What is Collapse? Throughout world history, humans have developed into complex societies; these complex societies include bands, tribes, chiefdoms, states, and empires. Although archaeologists have attempted to define each of these complex societies, occasionally a civilization will fit more than one category. Regardless, the majority of civilizations that have prevailed for a definitive amount of time eventually, through a series of events or environmental factors, cease to exist. Anthropologists and archaeologists define this culmination of a society as collapse. Collapse, according to the well-known archaeologist Joseph A. Tainter, “collapse is the rapid loss of an established level of complexity” (Tainter 2014). In other words, collapse …show more content…
C. E. to 900 A.D.; their sustainability was not constant, for they experienced fluctuations of unsustainability, with the most dramatic being in the disintegration of the Classic period (Chase et al., 2014). Regardless of this, the Mayan people rebounded from the collapse, and continued thriving until the early twentieth century, at which point the “Maya integrated their societies into modern nation states” (Chase et al., 2014). After the initial collapse of the Classic Mayan society, the Maya transitioned into the postclassic eras, which eventually led to the historic …show more content…
It is most likely that a combination of a selection of these proposed causes led to the collapse. Currently, if a single reason was to be chosen, a theory on climate change is the strongest contender. Climate change, according to Lucero, “may have set in motion several of the “causes” mentioned” (2002). Most notably, a climate change concerning change in rainfall affected the Mayan elites’ control over water. The Maya knew about the fluctuating seasons; in the plurality of the regions studied, there was a wet and dry season. Rulers managed available, clean water sources through different technological and agricultural advances, such as reservoirs, as well as through ceremonial and religious practices, like performing rituals to please the rain god, Chac (Lucero, 2002). Around 750 B. C. E., a drought began that possibly had a formidable influence on the Classic
The Mayan empire was doing well until they started burning down trees. The reason why they fell was not because of other empires, but technically on themselves. In the article “Why Did the Mayan Civilization Collapse? A New Study Points to Deforestation and Climate Change” by Joseph Stromberg has many points on how they fell because of this. In the article it states that, “As a result, the rapid deforestation exacerbated an already severe drought—in the simulation, deforestation reduced precipitation by five to 15 percent and was responsible for 60 percent of the total drying that occurred over the course of a century as the Mayan civilization collapsed” (Stromberg). As the Mayan’s kept burning down the trees the Mayan empire started to get lower and lower. When the precipitation went down, that wasn’t what made the Mayan empire fall
The Mayan Genocide was a result of a civil war concerning communism and democracy between corrupt leaders and the people of Guatemala. The Guatemalan army carried out the genocide under the self-proclaimed name “killing machines”. According to the article Genocide in Guatemala “the army destroyed 626 villages, killed or “disappeared” more than 200,000 people and displaced an additional 1.5 million, while more than 150,000 were driven to seek refuge in Mexico”. The army murdered and tortured without regard to age or gender, men, women, and children all alike. In an attempt to end the conflict Peace Accords were signed, in spite of the fact that there was little change. Directly following the Mayan genocides, Guatemala faced physical and emotional
In the novel Collapse: How societies choose to fail or succeed, the author Jared Diamond illustrates how environmental problems in today’s society are linked with many of the same problems that have caused the collapse of ancient civilizations in the past. The purpose of his book is to show that if people do not take care of the land while there is time, the whole world could end up collapsing just like many other ancient civilizations. In the prologue, Diamond defines “collapse” as “A drastic decrease in human population size and/or political/economic/social complexity, over a considerable area, for an extended time.” (Page 3).
Mayan architectural achievements were remarkable, given the difficulties brought on by fragile soil, dense forest, and a harsh tropical climate. During the Classic period (250-900 A.D.), the largest Mayan cities had populations in excess of 50,000 people. These high populations required them to practice more intensive agriculture, instead of the typical slash-and-burn.
The Preclassic period begins where the first signs that the Maya can be recognized as a distinct people. The two time periods overlap each other as a result from different groups in the region gradually shifting from being a separate archaically developed people into adopting local culture and technology that was distinctly
The Early Preclassic Era is the time period when the beginnings of agriculture emerge in Maya culture. The earliest evidence of agricultural field burning and cultivation of maize along with other crops dates well before the beginning of the Early Preclassic period. Agriculture was already being practiced in some areas of Guatemala that were settled by distinctively Maya groups.
Diamond, Jared M. (2005) "The Maya Collapses.” Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. New York: Viking, 157-77.
