Question

What nuances complicate the story of Maya collapse?

A. Cities in different parts of the Maya area rose and fell at different times.
B. Population collapse was slow in some areas and faster in others.
C. There were hundreds of thousands of Maya who survived the collapse and lived to fight the Spaniards.
D. Many cities experienced "power cycling" where the leadership changed hands but the population itself remained the same.
E. There were smaller collapses before and after the "Classic" collapse ~ A.D. 800.

Answer 1

The collapse of the Maya civilization is a complex story involving different timings of city declines, varied population decline rates, survivors who later fought the Spaniards, changes in leadership without population loss, and multiple collapses around the central Classic collapse around 900 CE. The correct answer is b.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nuances that complicate the story of Maya collapse include a variety of factors that contributed to the decline of this once flourishing civilization. Distinct cities within the Maya region rose and fell at different times, and population collapse occurred at varying speeds across different areas.

Further complicating the narrative is the fact that many Maya survived well beyond the initial collapse, resisting Spanish conquest for some time. Additionally, the phenomenon of "power cycling" within cities implies that while leadership often changed, many of the populations remained stable.

Notably, there were also incremental collapses prior to, and following, the Classic collapse around 900 CE, suggesting a more protracted process of decline rather than a single catastrophic event. The story of Maya civilization demonstrates the complexity of historical narratives, where multiple internal and external factors such as the environment, warfare, and political dynamics all played roles in the eventual fragmentation of their society. The correct answer is b.