Third Years, Lesson Five

"Morning all," Gabrielle greeted, sliding to sit on top of the desk and crossing her ankles. Possibly too relaxed, but at this point it wasn't as though anyone was really going to bother causing any issue. "One more big lecture, so pens and quills out and let's get through this as painlessly as possible." Gabrielle ignored the groans, giving the students a moment to get ready, before she began, occasionally pointing her wand at the board behind her to put some dot points on the board.

"So, continuing our theme of ancient civilizations and the remnants thereof, we're talking about the Mayan Ruins today. The Mayans were a highly intelligent people who built thriving cities, temples and pyramids. The ruins of these structures can be found in many places, mostly around South America - Mexico, Honduras, Guatamala, Belize, El Salvador. The remnants of these structures have been found to date back to around 2000 BC, and all the way to the year 869 AD. It was at this time that the Mayans suddenly stopped building. We know this as the buildings were often dated, but fewer and fewer appeared until the last in 869. And these buildings were built deep in the jungles, so they were quickly overgrown and made difficult to find by explorers. Initially. But now that archaeologists have found the ruins, what that leaves us with is trying to establish what caused the classic Maya Collapse and the fall of the empire, and why the structures were abandoned so suddenly. It is believed there was some political turmoil which brought about the end of the era. Mayan civilization continued on for many centuries after the fact, but without the prosperity signified by the grand cities and temples built in the classic era. The civilization itself was eventually brought under the heel of Spanish colonization, however many Maya people still live in the Yucatán Peninsula today."

Gabrielle cleared her throat. She was getting a bit off topic, and had to bring herself back on track. "I say the civilization continued, but perhaps I should clarify - the Maya people were not a homogenous empire all following the one leader. There was commonality in their beliefs and their artistic stylings, but they were a multitude of smaller 'states', essentially. They shared culture, but were not brought under one ruler, in comparison to perhaps the ancient Egyptian society." They hadn't really had the time to discuss ancient Egypt, but students who'd gone to muggle schools before attending Hogwarts would have likely learned some things. "For practicality, we refer to the time period I mentioned as the classic Mayan empire, signified by their architecture."

"Anyway, now you'll note that I mentioned the Mayans built many temples - the Maya people were highly religious. They believed the stars had spiritual significance - something that perhaps carries on to our studies of Astronomy and Divination, perhaps. Or that numbers had special meaning - and for the Arithmancers here, you'll be quite familiar with that, too, no doubt. Days and numbers were equated to gods." She paused, looking around the tired looking class with a slight smile. "But that's enough out of me for today. For homework I'd like you to write me a short essay on an ancient civilization of your choice. Tell me about the First Nations people of your home, perhaps, or maybe a country you find interesting. Ancient empires, classical dynasties, there's so much you could look into." Gabrielle was perhaps far more excited about it than any of the students were, but she couldn't help being passionate about the subject. "That's all for the day. Adiós!"

Homework
RP the lesson. Extra credit - an essay (1-2 paragraphs is all you need) on an ancient civilization of your choice. Please cite your sources!

 

[Teddy Pirrip]

Teddy arrived at the history of magic classroom, found his seat and pulled out his parchment, quill, and ink. Professor Moncrieffe greeted the class and settled onto her desk, not behind it funnily enough, although Teddy decided not to pass comment, taking his quill out for a lecture lesson.

Teddy's listened and took notes along the way, interested in the mystery of the Maya Collapse in particular. He jotted down "political turmoil?" and underlined it, adding a few question marks to remind himself to research that topic further. Teddy's notes became more detailed as the lesson went on, covering everything that Professor Moncrieffe spoke about. As the lecture concluded, Teddy noted the homework, then packed up his belongings and left the classroom.

 

[Millie Walden-Cade]

Millie Walden-Cade settled into her seat, ready for another lesson from Professor Moncrieffe. The professor, relaxed as always, perched on the desk and began the session. Millie, quill and parchment in hand, was prepared to take notes.

Today's topic was the Mayan Ruins, part of their ongoing study of ancient civilizations. The Mayans were known for building cities, temples, and pyramids in South America around 2000 BC until 869 AD. Professor Moncrieffe explained how their structures, often hidden deep in jungles, were difficult to find until archaeologists unearthed them. The class learned about the mysterious Maya Collapse and the political turmoil that might have caused it, leading to the civilization's decline and eventual conquest by the Spanish.

Professor Moncrieffe clarified that the Maya were a collection of smaller states sharing cultural elements rather than a single empire. This helped Millie understand their society's complexity. The lecture also touched on the Mayans' religious beliefs, highlighting their reverence for stars and numbers, which had parallels in modern magical studies like Astronomy and Arithmancy.

As the lesson concluded, Professor Moncrieffe assigned a short essay on an ancient civilization of their choice. Millie, inspired by the lecture, started thinking about potential topics, eager to explore further. She left the classroom, her mind buzzing with ideas for her essay.

