How did they do it?

How did the Mayans do it?  The Mayans just completely blows my mind with everything they did, such as creating the ball game, building their cities, and researching the stars.  How were they so smart with the little tools that they had?  How did archeologists first know how to read the Mayan language?  In my personal opinion, I don't see how they first came to realize what everything meant.  Did they just guess at first?  I'm just confused how they came to conclusion on what everything meant.  Overall, I'm just intrigued with everything about the Mayans, such as their lifestyle and why they did what they did. When I get older, I would love to take a trip to a Mayan city just to learn more about them and see their creations up close and personal.