Governmental Disorganization

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Though the Mayan government structure is unknown, because of art from the Classic period many ideals have been drawn about the government. The capitals or sub-provinces of the Mayan government seemed to be Uxmal, Mayapan, and Chichen Itca. Unlike many other tribes the Mayan government was based on religion rather then warfare. Each of these sub-provinces had a ruler or a halach uinic. When the halach uinic dies the throne is passed to his oldest son. If he did not have a son it was passed to another man in his family. Other family relatives of the halach uinic were hired as ah cuch cabob or batabob. The ah cuch cabob was a council that aided the ruler in such issues as foreign and domestic problems. Where the batabob, dealt with the village chiefs and other people from the towns. The halach uinic holds the Double-Headed Ceremonial Bar. This bar is a very scared religious object to the Mayan people. Furthermore, this bar had usually two human heads at each end of it. These were from a sacrifice of two slaves or common people. Also, the halach uinic carried a weapon probably representing the power that he had.

In the late Post-Classic time period it seems that the sub-provinces were taken over by five different families. These families were the Xiu, Cocom, Chel, Pech, and the Canek. It is really unknown how long these families ruled. It is assumed that like the halach uinic the five families were driven out and killed by peasants groups that revolted against the government that had held them down for to long. This same scenario happens even in today’s society as well. Many government’s who do not give the common people their rights eventually see a revolt led against them. The Mayan governments of this time always involved their own family and not anyone else. The people who were not in the elite or nobel class were treated unfairly. Eventually, the common people who are the majority are going to revolt and fight for their rights.