Cindy Lopez
I . A) “wonder is the beginning of wisdom” said by Socrates
B) A pre-Columbian American civilization called the Maya lived in Mexico and south
America. The Mayas have intrigued people ever since their discovery, they lived some
4,000 years ago. Though I have not visited the Mayas temples I believe that besides being
a great tourist attraction is a place to see the past and understand how people have lived
before us. This along with other past civilization cites could help us understand why we
are here today. Its important to know how they’ve influenced us today.
C) Maya civilizations lived in parts of southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, as well
as western Honduras and El Salvador. Mayas developed the most advance civilization in
Americas. Mayas has an approximate of more than 2,000 people per square mile
comparable to modern Los Angeles County. Despite this there was abandonment of cities
and most of the cities were abandoned around 900 A.D.
D) The Mayans had a very interesting way of living, they built big cities along with many
related languages and dialects. They made incredible advancements in medicine, math
and even language. They once were a great and powerful empire
1. Mayan built massive stone pyramids and temples
2. Mayan had very religious beliefs, traditions and rituals
3. Mayans had great advancements in medicine and astronomy
II. Mayan pyramids built 3000 years ago are the greatest tourist attraction today in Mexico.
They had a very complex structure with materials that had to be carried from long distances.
They laid their cities out in plaza groups, like clusters of buildings around a central plaza.
a. “The Palaces were large, multi-storied buildings which were home to the King
and Royal Family. They tended to be made of stone with wooden structures
on top. Roofs were made of thatch.” Says Minster
b. “A typical Mayan pyramid was a series of stepped platforms with a small
temple built on top. The temple roof was often adorned with a highly
embellished structure called a “roof-comb,” decorated with sacred images in
stucco relief. Steep stairways lined the sides of the pyramid where the priests
would ascend to conduct ceremonies. The interior of the temple contained one
or more rooms reserved for secret rituals” explains Mark Giffen from Facts
about the Mayan Pyramid.
