Explain and Compare the Ways That the Bantu and Mayan

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The Answer is In both sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas,it was not easy for ideas,institutions,peoples,and commodities to circulate broadly,because of ecological and geographical barriers.So,the religions that emerged here were more localized than universalizing.The Bantu were a group that migrated out of West Africa in two great waves.Their skill as agriculturalists and ability to smelt iron tools allowed them to settle in diverse environments and successfully adapt their methods to multiple ecological zones.This ecological diversity prevented the Bantu from establishing common political and social institutions.Instead,their political and social structures reflected the areas in which they settled.While the Eastern Bantu peoples lived in areas conducive to rule by kings,the Western Bantu established political and social order based on family and clan structures.Individuals,big men,would rise to the top based on their specific talents.What did provide unity for much of Sub-Saharan Africa was the Bantu language and cultural traditions such as the belief that nature was filled with spirits,including ancestral spirits,that needed to be placated by diviners. The Americas also lacked the integrating artery of a giant river,but despite this the Mayans developed a common culture that dominated large stretches of Mesoamerica through a series of kingdoms built around ritual centers rather than cities.They aggressively engaged in warfare and trade,expanding their control through tributary relationships.The extraordinary feature of Mayan society was that its people were defined not by a great ruler or great capital city,but by their shared religious beliefs,worldview,and sense of purpose.Thus,as with the Bantu,religion instead of politics was the uniting feature of the Mayans.However,unlike the Bantu,the Mayans achieved a unity through many villages linked by tribute payments.They may have numbered as many as 10 million,achieving bigness in a cultural system without big cities.

Explain and Compare the Ways That the Bantu and Mayan

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