Mayan Civilization Research Paper
Week 4 Assignment 1
HUM 110
Nov 3, 2012
The Mayan Civilization’s territory stretched across Mesoamerica and the Yucatan Peninsula. There were three periods of Mayan history that held significant events for the civilization. They were Pre-Classic 300BC-250AD, Classic Period 250AD-900AD, and the Post Classic-after 900AD. However, the Mayan Civilization started to collapse during the Post Classic period, around 750 AD. There have been many shared and stories told about how this down fall occurred of this ancient civilization occurred, yet not one can come to a distinct conclusion. Peasant revolt and agriculture abuse are just a few of the possibilities that may have led to the destruction of the Mayan civilization that completely just …show more content…
Researcher Robert Raul Miller of University of Oklahoma states that the hierarchy of the Maya was completely dependent on slave labor. The people of most power were nobles and priests. These higher classes were often rich in power and wealth, but few in number. Miller suggests that at one point the oppressed Mayan workers all gave up their way of life and retreated into the jungle (Miller, 22). Ultimately, in city after city the ruling group was driven out or, more probably, massacred by the dependent peasant, and power then passed to the peasant leaders. In conclusion, the priests and nobles were left to fend for themselves. Previously dependent on the slaves and peasants, the civilization dissolved because the nobles and priests did not know how to work the land.
Another accepted theory supported by scholars about the end of the civilization is that the Mayans abused their land in trying to produce agriculture. This in turn led to a lack of resources that caused problems such as soil exhaustion, water loss, and erosion. These were some of the consequences to the Mayans ' chosen agricultural techniques. The Mayans also used a slash and burn method of clearing the forest in order to produce ground for crop growing. This extremely wasteful method created a lack of natural food for the local wildlife and forced migration and
HUM 110
Nov 3, 2012
The Mayan Civilization’s territory stretched across Mesoamerica and the Yucatan Peninsula. There were three periods of Mayan history that held significant events for the civilization. They were Pre-Classic 300BC-250AD, Classic Period 250AD-900AD, and the Post Classic-after 900AD. However, the Mayan Civilization started to collapse during the Post Classic period, around 750 AD. There have been many shared and stories told about how this down fall occurred of this ancient civilization occurred, yet not one can come to a distinct conclusion. Peasant revolt and agriculture abuse are just a few of the possibilities that may have led to the destruction of the Mayan civilization that completely just …show more content…
Researcher Robert Raul Miller of University of Oklahoma states that the hierarchy of the Maya was completely dependent on slave labor. The people of most power were nobles and priests. These higher classes were often rich in power and wealth, but few in number. Miller suggests that at one point the oppressed Mayan workers all gave up their way of life and retreated into the jungle (Miller, 22). Ultimately, in city after city the ruling group was driven out or, more probably, massacred by the dependent peasant, and power then passed to the peasant leaders. In conclusion, the priests and nobles were left to fend for themselves. Previously dependent on the slaves and peasants, the civilization dissolved because the nobles and priests did not know how to work the land.
Another accepted theory supported by scholars about the end of the civilization is that the Mayans abused their land in trying to produce agriculture. This in turn led to a lack of resources that caused problems such as soil exhaustion, water loss, and erosion. These were some of the consequences to the Mayans ' chosen agricultural techniques. The Mayans also used a slash and burn method of clearing the forest in order to produce ground for crop growing. This extremely wasteful method created a lack of natural food for the local wildlife and forced migration and