The Incas were a small tribe of South American Indians who lived in the city of Cuzco, high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. In only 100 years, the Inca Empire grew so big that it expanded into what are now the modern countries of Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina.

 Incas once ruled one of the richest empires in the Americas.  At the height of its existence, the Incan Empire was the largest nation on Earth.

 Land of the Four Quarters: The name the Inca gave to their empire.  Stretched north to south some 2500 miles along the high Andes Mountains.  Western coasts of South America along Pacific ocean.

Geography helped the Inca Empire grow so rapidly. The empire had three main geographical regions: Each was a natural barrier. The Incas made their home between the jungle and the desert, high in the Andes Mountains of South America. 1. The Andes Mountains 2. The Amazon jungle 3. The coastal desert

The snow-capped Andes Mountains run north to south. They have sharp ragged peaks and deep gorges. The Incas built bridges across the gorges so they could reach all parts of their empire quickly and easily. If an enemy approached, the Incas could burn the bridges. They made suspension bridges from rope, pontoon bridges from reed boats, and pulley baskets from vines.

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Inca people were highly organized. Everyone understood their position in the social pyramid. The first Inca ruler to name himself Emperor was Pachacuti. Some historians believe that Pachacuti can be ranked among the “greatest conquerors and rulers of all time.”

One thing that helped the Incas grow so rapidly was their system of a strong central government. Everybody worked for the state, and in turn the state looked after everybody. Sapa Inca: The head of government was the Inca, sometimes called the “Sapa Inca” (“the Only Inca”). The Sapa Inca was all-powerful. Everything belonged to the Sapa Inca. He ruled his people by putting his relatives in positions of power. Since punishment was harsh and swift, almost no one broke the law.

The Incas were divided into nobles and common people. The nobles pretty much did what they wanted, while the common people were tightly controlled by the government. Commoners could not own or run businesses. They could only do their assigned jobs. The law did not allow them to be idle. Even the amount of time they had to sleep and bathe was controlled by a government official.

Emperor Royal family Upper aristocracy Administrators Artisans Laborers/farmers

Children given names during a haircutting ceremony Young children are incorporated into society – taught daily routines by parents The sons of the elite would have the privilege of going to Yachahuasi, or ‘teaching house’ There, wise men would teach them matters related to: agriculture, warfare, arts and crafts, and how to read and record on the quipu strings.

Local officials kept an detailed census. A census is an official count of all the people in an area and how they each make a living. Each common person was listed in the census. Each person listed had to pay a tax. Their tax was physical labor—serving in the army, working in the mines, or building roads, temples, and palaces.

Laws dictated who should work where, and when. Local officials had the power to make all decisions about the lives of the people they ruled. Inspectors visited frequently to check on things. Breaking the law usually meant the death penalty. Few people broke the law. Tight government controls kept the common people fed, clothed, and enslaved.

 The Inca worshipped many gods. They believed that gold was the sweat of the sun.  Gold was only valued when it was used to create ceremonial objects-containers and jewelry.  Much of the gold was taken and melted down when Pizzaro invaded the Inca empire.

Occurred when the Inca wanted deliverance from earthquakes, drought, plagues, or defeats in war. Children were chosen to be sacrificed. It was an honor. The child and family were taken to Cuzco to see the Emperor and banquets were held. The child was taken up into the Andes. Special structure was made and child was left. The child died due to the extreme cold. Small statues were made of the child. It was believed that the child became a god.

Unlike the market in Mesoamerican Civilizations, the market in Cuzco was relatively small and outside the city. The state had a central role in the collection and redistribution of goods. As a result, private trade and marketing occurred at very low levels of the empire.

Symmetrical pottery Jars with faces Textiles

The most important craft for the Incas was cloth Nobles wore elaborate tunics There was a specialized house Aqllahuasi ‘House of Chosen Women’ for the purposes of spinning and weaving cloth Inca rulers, govt. officials, and nobles wore stylized tunics that symbolized their status

 Inca farmers grew more food than needed. Part of the harvest was eaten the rest was dried and stored for times of war.  Families farmed fields at several different levels on the mountain. They built terraces so they could grow crops on the sides of mountains oMkIuQPa.Incaterracefarming.jpg Video

Three main staples: corn, dehydrated potato, pigweed (seeds) They domesticated llamas & guinea pigs Coastal Incan populations relied on seafood – lots of fishing! Sacred chicha beer derived from corn – used by priests for ceremonial purposes

Coca – became a cash crop Mostly used by the Royalty, nobles to dull pain and hunger Heavily used by government messengers who suffered from altitude sickness. -Also gave them the energy to travel the road systems by foot.

The Incas built temples and palaces and other buildings. 10,000 miles of roads. Large rope suspension bridges to cross rivers. Aqueducts to move water for irrigation. The stone masons were so good at their craft that the stones fit perfectly without any mortar.

The Incas are famous for their stonework. Huge beautiful walls of stones – each stone was perfectly and precisely cut that mortar was not needed.

The Incas also built elaborate temples for their deities. The most important structure in Cuzco was The Temple of the Sun – dedicated to Inti, the Sun God. The exterior walls were covered with heavy gold plates. The inside was also coated with gold (thought to symbolize the sun). Inside the temple, you could find idols of gold and silver as well as the mummified bodies of past rulers and their wives.

Very important to transport goods and information along the empire. Without good communication, the empire could collapse at any time. Stretched from Ecuador to Chile. Could not be traveled without permission Mostly for political/administrative purposes

The Incas had not discovered the wheel and so all the traveling was done by foot. To help the Inca people on their way there were rest houses every few kilometers. Here the travelers could camp or cook or feed their traveling animals.

The Quipu - an elaborate recording system using knots. Sometimes the knots were color coded to mean different things. Though simple at first glance, the quipu could transmit intricate messages. The quipu could record: Population including Birth/death rates Food supply: harvest/livestock Military strength/casualties/deaths Dates / Important Events

The Incas adopted Quechua as their official language. Quechua is still spoken by many indigenous populations all over South America. There are many dialects. Quechua is an oral language and there is a lack of written material.

Civil War between two brothers Pizarro arrives during this chaos with 200 Spaniards *Inca population at that time: more than 6 million! His men are driven by greed and lust for gold Pizarro kidnaps Atahuallpa, holds him for ransom, and eventually executes him. By 1560, Spaniards have dominant control of what is left of the great Incan Empire.