The Maya thrived in Central America thousands of years ago. Anthropologists and archaeologists thought Maya culture originated in the northern reaches of what is now Guatemala about 600 BCE, and migrated north to the Yucatan Peninsula of present-day Mexico beginning around 700 CE.
Throughout the film Quest for the Lost Maya, a team of anthropologists discovers the Maya may have been in the Yucatan as far back as 500 BCE. This new evidence indicates the Maya had a very complex social structure, distinctive religious practices, and unique technological innovations that made civilization possible in the harsh jungle of the Yucatan.
This segment of Quest for the Lost Maya explores the so-called collapse of Mayan civilization. Despite popular belief, the Maya remain an important part of the human geography of the Yucatan.
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Did the Maya disappear? Explain.
No, there are millions of Mayans and Mayan speakers still inhabiting Central America today.
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What are some of the challenges Maya peoples have had to overcome?
The Mayan people have endured environmental catastrophe, political decline, and later, European conquest.
Articles & Profiles
very old.
person who studies cultures and characteristics of communities and civilizations.
person who studies artifacts and lifestyles of ancient cultures.
learned behavior of people, including their languages, belief systems, social structures, institutions, and material goods.
data that can be measured, observed, examined, and analyzed to support a conclusion.
the study of the way human communities and systems interact with their environment.
tropical ecosystem filled with trees and underbrush.
people and culture native to southeastern Mexico and Central America.
Articles & Profiles
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Writer
Hannah Herrero
Editors
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Anne Haywood, National Geographic Society
Last Updated
April 12, 2012
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Mesoamerica
The historic region of Mesoamerica comprises the modern day countries of northern Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, and central to southern Mexico. For thousands of years, this area was populated by groups such as the Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Toltec, and Aztec peoples. Cultural traits that define the region include the domestication of maize, beans, avocado, and vanilla, and a common architectural style. Learn more about the rich cultures and lives of these early civilizations.
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Population Characteristics
Demography is the study of a population, the total number of people or organisms in a given area. Understanding how population characteristics such as size, spatial distribution, age structure, or the birth and death rates change over time can help scientists or governments make decisions. For example, knowing how lion populations have increased or decreased over a period of time can help conservationists understand if their protection efforts are effective while knowing how many seniors or children live in a particular neighborhood can shape the type of activities scheduled at the local recreation center. Select from these resources to teach your students about population characteristics.
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Mesoamerica
The historic region of Mesoamerica comprises the modern day countries of northern Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, and central to southern Mexico. For thousands of years, this area was populated by groups such as the Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, Toltec, and Aztec peoples. Cultural traits that define the region include the domestication of maize, beans, avocado, and vanilla, and a common architectural style. Learn more about the rich cultures and lives of these early civilizations.
-
Population Characteristics
Demography is the study of a population, the total number of people or organisms in a given area. Understanding how population characteristics such as size, spatial distribution, age structure, or the birth and death rates change over time can help scientists or governments make decisions. For example, knowing how lion populations have increased or decreased over a period of time can help conservationists understand if their protection efforts are effective while knowing how many seniors or children live in a particular neighborhood can shape the type of activities scheduled at the local recreation center. Select from these resources to teach your students about population characteristics.