Look at the map below. By now, you should be familiar with the geography of this region. 

In this section, you will be hearing about Chichen Itza, Palenque, and Tikal. Locate them on the map. You should be able to identify the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. You might remember that a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides is called a peninsula. Uxmal, Chichen Itza and Kabah are located on the Yucatan Peninsula. 

Most Mayan cities were located deep in the jungle of what is Central America. This is a tropical environment which is hot and humid. There is a rainy season in which these areas become flooded and a dry season which gets very hot. What kinds of issues might the climate and geography of this area have presented to the Maya?