The Incas Ashley Honaker

Location ► Western coast of South America ► From present-day Ecuador to Argentina ► Spread from southern Andeans ► Capital at Cuzco

History ► The Twantinsuyu (Inca) Empire emerged around 1300 C.E. from the Andean cultures of Tihuanaco and Huari ► Inca armies centered in Cuzco around an Inca waged military campaigns to gain new territories  Conquered peoples would be forced to join Inca army, thus expanding military power

Inca Road System ► Intricate network of trade routes through major cities ► Rope bridges constructed to make faster routes ► No horses or wheels so they used the llama

Economy ► Agrarian Economy  Food grown and harvested to feed population ► Terracing, irrigation, and field rotation produced higher yields ► Kept in storehouses and intricately documented  Became part of extensive trade network

Political Structure ► Bureaucracy  Central state controlled by Inca ► Inca members of noble class  Four provinces (suyus) that met at Cuzco ► Ruled by governors (aposs)  Local communities

Political Structure ► Mandatory public service (mita) ► Collection of lands and tribute ► Lands divided among:  People  The Sun (religion)  State

The Incas ► Split inheritance- political power went to successor, but wealth and land went to male descendants ► Incas seen as divine ► Upon death Incas were:  Mummified  Called on for advice at times

Inca Life ► Difficult infancy  Expected to walk by 1  At 2 one was no longer an infant ► At 14 a boy would become a man ► Boys given tests of endurance and knowledge ► Expected to marry and lead a primarily agrarian life

Diets ► Consumed mostly vegetables  Maize most popular ► Fish, nuts, and occasionally guinea pigs

Women ► Given name at 5 ► Woman at puberty ► marriage ► Some became “Virgins of the Sun” which were temple servants ► Some education at women’s schools  Taught women’s work ► Expected to run household and care for children ► Gender hierarchy  Beautiful women go further than plain women

Trial Marriages ► Couple would test marriage out for a year  Could continue on with marriage ► Could not divorce unless woman was childless  Could quit the marriage after trial ends

Religion ► Animistic in nature ► Sun god was highest deity  Temple of the Sun was center of religion ► Local gods tolerated ► Sacrifices made to the gods ► Believed in reincarnation

Woven Art ► Incas were known for beautiful cloth ► Women employed to weave cloth for the population

Architecture ► Very advanced ► Rocks packed closely together for protection during earthquakes ► Aqueducts, bridges, roads, and temples constructed

Advances ► Mathematics  Used Quipu (knotted strings for counting) ► Solar and lunar calendars ► Medicine  Cranial surgery  Use of coca leaves for medicinal healing (from same plant as cocaine) ► Legal structure  Due process and rule of law

Decline and Fall ► Organized structure began to crumble ► Rivalry among clans escalated into civil war ► Spanish conqueror Pizarro had the last Inca killed in 1533