The climate in the environment is unexpected and affects agriculture. Recently In Florida “Late January torrential rains decimated crops and prevented growers from entering fields throughout south Florida, damaging winter and spring plantings of sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes, bell peppers and other vegetables” (Ohlemeier). These things make food prices increase and then there becomes a food shortage. These crops are depended on, because in the Midwest and other regions they experience cold winters that wipe out half of the year for crop growing potential. Back in the Mayan Empire they could have succeeded for a longer period of time if they would have taken care of the environment. The Mayans may have been able to figure out how to grow successful crops, but they didn’t know how to keep the soil fertile. They used this method for clearing crops and trees “However, after two or three years, the soil and ash was depleted and must be allowed to lie fallow for five to 15 years. The Maya would then move on to a new area and repeat the process” (Maya Agricultural Methods). They were stable for a couple of years and then were nomads running from place to place to grow their crops. The environment can throw curve balls and there are so many things that can happen that can speed up the process of an empire falling at a fast
In the Central America, most notably the Yucatan Peninsula, are the Maya, a group of people whose polytheistic religion and advanced civilization once flourished (Houston, 43). The Maya reached their peak during the Classic Period from around CE 250 to the ninth century CE when the civilization fell and dispersed (Sharer, 1). Although much has been lost, the gods and goddesses and the religious practices of the Classic Maya give insight into their lives and reveal what was important to this society.
The Mayan civilization was located in southeastern Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. One of the first American civilizations, it lasted from about 1000 B.C.-1542 A.D. Their civilization flourished during the Sixth Century. They built many temples and over forty cities. The Mayan population consisted of almost fifteen million people who were all living in one of the many cities. The Mayan people were extremely religious and believed in multiple gods which meant they were polytheistic. Their most commonly worshiped god was the Maize God, or god of corn, as corn was the most grown and most relied on crop. The Mayans grew all of their own food so they needed to have useful farming methods. The one they used most often was the slash and burn method, which involved cutting down trees and burning them to make the soil fertil which was necessary to grow crops. This method worked for many years, but soon started to backfire. The Mayans were ahead of their time, but that did not prevent their mysterious decline which occurred between the years 800 A.D.-900 A.D. Although it is not known exactly why the powerful empire fell, but there are various probable theories. The mysterious decline of the Mayans may have been caused by
In conclusion, I believe the reason for the Mayan civilization to diminish, is overpopulation since they have exhausted their lands and it couldn’t sustain more population. Additionally another cause was their complex traditions of rituals and ceremonies. Finally the harsh environmental condition since they lack water. But Mayans are still alive till this day but located in different locations. The Stonehenge in now considered the most famous sites in the world. Approximately 800.00 tourists visit it every year. It has undergone to several restorations to prevent its collapse.
The history of the Mayan people is usually broken in five different periods: The pre-classic era from 1800 BC to 250 AD, the classic era from 250 AD to 900 AD, the post-classic era from 900 AD to 1500 AD, the colonial period from 1500 AD to 1800 AD, and the post-colonial period from 1821 to the present (CITE FRO...
The factors that lead to the “collapse” of civilizations are almost directly related to those that created it. Archaeologists characterize collapse by a number of elements, some of which we have evidence for, others we do not. Most archaeologists are unsure of exactly what caused the decline of most civilizations in the ancient world, yet there are many clues to some of the events that could have contributed. The collapse of the ancient Roman Empire, the Mesoamerican Mayan, and the Egyptian cultures will be discussed in the following paragraphs, with a focus on the uniqueness of each.
The Maya culture has a long history that started in about 1000 BC. The history of the Maya is divided up into four different time periods: The Middle Preclassic Period, Late Preclassic Period, Classic Period, and Postclassic Period. The Middle Preclassic Period was when the small areas started to become city-like in the way that they started to build larger temples. The Late Preclassic Period was when the cities began to expand with paved roads and massive pyramids. The Classic Period was the time the Maya civilization hit it’s peak. Populations were growing rapidly and the structure of politics was formed. The Postclassic Period was when warfare was on the rise and cities were being abandoned(Coe 2005). This paper will focus on the Classic Period due to the fact that that is the greatest time period in Maya history.
The transformation between the simple hunter-gathers society and the complex Mayan state occurred from the Pre-Olmec Period between 1200 and 400 BC to the Late Classic Maya society between AD 700 and 800.The Pre-Olmec Period signified pre-complex society due to the structure of egalitarianism and diversity in cultures, this is significantly different to the Maya society that witness not only the upheave of literature, counting system, religious ideology and political hierarchy. What is significant about this era is these innovations not only created social classes and allowed high upkeep for large population densities, they were able to unify the geopolitical sphere of cities under the same language and belief system through accepted iconography in art repre...