1. The Incas
In this lesson, students will be able to define the following terms:
Andes Mountains
Terrace Farming
Cuzco
Achievements of the Incas
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2. Early Andean Society and the Chavín Cult
Early migration to Peru and Bolivia region
By 12,000 B.C.E. hunting and gathering peoples reached South America
By 8000 B.C.E. they began to experiment with agriculture
Complex societies appeared in central Andean region after 1000 B.C.E.
Andean societies were located in modern-day Peru and Bolivia
The Chavín Cult, from about 900 to 300 B.C.E.
Complexity of Andean society increases during Chavín
Devised techniques of producing cotton textiles and fishing nets
Discovered gold, silver, and copper metallurgy
Cities began to appear shortly after Chavín cult
Early Andeans did not make use of writing

3. The Incas developed a civilization in a valley of the Andes Mountains around 1100 A.D. first settling around lake Titicaca
The Incas built their capital, Cuzco, high in the Andes Mountains
At its height, the empire stretched 2,500 miles.
The Incas
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4. By 1400,
the Inca
began
extending
their rule
across
the Andes.
The Incas
ruled an
empire
covering
much
of present-
day Peru,
Ecuador,
Bolivia, and
Chile.

5. Because they lived in the mountains, the Incas engaged in wise step-like terrace farming.
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Terrace Farming
Early agriculture in South America Main crops: beans, peanuts, sweet potatoes, cotton Fishing supplemented agricultural harvests

6. The Incas built their capital, Cuzco, high in the Andes mountains.
Capital at Cuzco, which had as many as three hundred thousand people in the late fifteenth century
The ruins of the ancient Incan capital
are found in present-day Peru.

7. Official runners carried messages; spread of Quecha language
One Inca road was 2,500 miles long.
The Incas also built rope bridges to connect their empire.

8. The Incas were adept builders.
The Incas were very advanced. They
constructed buildings without mortar
or cement. Instead, bricks fitted
together perfectly.
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9. The Incas built beautiful cities.
Machu Picchu, a fortress city of the Incas, still stands.
At its height, more than 12 million people lived in the Incan empire.
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10. The Inca ruler was known as the Sapa Inca.
All land belonged to the Sapa Inca. But he let others farm it and pay taxes to the state.
Trade limited Local barter in agricultural goods Fewer specialized crafts

11. Inca society was also a hereditary aristocracy
Chief ruler viewed as descended from the sun, owned everything on earth
After death, mummified rulers became intermediaries with gods
Aristocrats enjoyed fine food, embroidered clothes, and wore ear spools
Priests led celibate and ascetic lives, very influential figures
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12. Welfare
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While all land belonged to the Incan emperor, he let other people farm the land and pay taxes to him.
The government also took care of the sick, the elderly, and the orphan.
The government provided for the less fortunate members of society.

13. Religion Inca priests served the gods Venerated sun god called Inti
Creator god, Viracocha
Ritual sacrifices practiced, but not of humans
Inca religion had a strong moral dimension: rewards and punishments

14. Achievements Incan doctors set broken bones
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Incan doctors set broken bones
and even knew how to perform
brain surgery!
They also developed
medicines from plants.
The Incas invented the crowbar.
The Incas built buildings without mortar.
The Incas provided for all members of the empire.

15. Unlike the Maya, the Inca never developed a form of writing. But
they did keep records by using
a quipu or knotted rope to count
and send messages.

16. The Incas were conquered by Francisco Pizarro in the 1530s.
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17. Francisco Pizarro arrived in modern-day
Peru in Pizarro and his men marched
toward the Inca capital and discovered that
the Incas were in the midst of a civil war.

18. The Incan emperor, Atahualpa, met the Spaniards with no weapons. The
Spaniards attacked the Incas and
captured Atahualpa.

19. Atahualpa promised to fill a large room with gold if Pizarro would
release him. He kept his promise
but Pizarro killed him anyway.

20. With the Inca emperor dead, the Incas surrendered. But Pizarro and
his men fought over the gold and
Pizarro was eventually killed by his
own men.

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22. Questions for Reflection:
Where did the Incas build a vast empire?
How did the Incas feed a vast population on the mountains?
List three achievements of the Incas.
What did the Incas create to increase communication within the empire?
What did the Incas do that surprises people even today?
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