What functions do you think the class system served Mayan society?

Maya Society

Before the arrival of Europeans, there were some major civilizations already thriving in Central America. One of these was the Maya. The Maya were not really a single people, they certainly wouldn't have seen themselves that way, but lived in a series of independent city-states and shared a similar language and culture. Each city was essentially its own kingdom, ruled by a powerful king.

Maya society, like many others in the world, was based around a class system. A person's social class determined their rights and opportunities in life, but unlike in many places at this time, there did seem to be a degree of social mobility in Maya cities. In other words, there were chances for people to increase their class through political, economic, and military opportunities. It's also important to remember that since there was no single Maya culture, these ruled varied by city-state.