In about A.D. 800 to A.D. 900, the Maya of the Classic Period collapsed, no one knows why. I think that the Classic Period of the Maya collapsed because of malnutrition from a shortage of corn crops. A skull (top left picture) found in the Copán Valley (top right picture) has evidence of severe anemia, caused by a lack of iron in the diet. Perhaps when the Maya flourished, the corn crop was doing well. So, we have modern evidence of what might have happened: Modern farmers in the temperate and mountainous Copán Valley say that each year, the corn crops are getting smaller in amount. The land is being cultivated every year, without time for the land to rest. To feed their population of 25,000, however, which is about the same amount of people living there before the collapse, they need to plant every year, even though a smaller amount of corn grows every year. The Maya probably experienced significant thinning of their corn crops and a famine. Some Maya moved north to the warm and humid Yucatan, while the remaining Maya died out. Though the possibilities to why the Maya Classic Period collapsed are numerous, I think that a famine, followed by departure from the Copán Valley, caused the collapse of the Maya Classic Period and is therefore the likeliest of the theories.
7 comments:
Good idea
Hey Laura this is a great idea! BTW this is Carolyn speaking. However, I have heard this idea before, so I don't know if this is completely new. Great though!!! (Mr. Price said to do ways to improve them, it's not that I hate it.) :D
I think that was a really good idea because you covered all the "what ifs" about why that would have been the case of the Mayan collapse. :D
I think that the Maya died out this way too, but it does not explain how the corn died out. Also, it does not really explain as to how we are able to harvest corn from the same area, considering it is the same soil.
Hai,
I don't really think that they would have been stupid enough to realize that the crops had to rotate but it might have been like the Irish potato famine, so I don't know. Good job anyways.
-CZ
its a really strong and informative paragraph though i agree with Carolyn. This theory is on of the conclusions on one of those websites that we looked at in class
I think this is a really good idea, in response to what Carolyn said, I think that if she were to make a completely new version of this it would be crazy and wouldn't make sense. Really great job Laura!
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