Maya peoples

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/maya-peoples

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What were Maya city-states like?Maya city-states were independent towns such as Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, and Copán. Each had its own ruler but shared a common culture and often made alliances or fought with each other.
2. How did the Maya keep track of time?The Maya used three calendars: the Long Count to count long periods, the 260‑day Tzolk'in for rituals, and the 365‑day Haab' for the solar year. Together they made a complex cycle of dates.

Mesoamerica: A historical and cultural region in the Americas that extends from central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica.
Vigesimal System: A number system based on twenty, as opposed to the decimal system which is based on ten, used by the Maya.
Stelae: Upright stone slabs, often carved with hieroglyphs and images, used by the Maya to commemorate rulers and significant events.
Syncretism: The merging of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought, often seen in contemporary Maya religious practices combining indigenous beliefs with Catholicism.