By Noah, Josh, John, Rebecca The Inca By Noah, Josh, John, Rebecca

Before the Inca Chucuito Dominated the highlands region around Lake Titicaca Depended on the cultivation of potatoes and the herding of alpacas and llamas Diet consisted of potatoes, maize, tomatoes and llamas, alpacas, and guinea pigs for meat Maize used to create beer like beverage Chimu Powerful kingdom that dominated the lowlands Used irrigation systems to water the lowlands The Chimu capital of chanchan exceeded a population of 50,000

The Rise of the Inca Empire The Fall of the Chimu and Chucuito Both the Chimu and Chucuito fall to Inca domination Takeover occurs over a period of only about 30 years Pachacuti (“Earthshaker”) Launched a series of military campaigns that vastly expanded the Incas’ authority First extended control over the southern and northern highlands He then turned his attention to the coastal kingdom of Chimu Gained control of the waters that supplied Chimu’s irrigation system

Inca Rule Inca Military Inca rule as a military and administrative elite Led armies composed of mostly conquered peoples Incas not numerous enough to overwhelm their subjects Keeping order Sought to encourage obedience by takings hostages from their ruling class loyal subjects were sent as colonist to establish garrisons to maintain order People who rebelled were forced to leave their homes

Inca Administration Inca Administration system Designed by Pachacuti near the end of his reign Implemented taxes to help support Inca rulers and administrators Organized a system of state-owned storehouses Began construction on an extensive network of roads Roads enabled Inca military forces and administrators to travel quickly

Quipu’s and Cuzco The Inca’s relied on a mnemonic aid called a quipu. Quipu’s helped keep track of administrators and bureaucrats responsibilities and helped run an orderly empire. They were made up of small cords and colors all originating from one thick cord. Most had to do with population tracking, or state property, sometimes some historical information. Cuzco was a modest village that was an administrative, religious, and ceremonial center. Soon the conqueror turned it into a capital called “ the navel of the universe”. In the center was a huge white plaza made of white sand from the Pacific beaches. Around it was buildings made of red stone. The more important buildings were made of gold facings. Included nobles, high priests, and hostages of rich people. Only about 200,000 people lived there

Inca Trade The Inca society did not have many classes of merchants or skilled artisans Their subjects had a surplus of agriculture and handcrafted goods Administrators traded Textile Products Pottery Jewelry Crafted Goods The Inca prohibited people from becoming independent merchants Many people made Textiles Tools Some fine goods for the aristocrats and priestly classes

Ruling Elites The main classes of the Inca’s were Aristocrats Priests Peasants They believed their ruler came from the sun so they were considered god-like This king owned everything and governed as an absolute ruler. Their descendants mummified their remains They believed in an afterlife where their kings became Gods. Some rulers made state policies in front of royal mummies to ‘benefit from their counsel’ . On some festivals these mummies were brought out and dressed in gold and silver jewelry and offered them food and drinks. The god-kings watched over the bureaucrats (mostly aristocrats) who told commoners where to cultivate their crops on the state’s behalf.

Aristocrats and Priests Aristocrats had privileged lives, they : Ate fine foods Dressed in embroidered clothes Had the right to wear large ear spools that made their lobes so swollen that Spanish conquerors named them “Big Ears”. Priests came from aristocratic families. They led celibate and ascetic lives They were responsible for watching over rituals Major temples had hundreds of priests living in them. Along with priests there were virgin women devoted to divine service and helped prepare ceremonial meals and wove clothes for the priestly staff.

Peasants Life as a Peasant The cultivators were mainly peasants by birth Lived in communities known as ayllu, which was similar to Mexica’s calpulli Peasants supported themselves by working on lands associated with their ayllu Rather than paying taxes or tribute, they worked on lands administered by aristocrats The produce from these state lands went to support the ruling, aristocrat and priestly classes The rest went to store houses for when there was possibly famines Men would provide heavy labor required for construction Women would tribute by making textiles, pottery and jewelry

Inca Gods: Inti and Viracocha The sun god Worshiped by the Inca ruling class as its major deity Priest honored Inti and other gods with sacrifices Viracocha Creator of the world humankind and all else in the universe Pachacuti showed special favor toward Viracocha Large temples built for the gods