Mayan vs. Iroquois Culture

713 Words3 Pages
Chosen tribe: Mayas To be contrasted with: Iroquois The Iroquois and Mayan civilizations alike were largely successful in their reigns. Both civilizations achieved many great things and earned their places as outstanding tribes of their times. Each civilization, however, attained their reputations through different means. Though they are two entirely distinguishable civilizations, they share both common and conflicting characteristics. The Mayans and Iroquois share several characteristics, yet all the while many of their other traits differ from one another. They each had different systems of leadership, for example. The Mayans were strongly Patriarchal, whereas the Iroquois were a matrilineal civilization. Their core specializations both included hunters, weavers, warriors, and chieftains. On another note, their homes were vastly different. Mayans constructed single homes for single families, thatch houses made of poles of wood. The Iroquois resided in their highly distinguishable longhouses, where entire tribes lived and ate together. Neither civilization was ever led by a single person, as both governments consisted of councils of multiple chieftains ruling alongside each other and leading as one. Iroquois tribes usually made wampum’s, sashes that had patterns that would tell stories, which was entirely different from the hieroglyphics the Mayans used as written language. They shared different beliefs, but both civilizations were polytheistic, meaning they worshipped multiple gods instead of one. Mayan way of life had a complex social structure, where classes were apparent and impacted the lives of their people. The Iroquois, on the other hand, maintained a simplistic social structure: everyone was equal. Everyone shared everything, and only chiefs were regarded differently from other natives. Both civilizations developed a calendric system based off of the
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