The rise and fall of the Maya Empire’s most powerful city - Geoffrey E. Braswell

Trace the rise and fall of the Maya city Chichen Itza, and how Yucatán’s unpredictable environment contributed to its demise.
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During the 8th century CE, warfare and failing agriculture forced Maya people to move north, to hotter, drier Yucatán. Because of its freshwater access, Chichen Itza became the most powerful Maya city, with nearly 50,000 citizens at its height. But the region presented its own challenges and the city's golden age wouldn’t last forever. Geoffrey E. Braswell traces the city's rise and fall.
Lesson by Geoffrey E. Braswell, directed by Hernando Bahamon, Globizco Studios.
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Animator's website: www.globizcostudios.com
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Ophelia Gibson Best, Paul Schneider, Joichiro Yamada, Henrique Cassús, Karthik Cherala, Clarence E. Harper Jr., Vignan Velivela, Ana Maria, Exal Enrique Cisneros Tuch, Tejas Dc, Khalifa Alhulail, Martin Stephen, Jose Henrique Leopoldo e Silva, Mandeep Singh, Abhijit Kiran Valluri, Morgan Williams, Devin Harris, Pavel Zalevskiy, Karen Goepen-Wee, Filip Dabrowski, Barbara Smalley, Megan Douglas, Tim Leistikow, Ka-Hei Law, Hiroshi Uchiyama, Mark Morris, Misaki Sato, EdoKun, SookKwan Loong, Bev Millar, Lex Azevedo, Michael Aquilina, Jason A Saslow, Yansong Li, Cristóbal Moenne, Dawn Jordan, Prasanth Mathialagan, Samuel Doerle, David Rosario, Dominik Kugelmann - they-them, Siamak Hajizadeh, Ryohky Araya, Mayank Kaul, Christophe Dessalles, Heather Slater, Sandra Tersluisen, Zhexi Shan, Bárbara Nazaré, Andrea Feliz and Victor E Karhel.

[@micahbush5397]

A lot of people don't realize that Maya buildings were coated with plaster and highlighted with colorful paints, so I'm glad the animation reflects this history.

[@kaycred3361]

We're just lucky we were able to get the vegetation growth off it. Thank God though the Europeans didn't tear anything down like this. They admired the cultures here, too bad they had a distorted view of admiring them.

[@kaylawilliams8953]

According to my tour guide when I visited this March, they mixed sacrificial blood in with the plaster

[@MayaglezPCs]

As a Mexican I appreciate the great effort and good pronunciation of the narrator, well done!

[@gillroygarlic3616]

Mayan history being slowly taken away from Mexico. When the Mecca is in current day Guatemala.

[@RcsN505]

Question: do people in Mexico pronounce the in Mayan/Nahuatl names as 'sh' or as the Spanish 'j' when speaking Spanish? I'm thinking for small places and topographic names, like Xolotlan

[@MayaglezPCs]

@@RcsN505 Neither, I'm not a linguist so I don't know much about, but we pronounce the X depending of the word as "JS" like in Xochitl or "KS" in Xalisco, similar as the name Xavier in Xmen franchise.

[@user-gf1zs6dx9w]

As a human, i hate purists!

[@propaghosh3045]

The animation, the narration, the history- everything is perfect! Please gift us more historical videos Ted-Ed!

[@mbahmicheal47]

Yes pls give us a whole bunch of em. I’m a student of History and International Relations and I’m finding the historical videos here on TED-ED very helpful.

[@batman_2004]

Please donate them

[@mbahmicheal47]

@@diminikolova if you are a lover of history, we could connect and share perspectives together. What do you think?

[@NurseVic-sy5nd]

The fact that we get free videos on KZbin by TED-Ed is truly a gift; keeping the education and knowledge alive. 👏👏👏

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Agreed.

[@paillette2010]

Mr. Braswell's enunciation does my people proud. Thank you.

