How The Maya Civilization Was A Major Social Entity From...

Mesoamerica Essay The Maya civilization was a major social entity from approximately 2600 B.C.E. to 1521 C.E. The Maya civilization was never a fully unified society; it was primarily made up of numerous small states, in and around what is now known as the Yucatan Peninsula. These states, each apparently centered on a city, were ruled by individual kings. Sometimes, a stronger Maya state would dominate a weaker state and be able to exact tribute and labor from it. The development of agriculture gave rise to villages which eventually developed into larger and more complex societies. These became city states that were tied together by trade. (1, 4) The basic staples of the Maya diet were maize, beans, and squashes. These were supplemented†¦show more content†¦(2) Mayan architecture incorporated various forms of art and hieroglyphs. Pyramid temples devoted to their many deities, royal palaces, and ball courts were the most elaborate structures. Architectural styles varied by region, and were influenced by locally available construction materials, climate, topography, and the preferences of the ruling class and commoners. (3) Warfare was prevalent in the Maya world. Military campaigns were launched for a variety of reasons, including the control of trade routes and tribute, raids to capture enemies for religious rituals, up to the annihilation of an enemy state. Little is known about Maya military organization, logistics, or training. Warfare is depicted in Maya art, and tales of battle are mentioned in hieroglyphic inscriptions. Unfortunately, the inscriptions do not provide information upon the causes of war, or the form it took. (5) Political unrest, warfare and drought are believed to have been the beginning of the downfall of the Mayan people. When the Spanish arrived led by Hernan Cortes in 1521 C.E. in Central America, the diseases they brought, including smallpox, decimated the Mayan population. In addition to spreading fatal disease, the Spanish forced the Maya to convert to their religion, namely Christianity. The Spanish even destroyed the Mayan literature, which is the reason that so little of their writings are