era Europeans. Among the Mayan’s brilliant achievements were sculptures, ceramics, paintings, and weaving. They made discoveries in astronomy and mathematics that rivaled the ancient Egyptians, and they also developed complex agricultural and water management systems . A major flaw in the Mayan system included their lack of technology. The Mayan people did not have any tools that would aid them in their daily work, like farming. All work was done by hand, which may have slowed the development of their civilization because they were not able to produce large amounts of food. Map of Major Mayan sites1.Chichn Itza2. Palenque3. Yaxchiln4. Bonampak5. Lagartero6. Iazapa7. Kaminaljuy8. Piedras Negras9. Tikal10. Uaxactun11. Copan12. Cuello13. Tulm 14. Coba;15. Dzibilchaltun 16. UxmalMayan civilization reached its peek between 600 and 900 A.D., reaching a population over 4 million people located mainly in the sites stated above. It was during this period that most of their scientific discoveries took place. It was after 900 A.D. that the stresses of the social structure that the Mayans developed began to ware down. The Mayan agricultural practices caused the depletion of its fertile land. Many Mayan cities were established on soil that appeared to be fertile. However, there were actually large deposits of limestone only a few feet under the topsoil. At many locations in the Maya area, observations can be made in Valle de Naco, where erosion and sedimentation of soils are associated with Maya decline and abandonment. In some cases, it appears that cities were just abandoned, which is probable if fertile land was discovered elsewhere. Wars with neighboring natives, droughts, and diseases are also reasons thought to cause the decline of the Mayas.The Aztec Empire, a trio of Native American tribes consisting of the Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and the Tacuba , has been attributed to the decline of the Mayas. The Aztecs were a war-li...
