1. Mrs. Allred’s 5 th Grade History

2.  It is the year 1500.  You are standing in a crowd of people.  You look down the road and see a golden litter carried on the shoulders of four men.  People start to bow and touch their foreheads to the ground.  Several people start to yell at you and soldiers begin to chase you with clubs.  Suddenly, you wake up…

3.  The people in the dream were bowing to the Sapa Inca (King of the Inca people).  No one was allowed to look at this powerful king.  If you had not woken up in time, you would probably have been killed by the soldiers for disrespecting the Son of the Sun.

4.  Built a great civilization on the western coast of South America.  First people lived around Cuzco in modern-day Peru.  Began conquering neighboring lands and extending their empire in 1400s.  By 1530’s, the Inca Empire was the largest in the Americas – even larger than the Aztec Empire had been (12 mil people).

5.  Inca territory stretched for more than 2,000 miles.  Arid plains along the western coastline.  Some of the driest deserts in the world.  Snow-capped Andes Mountains.  Thick jungles where heavy rains feed the mighty Amazon River.

6. Four types of lands that made up the Inca Empire were…  desert, mountains, plains, and jungles.

7.  The Sapa Inca ruled with absolute power.  Many government officials traveled throughout the empire to make sure his laws were obeyed.

8.  The Sapa Inca was…  king of the Inca people and he ruled with absolute power.

9.  One official was known as He-Who-Sees-Everything.  He was responsible for visiting Inca villages and making them pay taxes.  He also served as a matchmaker.  He lined up the villagers and asked all of the unmarried girls of marriageable age to step forward.  He interviewed each of them, chose those who were especially worthy for the Sapa Inca, and paired the rest off with all the unmarried young men.

10.  Organized in tribal groups or clans  Each clan farmed a piece of land.  Families lived in windowless one-room stone huts.  Burned dried animal waste as fuel.  Families slept together on animal skins spread on the bare floor.

11.  Boys followed their fathers’ trade.  Girls copied their mothers’.  Farming was how most Incas supported themselves.  Corn, squash, tomatoes, peanuts, cotton, and more than 100 varieties of potatoes.

12.  Farmers raised guinea pigs for eating and alpacas for wool.

13.  Llamas were used for all sorts of things, but especially as pack animals.  Cousin of the camel  About 4 feet high and 250 pounds.  Greater strength and endurance than most other animals.  Can carry a load of 100- 150 pounds for 15-20 miles.  Wool, transporting goods, food ( charqui- jerky)

14.  Families worked for themselves, but part of their time was spent raising crops for the empire.  Inca men also had to donate time by working on construction projects building roads, or serving in the military.

15.  The Sapa Inca and priests only used a small part of the goods produced.  The rest was stored in warehouses and distributed to those who were too old or too sick to work.  Given to people in times of need.

16.  They were allowed to keep some and the rest was given to the Sapa Inca to share with the Empire.

17.  Like the Aztecs, the Incas built their empire by conquering other people.  Boys were taught that being a man meant being a warrior.  They were trained to be soldiers.  Some human sacrifices, but less than the Maya and Aztec people.  Tried to have conquered people become loyal subjects rather than sacrificed offerings to the gods.

18.  Both of them valued the military, trained men to be soldiers, and used warfare to build their empires.