Maya Society Then
The Maya people were divided into city-states (kingdoms) that were each run by separate rulers. In the center of the kingdom were palaces, pyramid temples, and squares where religious ceremonies were held. Most Maya lived in the country outside the city gates.
There were many classes in Maya society: rulers, nobles and priests, freemen, craftsmen, farmers, and slaves. If you were a noble, you would be carried from place to place in a litter (chair) by your slaves. Your colorful clothing would be made from animal skins, your headdresses from the feathers of macaws and parrots, and your fancy jewelry from jade. You would live in a beautiful stone palace with many rooms.
In contrast, a Maya farmer worked from morning until night. Women spent their days cooking, grinding corn, raising children, tending gardens, checking beehives, weaving cloth, and making pottery. The family lived outside the city in one-room mud or stone huts with thatched roofs. Men wore loincloths, (pieces of cloth wrapped around the hips), and women cotton dresses. Both used a blanket called a manta to wrap around their shoulders in the cold.
Denne historien er fra January 2021-utgaven av Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
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Denne historien er fra January 2021-utgaven av Faces - The Magazine of People, Places and Cultures for Kids.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Animal Central
From golden frogs to big cats to colorful birds, the national animals of Central America represent the geography and cultures of the region. For a quick sampling of creatures plain and beautiful, common and rare, read on.
31 Countries Biosphere
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THE LEGEND OF THE QUETZAL BIRD
A Mayan Tale retold by Pat Betteley illustrated by Amanda Shepherd
Semana Santa GUATEMALA'S HOLY WEEK
What if Easter preparations meant dyeing sand, collecting pine needles, and staying up all night to work on an art project that you knew would be ruined the very next day? Well, welcome to Guatemala’s Semana Santa, or Holy Week.
ME OH-MAYA!
The Maya are groups of people who live in parts of Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Their ancestors created a great society. At its peak, from 600-900 C.E., the Maya civilization was more advanced than its neighbors in the Americas.
Playing Games Honduras-style
Would you play the same games in Honduras that you do in the United States? You might. Children in Honduras enjoy many of the same games North Americans do. They go fishing and shoot baskets. They play sandlot baseball—called bate (BAH tay). They fly kites and ride bikes. Their parents may go horseback riding or play golf or tennis.
LIVING A LONG LIFE IN THE Blue Zone
Most people would like to live as long a life as possible. No one really knows why some people live longer than others, but did you know that where you live can play a big part in how many years you’ll be alive? If you live in a Blue Zone, chances are that you will live much longer than people in other parts of the world.
ATTENTION WORLD: Belize Saves Their Coral Reef
Sea turtles float in clear waters, colorful corals hug the ocean floor, and aquatic animals glide among the mangrove roots. Welcome to the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, the second-largest coral reef in the world (Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is number one). Several years ago, this reef was in crisis, heading toward destruction. But the people of Belize fought back to save their reef’s health.
The Panama Canal
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This is Central America!
It’s time to visit Central America. But first, it helps to know exactly where Central America is. Despite its name, it is the southernmost part of North America, which can seem a little confusing. It makes up most of the isthmus dividing the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land that connects two larger landmasses and has water on both sides.
