DBQ Maya Background Essay

TRUE or FALSE: The Maya civilization were unified under a single ruler and government.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Which term best describes the relationships between neighboring Mayan city-states?

• competitive

• harmonious

• nonexistent

• reciprocity

The Maya were considered one the most __ civilizations in the Americas before the Spanish conquest.

• advanced

• oldest

• aggressive

• expansive

How was the Mayan calendar created?

• from observations of the sun and sky over thousands of years

• through complex mathematical computations & measurements

• a priest was given the details in a series of dreams about the gods

• they took it from a neighboring society they conquered

Where was the Maya civilization located?

• in Mesoamerica including parts of present-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras

• in South America including parts of present-day Brazil, Argentina, and Chile

• in the Caribbean including the present-day islands of Cuba and the Dominican Republic

How were the Maya organized politically?

• they lived in city-states that sometimes worked together and sometimes went to war against each other

• they lived in an empire that included multiple smaller kingdoms that formed alliances with each other

• they lived in separate, fortified villages that had no contact or interactions with the others

What ritual(s) did the Maya NOT use to please their gods?

• blood-letting

• human sacrifice

• communion

• animal sacrifice

What happened to the Maya in 900 C.E.?  (Which option are we sure happened?)

• Something caused them to abandon their city-states

• There were a series of civil wars which killed the majority of the population

• There were too many people and not enough food, jobs, or housing

• Something caused a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

TRUE or FALSE: Despite the Maya disappearing in 900 C.E., there are still millions of people who speak Mayan dialects and/or practice Mayan traditions.

• TRUE

• FALSE

TRUE or FALSE: The Maya had no agriculture and they were not able to grow their own food.

• TRUE

• FALSE