did they practice trade as well?
Yes, and control of trade routes or access to important trade goods contributed to the growth of cities.
Maya civilization
Trade was a key component of Maya society, and in the development of the Maya civilization. The cities that grew to become the most important usually controlled access to vital trade goods, or portage routes.
how far back can we trace the mayan culture As far as circa 2000 BC what period of history is that? The Archaic period where were they located? The civilization encompassed areas of south-eastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador. did they practice politics? Yes, there were states and chiefdoms which had fluctuating policies towards one another. did they have societies? The society was hierarchical with a sharp difference between the elite and the commoners. did they fight with each other? Yes, clashes were common between states and chiefdoms. what kind of warriors were they? Well trained, and in the Contact period, their armies were highly disciplined where warriors participated in regular training exercises and drills.
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Maya civilization [SEP] Trade
Trade was a key component of Maya society, and in the development of the Maya civilization. The cities that grew to become the most important usually controlled access to vital trade goods, or portage routes. Cities such as Kaminaljuyu and Qʼumarkaj in the Guatemalan Highlands, and Chalchuapa in El Salvador, variously controlled access to the sources of obsidian at different points in Maya history. The Maya were major producers of cotton, which was used to make the textiles to be traded throughout Mesoamerica. The most important cities in the northern Yucatán Peninsula controlled access to the sources of salt. In the Postclassic, the Maya engaged in a flourishing slave trade with wider Mesoamerica.