[@jrbship]

Braswell’s words + Adrian Dannatt’s narration = absolute gold

[@paillette2010]

@@jrbship Thank you! And thank you Mr Dannatt! (should have read the credits!)

[@jrbship]

@@paillette2010 👍 it’s a common misconception that the educator/writer also does the narration. Props to the professional voice actors who bring the script to life

[@The_Observer_god]

*_"You have to understand the past to understand the present"_* -Carl Sagan

[@anzaklaynimation]

Yeah, this principle is used in every field of life.

[@ShockCapo]

Como Yucateco realmente se agradece el trabajo invertido en esta pieza con contenido documentando la historia de la civilización maya con un excelente estilo artístico muy similar a la maya. Realmente sería muy excelente contar en español y maya la narración y/o subtítulos para poder presentarlo a las comunidades de la península ya que muchas veces desconocen de su propia historia por no contar con el material para verlo en maya y tambien poder preservar parte de la cultura maya que poco a poco se está perdiendo. Gracias. As Yucatenian i really thank you for the work invested on the film documenting the history of maya civilization with an excellent artistic style very similar to the mayas. It would be perfect having spanish and maya narration with subtitiles so it can be shown to communities on the Yucatan peninsula because often they dont even know their own past because they dont have a way of seeing it on maya lenguage and also could preserve part of the maya culture that little by little its fading away. Thank you.

[@kuribo25]

Amigo sí tiene subtítulos en español. Entra a configuración del video

[@derkaiser420]

Thank you for fcusing on Mayan history before the Spanish showed up. The Mayans have a rich history before Europeans showed up and they wrote it down. History is too Eurocentric most of the time.

[@zabrak999]

Because Europeans dominated history, kiddo - cry about it 🇪🇸🇫🇷🇬🇷🇮🇹🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿✊🏻

[@vombatidae2667]

@@zabrak999 Europe did do a lot but so did many nations and empires around the world. The only reason you think Europe was the only, and best one is because of the euro-centric misinformation egotistical rulers and racists have spread

[@ThePursuitWOD]

That depends hugely on where you live, if you live in Europe (or the US/Canada where many people have English descendants) then of course history will be taught with a European focus. But history in Africa is taught with an African focus and history in Asia is taught with an Asian focus. And if you live in Cancún then I’m sure you would have learnt all this stuff in history. But it would make very little sense for someone in Japan to learn about this kind of stuff in school (unless they really enjoyed history and learn it on their own).

[@user-lg6ij6to4r]

@@zabrak999😂 calm down you never would have conquered anywhere without native peoples

[@grassytramtracks]

​@@zabrak999 I bet you thought that was such a clever retort, didn't you? How much have you gone and learnt about non-European history

[@MultiDiscoMonkey]

Good timing. I'm going to Chichen Itza on Monday!

[@maresgoez]

wear a lot of sunscreen and be ready to walk a lot. Also you have to pay twice at the entrance. Go straight to the ticket booth don't let the local guides sell you anything. It is much cheaper buying it directly. They speak English there. Have funn.

[@Amoiratheverihaila]

Have a nice trip

[@SciMinute]

Wow It's been a while since I've seen a history video, it’s really informative! 👍

[@MrsJudithWright]

whoever summarized all the history did a great job here

[@ThrillSeeker3524]

I really wish we could've learned more from ancient cultures rather than working to sweep them away just for the sake of greed and ego

[@Based_Gigachad_001]

Learned from child sacrificers?

[@JamesPeach]

​@@Based_Gigachad_001 Did you by lynching and burning people in a cross?

[@MimosaGomes]

@@Based_Gigachad_001 Spotted the ignoramus history. The Maya were a highly advanced culture, and Europeans also butchered children

[@edcrespo1722]

@@Based_Gigachad_001what are you complaining about?

[@Based_Gigachad_001]

@@edcrespo1722 What are you talking about? Know nothing of the Aztecs?

