The Collapse of Maya  Civilization Activity
... All Fall Down

Maya civilization lasted for over 1500 years. The Maya created beautiful art. They developed a mythology that explained the world and their history. They established a complex system of justice and government. And they built magnificent cities. At the civilization's peak, those cities had populations that numbered in the tens of thousands. But, as the saying goes, all good things come to an end.

For this activity, you will review the reasons for the collapse of the Maya civilization and write one paragraph in which you compare and contrast their civilization with the collapse of any other ancient civilization. If you want an extra challenge, rather than compare the Maya collapse with another ancient civilization, I suggest you compare the factors that played into the collapse of the Maya with our world today. The choice is yours.

Steps to Success:

1. Know the current theories of Maya collapse outlined in your lesson.
2. Choose a civilization to compare and contrast with the collapse of the Maya. Or, choose to compare their collapse with the world today.
3. Complete focused research on the civilization or society you chose in Step 2.
4. Consider and include at least three of the following in your "compare and contrast" paragraph:

• ​Trade
• Overpopulation 
• Industrial farming practices
• Warfare
• Competition for scarce resources
• Environmental conditions

Please be sure to edit your work for proper writing mechanics.