Disappearanbce of the Mayan Civilization

Disappearance of the Mayan Civilization
Adrianna Clayton-McGowan
Strayer University
HUM111
Professor Cynthia Creel
04/29/2012

Disappearance of the Mayan Civilization
Adrianna Clayton-McGowan
Strayer University
HUM111
Professor Cynthia Creel
04/29/2012

No one can say for certain what happened to the Mayan people, but theories abound and include varied possible alternatives to explain the abrupt and mysterious disappearance of the Mayan civilization.
One of the prime mysteries in archaeology is still the collapse of classic Maya. The Mayans are but one of many Mesoamerican ethnic groups whose existence has been known in all of the Yucatan peninsula, Guatemala, and Belize, the eastern half of Tabasco and Chiapas, and the northwest regions of Honduras and El Salvador. Originating in Yucatan in 2600 B.C. and rising to prominence around A.D. 250 Mayans spread into the other areas when evidence for the first kings and dynasties emerged. Around A.D. 750 began the worst drought in the past 7,000 years, climaxing around the year A.D. 800 and suspiciously linked with the Classic collapse. Political issues and warfare is a cultural theory adding to the decline holding that the elite fought too much amongst each other and provided deprived leadership.
Climate change is believed to be the onset and main cause of the Mayan drought leading to the diminishing of the culture. The drought theory also provides a comprehensive explanation, because non-environmental and cultural factors can all be clarified by the effects of elongated drought on Classic Mayan civilization. A heavy dependence upon water-based intensive agricultural techniques was common among the Mayans, particularly in the Classic period. “Too many elites were making too many demands on the system” (William L. Fash). Exceeding the human capacity the environment could withhold led to overhunting of wildlife leaving food scarce. Mayans exhausted the thin tropical soils leaving the land unworkable with little fertilization that took several years to self-replenish. Their harvest required a vast amount of water which became not able to be sustained with the absence of river systems, such as in the Petén Basin and the rarity of lakes, especially in the Yucatán Peninsula.
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The Mayans were warlike and raided their neighbors for land and took captives which sometimes were sacrificed. Mayan warfare was intense, prolonged, and irresoluble because of limitations of food supply and transportation making uniting impossible and could be found both within cities and among separate kingdoms. Fighting would mainly occur during the dry season to not interfere with their agricultural productivity. Victors would move into their exterminated opponent’s living spaces after defeating them. The lower class began revolting over the elite to overtake them because of work being scarce. If the lower class didn’t die from starvation then they died fighting.
Identify one (1) of the theories and provide at least two (2) convincing reasons why the theory you have chosen is the best one to explain the mystery.
The regular seasonal drought played the major role in the disappearance of the Mayan civilization as we once knew it. Since the surface water was drying up it made resources threatened and survival a struggle for all. Having basic living supplies became uncommon. The continuously worsening drought created enemies between foes and stronger rivalry between cities just to have food and water to live. A catalyst for both the fading food supply and the warfare was the drought. The Mayans basically killed themselves off by acting with natural instinct survival skills from the effects of the drought. The Mayans lived a life of survival of the fittest.

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References – I have 3 total references 1. Coe, M. D. (2005). The Maya (7th ed.). London and New York: Thames and Hudson. 2. Fash, W. (1991). Scribes, Warriors and Kings: The City of Copán and the Ancient Maya. London: Thames and Hudson. 3. Sayre, H. M. (2012). The Humanities: Culture, continuity and change, Volume 1. (2nd ed.). (2011 Custom Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.

References: – I have 3 total references 1. Coe, M. D. (2005). The Maya (7th ed.). London and New York: Thames and Hudson. 2. Fash, W. (1991). Scribes, Warriors and Kings: The City of Copán and the Ancient Maya. London: Thames and Hudson. 3. Sayre, H. M. (2012). The Humanities: Culture, continuity and change, Volume 1. (2nd ed.). (2011 Custom Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.