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Compare And Contrast The Mayan Culture Government And Society

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I. POLITICS, GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY

GOVERNMENT As a main characteristic of Mesoamerica’s culture was the arrangement of the society and the regimen they followed to live into harmony and organized way. In order to achieve this harmony, the Maya culture was organized and divided into city-states. This culture had approximately eighty city-states.

With this being said, each city-state was led by a king and a ruler. In other words, the government method used by the Maya was based on a hierarchy. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, a hierarchy is a ruling body of persons organized into ranks. Hence, the most important authority of the Maya Culture stratification was the King or “ajaw”.

The lord or also known as “Halach-uinic”, reinforced …show more content…

A clear example was Lady Sak K’ Kuk, who served a regent of the city of Palenque until his son reached the age of twelve. Although the succession of the power was patrilineal, there was an exception of having a male as a king, this special case could have taken place only if the ruler linage was in dange of extinction through the absence or disappearance of male heirs. As an illustration, we have Zady Six Sky. She was the first women ruler of the city of Naranjo (Guatemala), she was represented as warrior who trampled a captive. Indeed, there was found another two women who served as rulers, Ix Unen B’ahlam (Lady Tikal), who was known for being complex; and Ix Yohl Ik’nal, who ruled the city of Palenque for 20 years.

The second important rank in the Maya government were the small cities-states, which were led by the rulers. They did not have the right to make public their image and achievements in the stelae. However, their responsibility was to participate in the sacrifices or any religious activity; as well as to be involved in any problem the city

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