Historical Concepts and Ancient Mesoamerican Civilizations
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Understanding History: Concepts and Perspectives
Defining History
History as Event vs. Interpretation
There are two proposals regarding the word 'history': history as an event and history as an interpretation.
History as an event: We refer to this as a historical echo phenomenon, a popular domain.
The only difference in history is the scientists involved in order to validate the above.
History as a Science
History as a science can be defined through humanity over time.
Key Thinkers on History
- For Marc Bloch, history is the science of men in time.
- The central idea of José Cecilio del Valle's concept of history was a course in moral, political, and economic sciences.
- For Miguel, history is the scientific study of societies through time.
The fundamental premise of history is that it is cause and effect.
Views and Functions of History
Diverse Perspectives on History
Views of history include:
- Anecdotal
- Popular
- Descriptive
- Chronological
- Epic (film and novels)
- Literary
- Pictorial
- Ideological
- Scientific
Chronological succession refers to events and simple names.
Characteristics of Historical Science
Science involves:
- Knowledge-based research
- Understanding of historical facts
- Being based on truth
- Critical assessment
- Scientific analysis and methodology
The Purpose of History
The function of history is to investigate the past to understand the present and to plan for the future.
Sources and Auxiliary Sciences
Sources and auxiliary sciences are the resources used to achieve historical objectives.
The Father of History
The Father of History is Herodotus.
Marc Bloch's Contribution
Marc Bloch contributed his theory to history.
Honduran History and the Maya Civilization
Periods of Honduran History
Honduran history has been periodized as follows:
- Pre-Hispanic Era
- Colonial Period
- Independent Era
The Maya Civilization
Geographic Scope and Languages
The Maya area covers about 400,000 km².
Countries covered by the Mayan world are: Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and Honduras.
It is currently considered that there are about 30 Mayan languages.
Maya Social Structure
The common people lived in hovels, while privileged people lived in palaces.
Common people wore loincloths, while the ruling class, in addition to a simple loincloth, used large cotton garments and jaguar skins.
| Layer | Social Strata | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Layer | Privileged Minority Class | The nobility (priests and gentlemen) |
| 2nd Layer | Intermediate Strata | Merchants |
| 3rd Layer | Base of the Social Structure | Unskilled peasants and artisans |
| 4th Layer | Slaves | War prisoners and offenders |
Maya Political Organization
The political conformation of the Maya area was divided into autonomous political entities, states, provinces, or independent cacicazgos.
The Ahau: Maya Ruler
The Ahau, the true man who ultimately held power among the Maya, had extensive authority and was advised by a council of priests and nobles. He exercised civil, religious, and even military functions.
Notable Maya Achievements
Maya achievements include:
- Writing
- Calendar
- Astronomy
- Architecture
- Sculpture
Mesoamerican Context
Mesoamerica Defined
Mesoamerica is a cultural area and a region.
Spanish America vs. Latin America
The difference between Spanish America and Latin America is language.
Mesoamerican Cultural Markers
The ball game court is a Mesoamerican hallmark.
The Olmecs: Mother Culture
The Olmecs were the mother culture of Mesoamerica.