[@gagandeepbansal3437]

Narration and visuals👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@anzaklaynimation]

Voiceover is top notch. ❤

[@AkshayKumarX]

The narration and pronunciation in this one is Chef's kiss!

[@opwave79]

The large cities may be gone, but I’m glad the Mayans in the Yucatán survived, and preserved their food and culture.

[@amfnyc]

Funny coincidence: it happened to be, as this video was being released, I was in Cancun. The location of the city is only 2 Hour drive from where I am. very interesting video!

[@EnjoyPlantPower]

Imagine how many people are within two hours of this location 🤔

[@Sunflowersarepretty]

The visuals are stunning and I love the narrator's voice. Another informative video!! I love learning about ancient civilizations. It feels surreal that long ago there were thes people who had their language which is either déad or spoken very differently then the original one, the culture and their lives.

[@netzacoatl6327]

Their language is still spoken today. It is an endangered language. It is a Yucatecan Mayan Language.

[@jessicajayes8326]

The Feathered Serpent god, also known as Quetzocoatl has gotten so popular, there's a pterosaur named after him!

[@wooper2186]

Visuals and voice over are amazing as always

[@ulfatiazul]

¡VIVAN LOS MAYAS! ¡VIVA MÉXICO! ¡VIVA LATINOAMÉRICA! SOMOS UN PUEBLO MILENARIO CON UNA HERMOSA HERENCIA PREHISPÁNICA

[@charlesvillarba8288]

365 Stairs equivalent to 365 days. Wow!

[@alpacaofthemountain8760]

Amazing work!

[@alexsbarricades8218]

Ninth comment! Also I've wanted to see this for ages. Love you Ted ED!

[@nilslukacs1478]

Amazing video! Only caveat in my opinion: "diverse international culture" gets the point across but the term "international" may misleadingly project modern ideas of nationhood into premodern societies.

[@thetux459]

Well the Red Court of Vampires was enacting a massive ritual curse, so Harry Dresden had to intervene. (It's a book reference.)

[@MimosaGomes]

Still hate how those books handle non-christian gods

[@donnytes8304]

these animations are sick ❤

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you!

[@michaelowino228]

Good video.

[@kotaowens6978]

More of these stories!

[@Passion84GodAlways]

THANK YOU!

[@WAKEupZORRO]

Fascinating archeological discovery

[@josephvaz5238]

Nice

[@revolz4602]

Hey Ted Ed love your videos but i was wondering if you guys can make an educational video of ear infection it’s fascinating how the ear works and how it suffers thank you.

[@natheriver8910]

Masterpiece 👏👏❤❤🔥🔥

[@markmunroe-hz8rf]

This is a great basis for a fantasy story.

[@deleted-something]

The Mayans were an amazing civilization

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Learn from the past, Understand the present, Prepare for the future.

[@user-bp4nv3qp4d]

Admirable 💛💚

[@DoShiAcademy]

it’s really informative!

[@thatscrub8351]

Always wondered what happened to the Chicken Pizza.

[@dipr6408]

Next video on Kailasa Temple of Elora Caves

[@nic558]

Most powerful city is a very BOLD statement.

[@ryanburks1314]

How do you pronounce Chichen Itza, again?

[@carlaconc2411]

Will you be posting this video in your spanish channel? Atte. Una mexicana 🇲🇽

[@2nd3rd1st]

The more pressing question is: whatever happened to Chechen Pizza?! It used to be a huge restaurant chain but now nobody can even remember it existed!...

[@strange_and_magnificent]

I love history

[@TimZarra]

Sooo... Chichen Itza's advantage is that it have caverns to preserve water so it could withstand drought, but it's downfall was that it had a drought. And to stop the the drought people through dead bodies into the caverns. Makes sense...

[@171QA]

Cool.

