Lesson video

Hello, my name is Ms.Krijnauw and I am delighted that you have joined me for this lesson in a unit about non-European societies.

In this lesson, we embark on an exciting journey into the heart of ancient Mesoamerica, where we will explore the rich and fascinating world of the Maya civilization.

The Maya were known for their remarkable achievements in architecture, in mathematics, in astronomy and in art.

However, among their most enduring legacies are two key agricultural products, cacao and maize.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to explain why cacao and maize were so important to the Maya.

And it is my job to support you with the learning materials and resources.

Before we start the lesson, I would like to introduce you to some important keywords.

These are words that'll come up during the lesson.

You may want to make a note of these words and their meanings so that when you encounter them, you can refer back to your notes.

The words are cacao and maize.

Let's find out what the words mean.

The cacao plant is a South American tree with yellowish flowers and reddish brown seeds.

Cacao seeds are used to make chocolate and cocoa.

Maize is another word for corn and is a tall growing grain that produces yellow kernels and long ears.

This lesson about cacao and maize has two learning cycles, and the first one is entitled Hot Chocolate.

In the tombs of Maya rulers, archaeologists have unearthed something quite fascinating, decorated pots that once held a very special drink.

These pots were more than just containers, they were windows into the Maya world, offering us glimpses of their culture, rituals, and beliefs.

Imagine yourself as an archaeologist, carefully excavating one of these tombs.

As you brush away the dirt and debris, you uncover a beautifully decorated pot.

Its intricate designs and symbols hint at a deeper meaning, one that connects to the spiritual realm of the Maya civilization.

But what made these pots so special? Inside these special pots, archaeologists found traces of a drink made from the fruit of the cacao plant.

Yes, that's right, chocolate.

But not the sweet creamy treat we're familiar with today.

This was a bitter, frothy beverage that the Maya called xocolatl.

Let's take a moment to see if we can help Aisha answer this question.

"What made the pots that archaeologists unearthed in the tombs of Maya rulers so special?" Pause the video here, and when you are ready to reflect on the answer, press play.

Here is an example of an answer that you could have given.

Inside the pots, archaeologists found traces of a chocolate drink made from the seeds of the cacao plant.

Well done if your answer is similar to this one.

For the Maya, cacao wasn't just a tasty drink, it was a sacred elixir with deep religious significance.

They believed that it was a gift from the gods, a divine essence that connected them to the spiritual world.

So when they prepared the special drink, they did so with great care and reverence, frothing it carefully to honour its sacred nature.

So how did the Maya prepare their hot chocolate drink? Firstly, the Maya harvested the cacao pods from the cacao tree, which grows in the tropical regions of Central and South America.

The cacao tree produces large pods filled with seeds, which are the key ingredient for making chocolate.

Cacao held a special place in Maya culture.

It was so valuable that cacao beans were often used as currency.

Next, the Maya carefully extracted the cacao seeds from inside the pods, which were then fermented and dried and roasted to bring out their rich flavours.

Once roasted, the cacao seeds were ground into a paste using a stone grinding tool called a metate.

This cacao paste is also known as cocoa mass or cocoa liquor, and it was then mixed with water and other ingredients like chilli peppers, spices, or honey to create a thick frothy beverage.

To prepare the hot chocolate drink, the Maya boiled the mixture over a fire, stirring it continuously to ensure that it was well-mixed and frothy.

The resulting drink called xocolatl in the Maya language was rich and flavorful with a slightly bitter taste because it didn't contain any sugar.

Let's consolidate what we have just learned.

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about how the Maya made hot chocolate.

One, cacao seeds / flowers were the main ingredient for making chocolate.

Two, the cacao seeds were roasted or frozen to bring out their flavour.

Three, mixing the ingredients well over fire made the chocolate milky or frothy.

Pause the video here and once you have chosen the correct word for each sentence, press play to check your answers.

Let's check the answers.

Number one, it was cacao seeds, that are the main ingredient for making chocolate.

The cacao seeds were roasted, not frozen, to bring out their flavour.

And mixing the ingredients well over a fire made the chocolate frothy.

Well done if you got all three correct.

For the Maya, drinking hot chocolate was not just about satisfying thirst or indulging in a treat, it was a sacred ritual, deeply rooted in culture and beliefs.

The Maya believed that this special drink was a gift from the gods, something divine that connected them with a spiritual realm.

So each step in the process of making hot chocolates, from harvesting the cacao pods to frothing the drink, was done with great care and reverence, honouring the sacred nature of this ancient tradition.

Finding these pots in the tombs of Maya rulers tells us a lot about their culture and beliefs.

It suggests that cacao was more than just a beverage.

It was a symbol of wealth and of power and of divine favour.

By including it in their tombs, the Maya rulers ensured that they would continue to enjoy its blessings in the afterlife.

So the next time you enjoy a chocolate bar or sip a hot cocoa, remember the Maya and their ancient tradition of reverence for this magical fruit.

