The Mayans

    The Mayan Civilization was a great empire. It consisted of natives who lived in Mesoamerica, Guatemala, Southern Mexico, Central America, and in the Yucatan peninsula. They mostly ate corn, their number one food source, and meat. Thriving 1,000 years before the Aztecs, the Mayans’ 4,000 year-old settlements had a very rich culture. They spoke more than 30 different languages, and felt very in debt to their gods. As a result, they built many monuments and temples for them. They had pyramid-like temples which alligned with the sun, moon, and stars. The Mayans used the stars to tell stories of the god as well. However, hidden under these great deeds was something horrific which the Mayans thought was an honor. Sacrifice, or killing others to please the gods, was an action done eighteen times a year. Despite this sad truth, the Mayans were still very successful in creating a large and strong empire. They were great scientists and mathematicians too. The Mayans were keen observers of the sky. The sky helped them count the time and see when to take out or plant crops. They were the first civilization to have a calendar. The Mayans’ writing system, much like the Egyptians, was hieroglyphics. The Mayans’ alphabet consisted of hundreds of symbols. They invented the concept of zero in math, and had a base-20 number system (twenty individual numbers, instead of ten). The Mayan Civilization’s cause of downfall is unknown, but scientists and historians believe the cause was three main reasons: human sacrifices, famine, and fighting. The Mayan Civilization was a mighty empire, with lots of accomplishments.