[@Hallows4]

Always thought “Chichen Itza” was the cutest name, for some reason 😊

[@jamiegreenberg8476]

i know this isnt the point of the video but the fact that sports were considered an important part of religious life/its importance society similar to how it is today makes me really happy- humans are all the same

[@user-um1me1bg6p]

Now I know where Dame shot that 3 from, the more ya know

[@yenmyyen6114]

cool

[@TheMagicLemur]

Richard Feynman once said that the 10's of 1,000's of books of Mayan civilisation had been reduced down to a mere three. 😳

[@damedesuka77]

Unnecessary trivia about me: The first time I saw the word Chichen Itza was on a classmate's T-shirt back on elementary school. I honestly thought it's a word play on chicken pizza 🍕 No offense intended peeps, just little me being silly.

[@Kraztiii]

Woah

[@rtist9281]

I’m sorry, but when I very first read the title in the thumbnail, I thought it was going to be about some kind poultry dish 😆

[@Zlnfgz]

When you say it was an international city, people from which other countries were present there?

[@gillroygarlic3616]

Most likely the Aztec, Inca and even Native American. Would be my first guess.

[@KitagumaIgen]

The animation of the setting sun is a bit dodgy for a location on the northern hemisphere.

[@anzaklaynimation]

Please make a video on the rise and fall of “Great British empire”.

[@arryn786]

It would just be the British empire. Great Britain is the name of the island that has england wales and scotland

[@diminikolova]

Yeahh ,I'm curious too

[@jrbship]

Do you have time for a miniseries? That story takes awhile

[@pyroxblaze]

Have I...been pronouncing 'turquoise' wrong all this while...

[@carterdunlap9957]

It’s a regional thing

[@user-go6il2tm4b]

I heard native america history including maya was wiped away by spanish. Am i right? I dont know their history well. is there many record about them?

[@topherthe11th23]

0:02 - Carl Sagan, maybe one DOES have to know the past to understand the present, but it's all by way of negative example. To understand where the ev'ils of the present time come from, we have to analyze the past. But if we don't want the future to be equally ev'il as the past or present, we need to see the past and present as what NOT to do, as what to AVOID doing and re-doing.

[@stokakrishna]

Amazing how ancient Romans made 365 days year and so did Mayans

[@kraneiathedancingdryad6333]

Cocoa beans as currency? *Sign me up!* 😁

[@auro1986]

your concern was gold of eldorado

[@hanve]

❤❤❤

[@SkepticalChris]

The Mayan Civilization was never an "Empire" as they did not have a single ruler who ruled over the entire Mayan culture, like the Aztecs. The Mayan civilization were a collection of independent city states each of which had their own independent rulers. This is such a well known fact about the Mayans, I am quite frankly shocked and disappointed that TED-ed, an organization that focuses on education would get this basic historical fact, wrong.

[@JimmmyRaynor]

Ted Ed should tell us why the mayans and aztecs were so obsessed with human sacrifices

[@BasicNoobs]

Religion and other stuff.

[@Demetrius900000]

Why is X pronounced as SH?

[@kaycred3361]

I always love central and south american cultures. The aztecs could of fought off the spanish if they didn't have so many. They messed them up the firts time and spain had to come back with more men Is there a video on Olmec culture.

[@TommyBrittain_tbgaming]

How did the mayans know there were 365 days in a year? Its got me thinking idk. Why was their unit for their year the same as a culture across the atlantic? Youd think theyd have their own time keeping units they literally have a calendar.

[@JDazell]

No way is the 9th century the Mayan golden age. Literally the end of the civilization. The Mayans from Chichen Itza also were also sorta islander invaders. When they arrived the Mayans really hated them and tried to repel them. Also Mayans didn't have Empires. They had alliances at best but it was more based on tributary and subjugation rather than imperialism. Chichen Itza was so powerful because the rest of Mayan civilization was struggling. It's hard to compare it with Mayan cities just a couple of centuries earlier when we're seeing the heyday of Calakmul and Mutul/Tikal.

[@miggle1875]

Yes it was a beautiful culture although when you have a drought its probably not the best idea to sacrifice people and throw them into your water reserves!

