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The decline of the Maya city-states: man-made or natural disaster?

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Created on May 4, 2023

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The decline of the Maya city-states: man-made or natural disaster?

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Contents

The mystery of the Maya city-states

Map of the declining Maya city-states

Making predictions

Decline theories

Evaluating theories

Diamond 6

Comparing the Anglo-Saxons and Maya

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

The mystery of the Maya city-states

Objective.

Archaeologists and historians continue to investigate why the Maya civilization had abandoned cities such as Tikal, Palenque and Copán in the southern lowlands by 900 AD. Although the reasons remain unclear, theories suggest that issues with food and water supplies, conflicts, diseases and leadership may have contributed to the decline. A combination of these factors was probably responsible for the departure.

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Map of the declining Maya city-states

Objective.

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Making predictions

The Maya cities declined because the city-states' population increased and there was not enough food to sustain everyone.

Prediction

The Maya cleared land by slashing and burning trees and built houses on all available land, leading to a shortage of farmland.

Supporting evidence

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Decline theories

OverpopulationDeforestationDrought Changing trading routes Warring Maya city-states Problems with water supply

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Evaluating theories

Theory: Changing trading routes

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Diamond 6

Reset
Most important
overpopulation
deforestation
High importance
High importance
drought
changing trading routes
Medium importance
Medium importance
warring Maya city-states
problems with water supply
Least important
©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Diamond 6

Reset
Most important
overpopulation
deforestation
High importance
High importance
drought
changing trading routes
Medium importance
Medium importance
warring Maya city-states
problems with water supply
Least important
©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Comparing the Anglo-Saxons and Maya

Drag and drop the statements into three groups. Statements which only apply to the Anglo -Saxons, statements which only apply to the Maya and statements which apply to both.

Reset
Answers

Anglo-Saxon:

Maya:

They believed in one god.

They built temples and pyramids.

They lived from 2000 BC - 1524.

They lived near rainforests.

They lived in AD 410 - 1066.

Their houses were wooden frames made out of wattle and daub.

They were polytheistic.

They came from Scandinavia

It was split into separate kingdoms.

They overcame complex challenges to settle in the country.

They traded with the outside world.

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Comparing the Anglo-Saxons and Maya

Drag and drop the statements into three groups. Statements which only apply to the Anglo -Saxons, statements which only apply to the Maya and statements which apply to both.

Reset
Answers

Anglo-Saxon:

Maya:

They believed in one god.

They built temples and pyramids.

They lived from 2000 BC - 1524.

They lived near rainforests.

They lived in AD 410 - 1066.

Their houses were wooden frames made out of wattle and daub.

They were polytheistic.

They came from Scandinavia

It was split into separate kingdoms.

They overcame complex challenges to settle in the country.

They traded with the outside world.

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com

Comparing the Anglo-Saxons and Maya

Drag and drop the statements into three groups. Statements which only apply to the Anglo -Saxons, statements which only apply to the Maya and statements which apply to both.

Reset

Anglo-Saxon:

Maya:

It was split into separate kingdoms.

They built temples and pyramids.

They believed in one god.

They traded with the outside world.

They lived near rainforests.

They came from Scandinavia

They overcame complex challenges to settle in the country.

They lived from 2000 BC - 1524.

Their houses were wooden frames made out of wattle and daub.

They lived in AD 410 - 1066.

They were polytheistic.

©2023 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com
©2022 Kapow Primary
www.kapowprimary.com