III. The Inca
A. Andean Civilization In the Peruvian Andes 3. Cuzco: ancient Incan capital (11,000 ft. above sea level) 4. language: Quechua
Machu Picchu
Incan Mummies
B. Economic agricultural & pastoral terrace farming in mountains potatoes, maize, beans, coca leaves, guinea pigs domesticated llamas & alpacas pottery
Incan Ceramic Jars Peanut Potato Squash Cacao God Corn
large professional army intricate road system peasants owed compulsory labor to the state - mita system
C. Sociocultural Rigid hierarchical society: − rulers (el Inca) − aristocrats/military elite − priests − small merchant class − peasants Religion: − Inti: sun god, owns all property little human sacrifice
D. Political 1. Military expansionism professional standing army most united empire in the Americas! large bureaucracy unified language roads/bridges − quipus (knots for counting) − chasquis (runners)
The Quipu: An Incan Database
I. Southwest of U.S. present-day Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado 2. Hohokam culture (pottery & irrigation) 3. The Anasazi used large-scale irrigation with sophisticated weaving & pottery 4. Hopi & Pueblo built “adobe” shelters
II. Mississippian Culture 1. Chiefdom tradition 2. cities built on large platform mounds & buried dead in mounds 3. city of Cahokia
Pre-Columbian Comparisons: Aztecs Maya Inca Economics Society Politics
Pre-Columbian Comparisons: A. Politically : 1. Expansion Maya: slaves Aztec: military expansion for territory, sacrifices Inca: religious Centralization Maya: city-states Aztec: Tenochtitlan; NO bureaucracy Inca: most centralized (big bureaucracy)
B. Socially: All 3: peasant majority slavery of conquered peoples women subordinate except inherit land commerce Maya & Aztecs: merchant class Aztec: warrior elite Inca: religious elite, god-king (el Inca)