Name: ___________________________________ Date: _________________________

“The Dawn of the Mayas” - Graded Assignment

Directions: First, read the article titled, “The Dawn of the Mayas.” Then, answer the
following questions to the best of your ability. You do not have to write complete
sentences.

1) What area did the Mayas rule? ​Guatemala, and southern Mexico

2) What is Cival? ​an old Mayan city in northern Guatemala

3) Define ruins or use the term in a sentence to portray its meaning.​remains of human-made 

architectur

4) Define well-preserved or use the term in a sentence to portray its meaning.​maintained in 

good condition like new

5) What did Estrada-Belli find while inspecting a tunnel in the ruins of Cival? ​a very

beautiful, well-preserved giant mask of the Mayan sun god.

6) What name is used for ancient southern Mexico and Central America? (use your

knowledge of our recent notes on the Mayas) Mesoamerica

7) Define rivaled or use the term in a sentence to portray its meaning.​competing for the same 

object or goal

8) What does Francisco Estrada-Belli to for a living (his job specialization)? ​is an

archaeologist, a scientist who studies ancient civilizations and cultures.

9) What three ancient Mayan cities made up political, economic, and spiritual centers?

○ _Cival

○ _____​Tikal, in Guatemala,

○ _____​Chichén Itzá​____________________
10) What are three examples of Mayan technology?

○ ___​astronomy

○ arithmetic.

○ calendar
○ advanced form of writing
11) How did Estrada-Belli determine that Cival was not just a minor Mayan camp? ​found

a stone pillar showing the reign of an unidentified king

12) What was Cival like when the Mayan Empire was thriving?​had a population of

10,000 and was the capital, sprawling courtyards, magnificent buildings, and beautiful

ceramic vases.

13) What are three things scientists found in Cival?

○ ______​sprawling courtyards, magnificent buildings, and beautiful ceramic vases.

○ stone pillar showing the reign of an unidentified king

14) When does Estrada-Belli think Cival was abandoned? Why?

when - ________​around A.D. 500

why - ​after invaders sacked the city