Mayans Compare And Contrast

Long before the Europeans discovered the Americas, native civilizations rose and fell. Uninterrupted by the Europeans, these civilizations had their own unique cultures, practices, and ways of life. Two of these civilizations — the Mayans and the Southwest Pueblos — shared similarities in agricultures, but differed in their technological advancement and religious practices.
First off, the Pueblos and the Mayans shared similar agricultural techniques and crops. The Pueblos and the Mayans both used terracing, the practice of cutting "steps" into the side of a hill or mountain in order to help prevent erosion and other farming problems. Another agricultural technique the two used was canals. Mayans used these canals to reduce flooding of their crops, and it also provided an irrigation system. The use of canals and terraces helped the Pueblo's crops to thrive despite the dry climate. Lastly, the Pueblos and the Mayans produced similar crops - corn and beans. These crops were common among majority of the native civilizations and made up a complete protein.

However, the two civilizations also differed greatly.
The Mayans were remarkably advanced for their time.

While the Pueblos had managed to domesticate animals and use others to help hunt, the Mayans were more focused on advancements that would later influence our world. Unlike any other American culture, the Mayans had a complete written language. This linguistic advancement was incredibly complex, and astonishing for a civilization that had not had any contact with another civilization that had its own written language (like Europe). Mathematics was also a system developed by the Mayans, and it was used in trade during the time. Furthermore, their system of mathematics was easy to understand, so every Mayan could use the system. Lastly, the Mayans created a calendar that went far into the future (ending in the year 2012). Overall, the Mayans were more technologically advanced than the Pueblo people. But the Mayans and the Pueblos also greatly differed

religiously.
Similar to the Aztecs and the Incas, human and animal sacrifice were part of Mayan religion. Sacrifices were used to satisfy the Mayan gods, and, as the Mayans believed, helped ensure military victory. Additionally, the practice of bloodletting was another major aspect of Mayan religion. While the royal family was the only one who participated in this, it was thought that this royal blood repaid the gods for their blood, which they had used to create humanity. On the other hand, the Pueblos did not participate in human sacrifice but had a more communal approach to religion. Special members of societies wore masks called kachinas, and they danced in community ceremonies. The purpose of the ceremonies was to help connect the people to their ancestors and also ensure a successful agricultural year. In comparison to the Pueblos, the Mayan religious practices seemed brutal.
In summary, though the Mayans and the Southwest Pueblos had similar agricultural practices and crops, the Mayans were more technologically advanced, and the two civilizations had varied greatly in their religious practices. These civilizations would eventually decline, but their agricultural practices and technological advancement, which was incredibly advanced for their time, is still used today.