[@danv6584]

Chichen ItZAHHH

[@toonwachi600]

Please make "The rise and fall of the British Empire" video. 🇬🇧

[@jrbship]

That would be a long video. And technically still happening today

[@aryaanimated]

The truth behind the Talokan from Wakanda Forever.

[@levi-rj4et]

Ma'alob ts'aa t'aan

[@user-wd2sh6tu3g]

Yeah I love chicken pizza...

[@debbiemoore2747]

If only cacoa beans were still a form of currency.

[@katherineknapp4370]

😮😢😊😮😢😊

[@pan2aja]

Winner winner Chichen dinner

[@angelmartin2243]

This guy’s voice sounds like a text to speech AI.

[@jamesicarlos578]

Third?

[@roofpizza1250]

For a moment there I thought it was a restaurant chain that I'd never heard of.

[@user-ww6zx3jb9d]

21h

[@kamalkrishnabaral]

First!

[@beckyknight8655]

💅💸 tur-KWAZE ✈️💸💵

[@ChrisWillem-vl9nv]

Didn't the Mayan people create city states instead of empires just like the Greeks?

[@onuzulikekennedy8097]

No one is really going to talk about K'uk'ulkan? Just me? Okay

[@JOGOATEDITZ]

me when i don't know live

[@KPZivot]

So sad that colonial language killed native language hope and wish latin Americans open there eyes and start reviving there culture and language like Indians did in India. They didn't learn English and forgot native language and culture. Hinduism.

[@kaycred3361]

You know whats funny though and kinda bad karma was that mexico citu had to move over because spnaish couldn't keep up with the water like the natives did.

[@user-nu7vq6ei5q]

199th to comment.

[@omkarzarkar1021]

This is the 131st comment!!!!

[@tecpaocelotl]

The only issue is the beginning. Yucatan is part of North America, not Central America.

[@nic558]

Central America is part of North America. “Central America” is simply a region.

[@user-lg6ij6to4r]

😂 what a silly thing to whine about. If you look at the globe it’s literally the CENTER of the continent

[@havenless3551]

Central America and the Caribbean are both geopolitically considered to be a part of North America

[@user-lg6ij6to4r]

@@havenless3551 politically yes but geographically they are central

[@camiomilla]

​@nic558 It depends, really. There are two different ways to understand the American continent's geography. For what I understand, the USA's system sees it as two continents, North and South Americas. But for many countries, there is only one continent, divided in three regions: North (Canada to Mexico), Central (Belize to Panama and the Caribbean Islands) and South (Colombia to Argentina). I not super familiar with the USA's system but I think Mexico is not considered part of Central America regardless.

[@HussenHerego-zw4mk]

Ipartispshin

[@VoidUnderTheSun]

Why do the depictions of the city show ziggurats poking out the treetops, the way we have discovered the now, centuries after their collapse. With rampant farming, heavy trade, and need of wood and stone, wouldn't they, like all civilisation, have cleared much of the land around the city of dense tree cover? Feels like this is a very superficial depiction using what we see now, rather than what must have existed to support a city (including housing!) of ~50k people...

[@mangamanatee2493]

NOT PROVEN. The biome in Mexican peninsula is the place where it rains the most yearly, many times per week, and has been like that for probably millions of years. Ancestral vegetation and fauna still present today had developed there for thousands of years because of it. The mystery of how the Mayans disappeared is so unknown, archeologists just decided to close the chapter. There are no signs of civil unrest, no signs of war, no signs of mass migration, a 100 year drought would have caused that. This video is not completely educational, it ends in a fabricated tale derived from the lack of human consciousness expansion to actually admit “we should, but we don’t know”.

[@hanonomiri]

They lost there NITHRA that what happened... FACT they kept sacrificing human to regain the NITHRA..... FACT

[@sciencesaves]

it sustained an international community?? LOL from the region you mean?