Inca Empire

The Inca built one of the largest & wealthiest empires in the world Inca Empire The Inca built one of the largest & wealthiest empires in the world It began in the mid-1400s

Rainforest on one side

Desert on the Other

Peru/Andes

Accomplishments of Inca Had no writing, but created record system called quipu (knots tied to colored rope

Alphabet

Built suspension bridges Built 10,000 miles of roads Inca Accomplishments Built suspension bridges Built 10,000 miles of roads Excellent goldsmiths 1st civilization to harvest potatoes

Government Strong centralized government (Monarchy) Everybody worked for the state, and in turn the state looked after everybody. Sapa Inca: The head of government was the “Sapa Inca” (The only Inca).

Sapa Inca/Government Sapa Inca was all-powerful. Everything belonged to him. He ruled everybody. He put his relatives in positions of power. He created the laws and the punishment for the laws. Punishments were harsh and swift Because of this, almost no one broke the law.

Life in the Inca Empire It is not surprising that the greatest Incan leader took the name Pachacuti which means “Earthshaker”

Pachacuti Pachacuti and his son, Topa Inca, built the largest ancient empire in the Americas.

Government/Life in the Inca Empire This ancient empire stretched north to south, about 2,500 miles. To hold the Inca Empire together, Pachacuti set up a strong central government but let local rulers stay in power.

Government In order to ensure these local rulers loyalty, Pachacuti, took their sons to Cuzco as wards.

Government The Inca further divided the society into 12 different job categories that every man, woman and child over the age of five joined. Young girls for example, were baby sitters, while young boys chased birds from gardens and farmlands.

Government Pachacuti, designed a system of roads for travel and trade throughout the Inca empire. This elaborate road systems covered about 25,000 miles when it was completed.

Roads

Economy Almost all aspects of the Inca economy were owned or controlled by the government. No private enterprise People didn‘t own stores or farms, the government did

Economy Inca engineers developed Terraced Farming, or a stair step series of ridges built into a mountainside, to create level farmland.

Life in the Inca Empire

Used as draught animals Economy Llamas could survive in that cold, high, and rocky climate…plus they had good balance. Used as draught animals

Religion Polytheistic Out of nothing came Viracocha VIRACOCHA went to Lake Titicaca and commanded the Sun and Moon to rise from the waters. Thus he became the god of Storms

Religion Out of the storms came the Sun which provided warmth and light. Inti- Sun God. Also known as the Giver of Life and was worshiped mostly by farmers.

Religion Inca religion frequently involved human sacrifice. Practiced ancestor worship. Incans Became known as the “Children of the Sun” Mummified their dead

Religion

Many Gods and Goddesses centered around Earthquakes such as Pachacamac Religion Many Gods and Goddesses centered around Earthquakes such as Pachacamac

Art/Architecture Unlike other Mesoamerican societies, the Inca thrived in metalwork. Used gold in their statues

Art Other than their metalwork, the Incan were excellent at creating stone reliefs.

Art

Architecture Sturdy buildings created without the use of tools or the wheel.

Most of the common buildings and temples were built c Most of the common buildings and temples were built c. 800-1450 CE, shortly before the arrival and conquest by the Inca Empire…in total archeologist have found 17 pyramids.

Most famous city was Machu Picchu Inca Empire Most famous city was Machu Picchu

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOXbAafFuJk