . Then they planned again .

The try again . This time , they produce a group of wooden creatures called They came into being , they plied , they had daughters , they had sons , these , ings . But there was nothing in their hearts and nothing in their minds , no memory of their mason and builder . They just went and walked wherever they wanted . They did not remember the Heart of Sky . And so they fell , just an ment and just a cutout for humankind . They were not competent , nor did they speak before the builder and sculptor who made them and brought them forth , and so they were killed , done in by a flood There came a rain of resin from the sky . There came the one named Gouger of Faces he gouged out their eyeballs . There came Sudden he snapped off their heads . There came Crunching Jaguar he ate their . There came Tearing Jaguar he tore them open . They were pounded down to the bones and tendons , smashed and pulverized even to the bones . Such was the scattering of the human work , the human design . The people were ground down , overthrown . The mouths and faces of all of them were destroyed and crushed . And it used to be said that the monkeys in the forests today are a sign of this . They were left as a sign because wood alone was used for their by the builder and sculptor . And so this is why monkeys look like people they are a sign of a previous human work , human , mere woodcarvings . Monkeys were common subjects in Maya carvings . CONNECTING LITERATURE HISTORY I . Evaluating According to Maya beliefs , the gods could be helpful or harmful , so people tried to please the gods to get their help . Are the gods in this myth helpful or harmful ?

Explain your answer . Gunman READING WORD HELP competent capable resin a gooey substance that comes from trees pulverized crushed The Heart isthe of the Maya . In your own words . plain the creatures . This myth explains the origin , or beginning , of what animal ?

Analyzing By studying Maya records , archaeologists are learning about the achievements of the Maya . What have you learned about the Maya by reading this record of their life and society ?

40 Social Studies Skills Analysis Critical Thinking . political participation skills . Study Participation Accepting Social Responsibility Understand the Skill No man is an island entire of itself every man is a piece of the continent , a part of the The great English poet John Donne made this tion almost 400 years ago . It is a famous quotation that remains as true today as when Donne wrote it . It means that no one exists alone . We are all bers of a part of the Donne poem continues , If a clod be washed away by the sea , Europe is the This was Donne way of saying that a society strength depends on the contributions of its members . They must be willing to their roles in that society and to do what is best for it . Learn the Skill As a member of society , you have obligations to the people around you . The most obvious obligation is to do nothing that might harm society . This duty can range from small things , such as not littering , to large things , such as not committing a crime . In addition , you have a duty to participate in society . At the very least , this means using the rights and responsibilities , of citizenship . These include being informed about important issues in your school , community , and country . Later , when you are older , they will also include serving on juries and voting in elections . Another level of social responsibility and pation is becoming involved in change to benefit society . It goes beyond just being informed about issues to trying to do something about them . Before you take this important step , however , here are some points to consider . 402 CHAPTER 14 Few changes that society will have everyone support . Some people always want things to stay the same . They may get upset or treat you badly if you work for change . You must be prepared for this possibility if you decide to take action . Sometimes efforts to improve things involve opposing laws or rules that you believe need to be changed . No matter how just your cause is , if you break laws or rules , you must be willing to accept the consequences of your behavior . Remember that violence is never an acceptable method for change . People who use force in seeking change are not behaving in a socially responsible manner , even if their cause is good . Practice and Apply the Skill Review the If You Were There scene in Section . Imagine yourself as that Maya farmer . You respect your king as the leader of your city and its army . War is very important in your culture . Your city is at war nearly all the time , and you feel this is hurting your society . Farming is because farmers must spend so much time in the army . In addition , enemy attacks destroy the crops farmers are able to grow . Food shortages are common . I . If you did something to try to end the warfare , in what ways might that your society ?

Why might some people oppose your efforts ?

What might the consequences be for you if you refuse to ?

If you were this Maya farmer , what would you do ?

Explain your answer .

Visual Summary the main ideas of the chapter . People arrived in the Americas sometime before . By 2500 people in had domesticated maize . Reviewing Vocabulary , Terms . and People Imagine that these terms from the chapter are correct answers to six items in a crossword puzzle . Write the six clues for the answers . Then make the puzzle with some answers written down and some across . obsidian observatories maize . Comprehension and Critical Thinking SECTION I ( Pages ) IE a . Identify What plants did early farmers in grow for food ?