It's not just a delicious treat, it's a link to a rich cultural heritage that stretches back thousands of years.

Let's check for understanding.

Which of the following students is explaining why cacao was important to the Maya.

Is it Alex? He says, "The Maya used cacao to make hot chocolate.

They believe that by adding sugar and milk, it made a delicious beverage." Izzy says, "The Maya used cacao to make milk chocolate, which they sold to traders and merchants to create wealth for the people." But could it be Sophia who is correct? The Maya used cacao to make hot chocolates, a drink that they believed was a special gift from the gods." Pause the video here, and when you are ready for the answer, press play.

It is Sophia who has the correct explanation as to why cacao was important to the Maya.

It was a drink that they believed was a special gift from the gods.

Well done if you got that correct.

We are now ready for the first learning task of this lesson.

It says, explain how we know that cacao was important to the Maya.

Refer to the following in your answer: archaeological finds, how the Maya made their chocolate drink, Maya religious beliefs about cacao.

Pause the video here and when you are ready to reflect on the answer, press play.

Here is an example of an answer that you could have given.

In the tombs of Maya rulers, archaeologists have unearthed hot chocolate drinking cups.

Making the drink was a sacred ritual that involved harvesting cacao beans, then roasting and grinding them to a paste.

The paste was mixed with boiling water and stirred with spices or honey until it became frothy.

The Maya believed that cacao was a gift from the gods and drinking the hot chocolate connected them to the spiritual realm.

Well done if your answer was similar to this one.

The second learning cycle of this lesson is entitled Tortillas.

Another crop that the Maya thought was sacred was maize, also known as corn.

Maya people often use maize to make tortillas.

Tortillas were flat, round, bread-like discs made from maize dough, which was prepared by grinding dried maize kernels into a fine flower called masa.

The masa was then mixed with water and sometimes lime to create a moldable dough.

This they then shaped into tortillas and cooked over a hot griddle.

Let's check for understanding.

Change one word in each sentence to make the statement correct.

The Maya thought that maize was cursed.

The Maya made tortillas from rice.

Pause the video here, and once you have decided which word you want to change and have made the changes, press play to check your answer.

Let's check our answers.

The Maya thought that maize was sacred, not cursed.

And the Maya made tortillas from maize, not rice.

Well done if you got those correct.

To the Maya, maize held religious significance.

This belief is illustrated by the Maya creation myth.

According to the myth, the gods wanted to create beings who could communicate, who could think, and who could worship them.

The Gods first tried to create humans out of mud.

However, these beings were weak and their bodies crumbled and dissolved.

Next, the gods made humans out of wood.

These wooden beings could speak and multiply, but they were hollow and had no hearts or minds.

They failed to honour the gods so they were destroyed in a great flood and their remnants became monkeys.

Finally, the gods created humans from maize, which was a sacred and essential crop for the Maya.

The flesh of these humans was made from white and yellow corn and their blood from the sap of the maize plant.

These new humans were strong and wise and able to praise the gods properly.

The gods gave them the gift of sight and understanding, but fearing that humans might become too powerful.

The Gods clouded their vision slightly, limiting their understanding of the world.

The Maya believed that the God succeeded in creating humans when their divine hands shaped people using maize dough.

The myths shows the Maya's deep connection to the natural world and the respect for the cycles of life and death.

Every time a Maya person ate a tortilla made from maize or planted a field of corn, they were participating in a sacred tradition that honoured their creation story and celebrated the life giving properties of maize.

The Maya believed that maize was a sacred plant and they associated it with creation, fertility, and life itself.

Say whether the following statement is true or false.

The Maya believed that maize was sacred.

That statement is true.

Let's justify our answer.

In other words, let's give a reason why we say that statement is true.

Is it A, the Maya believed that the gods were created by the people from maize dough? Or B, the Maya believed that people were created by the gods from maize dough? And the answer is B, the Maya believed that people were created by the gods from maize dough.

Well done if you got that correct.

We are now ready for the second learning task of this lesson.

It says, explain why maize was so important to the Maya.

Refer to the Maya creation myth in your answer.

Pause the video here, and when you are ready to reflect on the answer, press play.

Let's investigate a possible answer to the question.

According to the Maya creation myth, the Gods created humans from maize dough.

This is why the Maya believed that maize was a sacred plant and they associated it with creation, fertility, and life itself, good work.

We have come to the end of this lesson about cacao and maize, but before we go, let's summarise what we have learned.

In royal Maya tombs, archaeologists have found decorated cups that once contained a chocolate drink made from cacao beans.

The drink was considered to be a gift of the gods and was carefully made by roasting and grinding the beans.

Maize, used for making tortillas, was also sacred.

The Maya believed that the gods created humans from maize dough, and they associated it with creation, fertility, and life itself.

Thank you for joining me in this lesson about maize and cacao.

I have enjoyed our learning adventure as we delved into the crops of Mesoamerica and the rituals and myths associated with them.

Well done for all your hard work, and I look forward to seeing you again very soon.