 

[Veronica Walden-Cade]

Veronica Walden-Cade sat at her desk, ready for the final lecture of the year. The classroom buzzed with the usual end-of-term energy, students shuffling to get their pens and quills out.

Professor Moncrieffe started the lecture, delving into the topic of ancient civilizations, specifically focusing on the Mayan ruins. Veronica jotted down notes as the professor described the intelligence of the Mayan people, who built thriving cities, temples, and pyramids. These ruins, located in South America, date back to around 2000 BC and continued until 869 AD, when construction abruptly stopped.

Professor Moncrieffe explained that political turmoil likely led to the collapse of the classic Maya period. Despite the fall of their grand cities and temples, the Mayan civilization continued for many centuries. However, it eventually succumbed to Spanish colonization, though many Maya people still live in the Yucatán Peninsula today.

The professor clarified that the Maya people were not a homogenous empire but a collection of smaller states sharing cultural elements. This set them apart from other ancient civilizations like Egypt, which were more centralized.

Veronica noted the emphasis on the religious nature of the Mayans, who believed in the spiritual significance of stars and numbers. These beliefs paralleled modern studies in Astronomy, Divination, and Arithmancy.

As the lecture concluded, Professor Moncrieffe assigned a short essay on an ancient civilization of the students' choice which Veronica made a note of, she would no doubt bug Millie for help on that because as much as she had made notes during the lesson, her lesson always had a better understanding of history. Once they were dismissed she grabbed her bag and left the classroom.

 

[Dante Styx]

Dante Styx strolled into the History of Magic classroom his eyes immediately scanning the room to gauge the mood of his classmates and the demeanor of Professor Moncrieffe. As he settled into his seat, he observed the professor perched on the desk, looking unusually relaxed but still commanding attention with her presence. He pulled out a quill and parchment, ready to take notes, though he couldn't help but wonder what twist Professor Moncrieffe might throw into today's lecture. The mention of a "big lecture" on Mayan Ruins immediately caught his interest; ancient civilizations always intrigued him, particularly those shrouded in mystery and grandeur. As Professor Moncrieffe delved into the history of the Mayans, Dante listened intently, scribbling down key points and occasionally glancing up at the board where she magically displayed dot points. He absorbed the details of their architectural feats, their sudden cessation of building, and the subsequent decline of their once-prosperous cities. The professor's explanation of the political turmoil and the non-homogeneous nature of Mayan society sparked his curiosity further. He made a mental note to explore more about how such intricate societies managed to thrive and eventually falter.

When Professor Moncrieffe veered into discussing Mayan religion and its parallels with Astronomy and Divination, Dante's interest sharpened. He was always drawn to the mystical aspects of history, how ancient peoples interpreted the universe and wove it into their everyday lives. As the lecture wound down and Professor Moncrieffe assigned homework, Dante grinned inwardly. An essay on an ancient civilization of his choice sounded like an opportunity to delve into something truly fascinating. He contemplated his options - perhaps exploring the enigmatic rituals of the Aztecs or the strategic brilliance of the ancient Chinese dynasties. When Professor Moncrieffe concluded with a cheerful "Adiós!", Dante gathered his things and left.​

 

[Marley Owens-Lee]

Marley couldn't believe how fast the semester was zooming past and it wasn't going to be long until the school year would come to an end. The Hufflepuff quickly yet happily made her way to her History of Magic classroom. Once she made it inside, she took a seat in her usual spot and took out the things she needed for the lesson, placing them on the desk in front of her.

Marley moved her attention towards the professor as the professor got started with the lesson. The Hufflepuff listened carefully to what the professor was saying, making sure to take notes on the topic the professor was talking about. Marley made sure not to miss out on anything the professor was saying. She nodded her head every so often throughout the lesson to show the professor that she understood the content that was being said.

It wasn't long before the lesson had come to an end and they were dismissed. Marley quickly packed up her things, as well as tidying up her area. She then says a quick bye and appreciative thanks to the professor, before heading out of the classroom with the rest of her friends and classmates.

 

[Dominic Owens-Lee]

Dominic was sad that the semester was coming to an end soon, but he still had a couple of more weeks to go before the exams, so he was simply going to make the most of his time. Over the last couple of weeks he had been trying to alleviate his stress, even resorting to sage that he borrowed from his Head of House, and he couldn’t be more grateful for that. He was feeling a lot better, and so headed to his classes for that week with a smile on his face.

Dominic entered the History of Magic classroom, hopeful that they were going on another field trip, as he thought he remembered the professor promise multiple ones. However as he took his seat and listened to the professor speak, she began to lecture them. Dominic just took a deep breath as he took out his writing equipment and tried to keep up with the professor's lecture on the Mayan Ruins. There was just so many things to know and Dominic was unsure if he was going to be able to handle it all. As the lesson finally came to an end, Dominic was relieved, however he was unsure how he was going to write an essay for his homework after being so overloaded with information.