Final answer:
Most later Maya cities were established in areas with access to water and trade routes, and included centers like Copan, Tikal, and Chichen Itza, known for their pyramids and astronomical observatories.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most of the later Maya cities were established in areas where access to water and trade routes was readily available. These cities included prominent centers like Copan, Tikal, and Chichen Itza, which were known for their grand pyramid-like structures, astronomical observatories, and significant advancements in mathematics and astronomy.
The Mayan civilization showed a preference for locations near large, shallow lakes in lowland areas with tropical soils that were not overly fertile, necessitating the development of slash-and-burn agriculture to support their urban populations.