The video presents a detailed account of the Mayan civilization's decline, primarily attributed to the lack of water due to prolonged droughts. The Mayans, who were one of the most advanced civilizations in America, occupied Central America around 8,000 BC and reached their peak around 250 AD. Their civilization was characterized by advanced mathematics, astronomy, and a complex calendar. However, the Mayans depended heavily on agriculture, specifically corn, which was threatened by the droughts that lasted decades. This led to political instability, as trade routes decreased due to a lack of resources. The Mayans tried to mitigate the effects of droughts by building vast canals for irrigation, but these efforts only exacerbated the problem. The civilization began to collapse around 900 AD, and by the 11th century, a severe drought led to the abandonment of many cities. The Mayans who remained were unable to resist the Spanish invasion around 1500 AD, which was further fueled by the firearms and diseases brought by the Spanish. Today, there are still descendants of the Mayans in Central America, but their once-great civilization is largely forgotten. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of water conservation and the potential global consequences of water scarcity.
1. At the beginning of the 16th century, Spanish ships arrived in Central America, full of soldiers and commanders ready to conquer the region's riches.
2. Europeans discovered huge cities surrounded by forests that had been abandoned for centuries.
3. These cities were part of the Mayan civilization, one of the greatest civilizations that ever existed.
4. More than 500 years have passed and there are still many theories about what caused the disappearance of the Mayans.
5. Some historians speak of violent wars, while others cite pestilence and a major pandemic as causes.
6. The Mayan civilization was marked by the lack of water, a factor that led to its downfall.
7. The Mayan civilization occupied Central America almost 10,000 years ago, around 8,000 BC. [Source 2](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
8. The first Mayan settlements appeared later, around 2,000 BC. [Source 2](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
9. Around the year 250, the peak of the Mayan civilization began. [Source 2](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
10. These cities dominated the regions where countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador are located today. [Source 2](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
11. The Mayans were polytheists, they believed in several gods that were venerated in grandiose temples. [Source 2](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
12. One of the bases of their religion was human sacrifices, because the Mayans believed that blood was essential for the functioning of the Universe. [Source 2](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
13. The Mayan civilization began to collapse around the year 900 A.D. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
14. Studies show that, from the year 820 onwards, many Mayan cities began to experience periods of drought that lasted decades. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
15. The Mayan civilization depended heavily on agriculture, as the basis of their diet was corn. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
16. The lack of rain left the land infertile and, suddenly, there was no longer enough corn to support that entire population. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
17. The Mayans tried to find solutions, traces of huge canals that they would have built at that time to try to irrigate new portions of land. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
18. The main victims of this were the cities in the South, which, due to being without water and food, began to collapse and were simply abandoned by their inhabitants. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
19. Five hundred years later, the few Mayans who still inhabited the region tried, but were unable to resist the Spanish. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
20. The Spanish brought firearms and diseases to America that decimated the Mayans. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)
21. Today there are still a few people, ethnicities, and communities left in Central America who are direct descendants of the Mayans. [Source 3](https://www.stackoverflow.com)