Mesoamerica The Incas
What Will we learn? Environment Cities Language/Writing Economy Government Religion Achievements
Height of Incan Empire 1438-1533 AD
The Incas Environment South America Peru Andes Valley of Cuzco Ecuador to Chile
The Incas Cities Cuzco All roads lead to Cuzco Heart of the Incan Empire Machu Picchu Sun temple, central plaza, public buildings Elevated city of 8,000 feet
Cuzco https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY3_7pRHfs0
Machu Picchu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmApSSnLm60
Machu Picchu
The Incas Lang/Writing Quechua: official spoken language No written language Oral history Quipu were used for gov’t record keeping Knotted strings were used to keep records https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MAy4mbgxwk
The Incas Economy Run by the gov’t Ayllu, or extended family group: Organized into groups of 10, 100, 1000, & 10,000 Built irrigation canals and had Terrace farming Stored/distributed food
The Incas Gov’t Emperor – Claimed to be divine He had total control over economic & social life Divided territory into smaller, manageable units Built cities & schools in conquered areas
The Incas Religion Few key nature spirits Creator God: Viracocha Sun God: Inti Unmarried young men & women sometimes used for lifetime of religious service
The Incas Achievements No iron tools or the wheel Road system was 14,000 miles long Runners were used like a postal system
Fall of the Incas Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro arrived in 1532 Inca leader Atahualpa was taken prisoner after not accepting Christianity He offered two full rooms of silver and one full room of gold Atahualpa was strangled on August 29, 1533 The Spanish were able to take over afterwards with no resistance