Topic #6 Lesson #1 - The Maya

What is slash and burn agriculture?

• Trees and plants were cut down and used to make medicine.

• Trees were cut down and the wood was used to make planter boxes.

• Trees and plants were cut down and burned, and the ash was used to fertilize the soil.

• Crops were planted around the trees and plants that grew in the rainforest.

What was one factor that may have caused Mayan cities to fall into ruin between 800 and 1000 BCE?

• The Olmecs invaded their cities

• The Spanish conquered them

• Mayan buildings were built poorly

• Food shortages occurred because of drought

Which concept did the Mayans understand before other civilizations?

• the number 0

• calendars

• hieroglyphs

• architecture

How have we learned so much about the Mayan civilization?

• from printed books

• Spanish records

• glyphs carved in stone

• oral history

Why did Mayan commoners seek to please priests and nobles?

• they were afraid of being sacrificed

• they believed they could communicate with the gods

• they depended on them for food

• they believed they were gods in human form

How did the environment affect agriculture for the Mayans?

• they lived deep in the rainforest where it was hard to grow crops. They had to find clever ways to farm.

• They lived high in the mountains, where they had to build terraces.

• The swampy environment was difficult to farm in.

• They were not able to grow crops due to a lack of water.