Key learning points

1. The Maya lived in a part of central America called Mesoamerica.
2. Mesoamerica contained rich fertile lands in the highlands and plains, and humid rainforests in the lowlands.
3. From about 750 BCE, the Maya built cities like Copán near rivers, just like other early civilisations.
4. These were all different, but usually contained a ceremonial centre with temple-pyramids, ballcourts and palaces.
5. They often contained causeways and standing stones carved with pictures and writings about their rulers.

Keywords

• Maya - the Maya are an indigenous people of Mexico and Central America

• Mesoamerica - Mesoamerica is an area of land that stretches from the southern part of North America and extends to the Pacific coast of Central America

• Ceremonial - ceremonial means something that refers to a ceremony or is used in a ceremony

• Ballcourt - a ballcourt is a large stone structure used in Mesoamerica to play the Mesoamerican ballgame pok-ta-pok

Common misconception