What plants did farmers grow in South America ?

Standards Review The Maya built cities in the Americas during their Classic Age . Use the visual summary below to help you review The Maya civilization eventually collapsed , but no one knows why . Make inferences What do towns , sculptures , and other items tell us about society ?

Evaluate Evaluate this statement Global temperature change had a big impact on the history of the SECTION ( Pages ) ESE , a . Recall What were two important trade goods for the early Maya ?

Analyze Why did the Maya civilization decline ?

Elaborate For which people in Maya ety was life probably pleasant and secure ?

For which people was life less pleasant or secure ?

SECTION ( Pages , a . Describe What are some things that during Maya religious ceremonies ?

Contrast How did daily life for the upper and lower classes of Maya society differ ?

Evaluate Of the Maya many achievements , which do you think is the most important ?

Why ?

THE EARLY AMERICAS 403 Reviewing Themes 10 . Science and Technology Do you agree or disagree with this statement The Maya were clever and talented because they built their ies without the help of metal tools or wheeled vehicles . Why ?

I Geography How did geography play a role in the Maya economy ?

Using the Internet 12 . Activity Understanding Maya Math The ancient Maya invented a number system that helped them construct buildings and keep track of their agriculture and commerce . Number glyphs are mostly simple dots and lines . The Maya also used head glyphs , which are more intricate drawings for numbers . Enter the activity word . Then visit the Web sites and complete some math problems using Maya numbers . Reading and Analysis Skills Analyzing Information In each of the following passages , one underlined selection is irrelevant or nonessential to the meaning of the sentence , or it can not be as true . Identify the irrelevant , nonessential , or in each sentence . was greatly honored by the Maya . He was ?

tall . The Maya built a great temple to is achievements . Ball games were popular in Maya cities . Players could not use their hands or feet to touch the ball . The Maya would not enjoy modern ball very much . Chocolate was valuable in Maya society . Only rulers and gods could have chocolate . Today , many people enjoy chocolate every day . 404 CHAPTER 14 . The Maya developed an accurate calendar system . They knew that a year had 365 days . The ancient Romans also had a calendar . The Maya calendar used symbols to represent months . 11 . is largely covered by rain forests . Man kinds of plants and animals live in rain forests . he people of probably liked to watch monkeys playing in the trees . Social Studies Skills 18 . Accepting Responsibility and Consequences Organize your class into groups . Choose one member of your group to represent the ruler of a Maya city . The rest of the group will be his or her advisers . As a group , decide how you will behave toward other cities . you go to war , or will you trade ?

Once you have made your decisions , declare your intentions to other cities . Ask the representatives of those cities how they will respond to your action . As a class , discuss the consequences of the actions you have sen to take . 19 . Writing Your Brochure Travel brochures often feature exciting descriptions of tours . Use your notes to help you write such a description for a historical tour of the ancient Americas . Choose sites from the most ancient ones to the Maya cities . For each site , write several sentences about the people who lived there . You might tell how they came to live there or how an object there played a part in their lives . Most travel brochures show lots of pictures . What pictures would you choose to go with what you written ?

ac , Standards Assessment DIRECTIONS Read each question , and write the Despite their accomplishments , the Maya letter of the best response . did not have A a reliable calendar . wheeled vehicles . a writing system . knowledge of mathematics . I Use the map to answer the following question . Which class of people held the lowest tion in Maya society ?

A priests farmers slaves merchants Connecting with Past Learnings In this chapter you read that Maya tion during the Classic Age included pendent . What other civilization ?

the areas ?

the that you have studied was organized into location of the Maya civilization ?

A A ancient Greece ancient Persia Han China the Roman Empire contains all of the following The Maya believed their rulers were except to the gods . What other ancient civilization A mountains . believed the same thing ?

rain forests . A Jews deserts . Indians rivers . Phoenicians Egyptians Which word best describes the Maya during its Classic Age ?

A peaceful religious united democratic THE EARLY AMERICAS 405