▶ Your Answer : In the reading passage, there is ample support for the author’s claim that there are three possible arguments for the Maya Empire collapse. However, the professor in the lecture gives several reasons as a rebuttal to the author’s point. First, the professor contends that the revolutionary act cannot be a justifiable reason. Above all, there has been no record about it although the Maya civilization is known for the sophisticated writing development. In addition, it was decentralized, which means that one movement of a government would be less likely to impact others. This casts doubt on the reading passage’s claim that social turmoil from religious and political powers led to the decline of the Maya Empire. Next, the professor insists that the downfall of Teotihauacan does not correspond to the historical record. The record says that it started to reduce its influence on the urban centers around the 6th century, which is way ahead from the 12th century when the Maya Empire was collapsed. This counters the reading passage’s assertion that the variation of trade ways made Maya cities less important resulting in the declining economic situation. Finally, the professor argues that epidemics such as yellow fever and malaria were brought to the Maya around the 16th century by Spain, and there was no these kinds of disease when the Maya Empire went to the end of their history. Also, no record that many people died in such a short period of time does not exist. this refutes the reading passage’s suggestion that Maya was vulnerable to epidemics with having favorable traits for severe disease to spread quickly attributed to the large population. |