How did physical geography affect the development of the economies of Mayan city-states?

The fall of the Mayan civilization is due to the overpopulation, environmental degradation, warfare, shifting trade routes and extended drought.

How did geography affect the Mayan civilization?

Unlike the Aztecs or Inca, the Maya were never a unified empire, largely because of geography. The dense, thick jungle was simply too great an obstacle for widespread urbanization. The landscape kept the many Maya cities naturally isolated from each other, so each one maintained an independent identity. The rainforest - home to many Maya cities - made crossing land difficult. Geographic features that make travel difficult are called natural barriers. The land of the Maya had many natural barriers.

So we can conclude that: The fall of the Mayan civilization is due to the overpopulation, environmental degradation, warfare, shifting trade routes and extended drought.

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Final answer:

The physical geography of the area, marked by access to waterways and nutrient-poor tropical soil, shaped the Mayan city-states' economies, which were largely dependent on agriculture. Environmental factors, including climate fluctuations and crop diseases, posed challenges that may have contributed to their decline around 900 CE.

Explanation:

The physical geography significantly affected the development of Mayan city-states' economies. The Mayan city-states were primarily located near resources such as waterways and fertile lands that were conducive to agriculture, particularly the cultivation of maize, squash, beans, and cacao. For instance, major cities were typically built adjacent to large, shallow lakes, as access to water was essential for drinking and irrigation, especially in the lowlands where rainfall was relatively rare. Additionally, the tropical soil found in the region was often nutrient-poor, prompting the Mayans to adopt a slash-and-burn agricultural approach to grow crops for their rapidly expanding urban populations.

Similarly, the growth and expansion of these city-states were also influenced by fluctuations and variations in the climate or consecutive poor harvests caused by crop disease. These environmental challenges posed significant stress on all social classes and may have contributed to disorder, conflict, and possible internal revolts within the city-states. Over time, these environmental issues, combined with other factors such as demographic growth that led to large-scale deforestation and soil erosion, could have played a role in the decline of Mayan civilization around 900 CE.

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