Essay Example on America's Indigenous Society: The Maya Civilization

Introduction

America is among the countries in the world with indigenous societies like the Maya civilization. Maya civilization was developed by the Maya people who existed in the Northern Central America and Southern Mexico parts. It is a society that is well known for its distinct features around the Mesoamerican region. The existence of the community was done in the 1840s by Fredrick Catherwood and Lloyd Stephens, where they began settlement in between 2600 BC and 1800 BC. The civilization was most important since it was one of the most advanced civilizations in America. They had many technologies that helped in building the country from agriculture to astronomy sectors. Therefore, Maya civilization was well known in the region due to its distinctive features such as the writing system and agriculture.

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Writing System

The Maya civilization had developed the most sophisticated writing system that well represented their spoken language. The system was unique since it was developed from a culture of the Stone age. The script or the system solely relied on multiple symbols that represented either a word or a syllable. The civilization considered writing as a consecrated skill from the gods since most of them could not read as reading knowledge was jealously guarded by others who thought that they could relate unswervingly with the gods. An example is the Stela D monument that is a curving found in most areas where the Maya community settled. The monument was essential to the community since it was used to keep records of rulers during periods in time (Aissen, England, & Maldonado, 2017). To ensure that the civilization was in existence and to be known in the future, they participated in writing books called Codices that were made of bark papers and were folded like an accordion. Their writing was from black ink that was made from coal and quills gotten from turkey feathers.

Trade and Agriculture

The Maya civilization was involved in the trade of goods where they exported different products such as slaves, honey, salt, cotton mantels, and colored shells through the sea. Since the community did not have a money system, they used goods for exchange with other commodities such as the cocoa beans (Luthra, 2018). The community was also involved in agricultural activities despite the dense forest that surrounded them. They cleared the bushes by burning and slashing to create land for farming. Canals were used to irrigate the farms and crops. Their main agricultural activity was the production of maize (Milpa) but also produced other crops like amaranth, beans, and chile peppers. Other economic activities like hunting, harvesting, fishing, improved agricultural systems, and irrigation techniques ensured that people in the community had enough food for consumption (Aissen et al., 2017). Farming was necessary for the Maya community since it provided food, trading materials, and helped them study the stars and the weather. Trade was important to them since they began building cities and got goods that they lacked. It is evident that the Maya community taught trade that America people currently participate in since the crops they grew like cotton are still being used and grown for textiles.

The Maya civilization had many features that differentiated them from other communities that existed in the early years. Their work, such as agricultural activities, trade, and writing, are still being used in the modern world as a reference to why the community was so successful. The economy that the community practiced was very simple since production only depended on family requirements. As the production grew with time, there was a rise in a social class that was a result of the division of labor. Education and agriculture are two main features that a community should have to ensure its continuity and existence.

References

Aissen, J., England, N. C., & Maldonado, R. Z. (Eds.). (2017). The Mayan Languages. Taylor & Francis.

Luthra, K. (2018). Research and Maya Civilization. Sansmaran Research Journal, 8(1), 6-9.