Introduction 
 

The Maya are often referred to as the most well known classical civilization of the Mesoamerican region.  They are thought to have first originated around 2600 B.C. in the Yucatan and their society flourished during the Classic Period from 300 A.D. to 900 A.D.  They inhabited the land presently known as Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Northern Belize, and Honduras.  Their society was based on pre-existing civilizations, but they soon transformed theirs into a much more complex culture by developing astronomy, calendar systems, and hieroglyphic writing.  Also, history shows us that the Maya were adept in architecture as is seen by their numerous pyramids.  They were also skilled farmers that managed to clear dense tropical forest in order to build underground reservations for water.  During the Classic Period, the Maya society consisted of many independent states that all had their own ruling systems.  Around 900 A.D., for reasons still not proven, the Mayas suddenly started to decline.  The theories proposed by archaeologists for their collapse are very diverse and most likely will remain a mystery forever.  Due to this, we fell that the theories that caused the disintegration of this incredible civilization deserve to be looked at in more detail.