The Mayan CivilizationThe Mayan civilization is a very important culture that has left a great impact on our world today. They are known for their written language, their art, their mathematical system and their astronomical system. Mayan territory includes Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize and southern Mexico. In these regions, the Maya prospered in their religious practices, politics, and land use. Mayan culture has a long history that began around 1000 BC. Maya history is divided into four different periods: the Middle Preclassic Period, the Late Preclassic Period, the Classic Period, and the Postclassic Period. The Middle Preclassic period was when small areas began to resemble cities in that they began to build larger temples. It was during the late Preclassic period that cities began to develop with paved roads and massive pyramids. The Classic period is the period when the Mayan civilization reached its peak. Populations were growing rapidly and the political structure was forming. The Postclassic period was when warfare increased and cities were abandoned (Coe 2005). This article will focus on the Classic period as it is the greatest period in Mayan history. The Mayan civilization was primarily based on agriculture and religion. Daily life for the Maya revolved around countless earth gods. The most important God was the leader, the leader of all the gods. The Mayans prayed to these particular Gods for their crops. For example, they prayed to the God of rain to nourish their crops. They practiced their religion in ceremonies led by priests. They also practiced confession and fasted even before important ceremonies (Gann and Thompson 1931: 118-138). The Mayans also b...... middle of paper ....... The Mayans may have worn down the land they used (Houston and Inomata 2009). However, there are descendants of the ancient Mayans who still occupy certain regions today. Their way of life is almost the same as that of the ancient Mayans, but they lean more towards Christianity. They live in villages of two to 100 houses. The sites are almost impossible to find because the Maya strive to keep them hidden (Gann and Thompson, 1931). The Mayans prospered for a long time before falling. They were strong in their religious beliefs, their love for agriculture and their protection of the territory. Works Cited Coe, Michael 2005 The Maya. New York: Thames and HudsonGann, Thompson and Eric Thompson1931 The History of the Maya. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Houston, Stephen and Takeshi Inomata2009 The Classic Maya. New York: Cambridge University Press