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Mesoamerica’s history is marked by cyclical emergence and destruction. Civilizations like the Maya and Teotihuacan appeared, flourished, and then declined—often suddenly—due to environmental factors, internal warfare, and societal disintegration. The Maya, for example, initiated a long, continuous cycle of rise and fall dating back to around 1200 BC. Their civilization peaked during the classical period, especially in city-states like Teotihuacan and the Maya city-states, before a rapid decline around 1000 AD.