The Mayans of Mesoamerica Essay - 742 Words

The Mayans of Mesoamerica nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The ancient Mayans were a very well developed society with a very accurate calendar, skilled architects, artisans, extensive traders and hunters. They are known to have developed medicine and astronomy as well. All of this was developed while the Europeans were still in the Dark Ages. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Their empire covered an area of roughly 400,000 to 500,000 square kilometers. This area included the present day countries of Belize, Guatemala, western Honduras and El Salvador, and also southern portions of Mexico. These lands have a very diverse terrain, from the mountainous highlands to the tropical lowlands. The wide range of geographical features meant that the†¦show more content†¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Maya civilization can be divided into three main periods: Pre-Classic, Classic, and Post-Classic. Their greatest accomplishments most likely took place in the Classic period. This period occurred between 250 and 910AD. An extensive trade network was in place during this period that allowed the civilization to grow as large as sixty separate kingdoms. Other technological advances also took place during this time. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;They developed their writing system, mathematics, astronomy, and calendars. Their study of astronomy allowed them to predict when there would be a solar or lunar eclipse. They also developed their calendar that is called the Long Count Calendar. The Long Count Calendar was not completely a Mayan creation because they inherited the basic form from the Toltec. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The mathematics developed by the Maya was a base 20 numbering system. This is similar to the base 10 system we use today. The Maya were able to do this using only three symbols, the dot, the bar, and a symbol for zero. The numbering system was written vertically instead of horizontally like the one we use today. The base level can be represented by 20^0, and each additional level increases the exponent by one. This is shown in the graphic below. The Mayan calendar has a starting date of 3113BC that is given the year 0. It used their base 20 numbering system to represent periods of time. ThereShow MoreRelatedThe Mayan Culture Of Mesoamerica1840 Words   |  8 PagesMesoamerica is the area in which the ancient Maya had lived, and is the area where modern Mayans are still reside. According to Coe, the Mayan geographic can range from Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Yucatan Peninsula, and the Mexican States of Chiapas and Tabasco (1966:17). Yet these areas are not limited to just Mayan. Many structural architecture remains today has proven the complexity of the Mayan culture in Mesoamerica. The Mayan history consisted of three main phases. The PreclassicRead MoreThe Conquistadors1677 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom the Spanish, literally means conqueror. 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