The Inca

EmpireCreated by

Katrina Namnama & Kathleen DeGuzman (edited)

INCA

The Incas never invented the wheel. They never invented a system of writing. Yet, high in the rugged Andes Mountains of South America, the Incas built thousands of miles of well-

paved roads, everyone in the empire was well fed and no one was homeless. 

Come meet the Children of the Sun. Welcome to the Inca Empire!

Main Ideas The Inca built a huge empire in South America,

but they were conquered by the Spanish. The rise of the Inca Empire was due to conquest

and the achievements of the Inca people. Pizarro conquered the Incas and took control of

the region. The Incas had strong traditions of building, art,

and storytelling. Many of their creations still exist today.

Background Empire extended

along the Pacific coast and Andean highlands from northern border of modern Ecuador to Maule River in central Chile

Inca originated in village of Paqari-tampu, about 15mi south of Cuzco

Official language: Quechua

Pachacuti (1438-1471) Usurped throne from

brother Inca Urcon Considered the

founder of the Inca Empire

Skilled warrior and chief religious leader

Claimed he was divine, son of the sun

Exercised absolute power

Francisco Pizarro 1527: Pizarro wanted

to discover wealth; embarked on his third voyage to the New World

Sept. to Nov. 1532: The Cajamarca

massacre- Pizarro led 160 Spaniards to Cuzco, slaughtering over 2,000 Inca and injuring 5,000

Events leading to Rise and Fall

1438: Manco Capac established capital at Cuzco (Peru)

1400-1500: Pachacuti gained control of Andean population about 12 million people

1525: Emperor Huayna Capac died of plague; civil war broke out between two sons because no successor named

1532: Spanish arrived in Peru 1535: Empire lost

Polytheistic religion- Pantheon headed by Inti-the sun god

combined features of animism and worship of nature gods

offered food, clothing, and drink

rituals included forms of divination, sacrifice of humans and animals

Machu Picchu The ancient city of

Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911.

Explorers found ruins of temples, palaces, fortresses, and a royal tomb.

Machu Picchu They also found a

Intihuatana – the ceremonial pyramid the Incas built to speak to their sun god.

The carved rock at the top was used by the Incan astronomers to predict the best times to plant crops

Important Positions Local governors responsible for

exacting labor tax which could be paid by service in army, on public works, or in agricultural work

Coya carried out important religious duties and governed when Sapa Inca absent

Nobles ruled provinces w/ chieftains

Military Expansion attacked, looted villages of neighboring

peoples, assessing tribute program of permanent conquest, establishing

garrisons among settlements of peoples whom they conquered

conquered and assimilated people of Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru

gained territory south to the Titicaca Basin, north to present-day Quito making subject peoples of powerful Chancas, Quecha, kingdom of Chimu

empire reached southernmost extent in central Chile, last vestiges of resistance on southern Perurian coast eliminated

pushed northern boundary of empire to Ancasmayo River

Political Philosophy policy of forced resettlement ensured political

stability officials collected taxes, enforced laws, kept

records on a quipu (collection of knotted colored strings) which noted dates, events, population, crops

use of road system strictly limited to government, military business

all land belonged to Inca, crops allotted to specific groups, government took possession of each harvest

private property forbidden, crime nonexistent, citizens never starved

no written records; oral tradition preserved through generations

Economic Developments

constructed aquaducts, cities, temples, fortresses, short rock tunnels, suspension bridges, 2250mi road system

metal works of alloy, copper, tin, bronze, silver gold

developed important medical practices- surgery on human skull, anesthesia

resources-corn, potatoes, coffee, grain created woven baskets, woodwinds

Cultural Conflict & Cooperation

religious institutions destroyed by Spanish conquerors’ campaign against idolatry

Spaniards superior military technology horses, muskets, cannons, metal helmets,

armor, steel swords and lances Incan Bronze Age weapons

llamas, clubs, sticks, wooden spears and arrows division & discontent among Inca, Spanish

played on old feuds disease brought by Europeans survivors felt gods were less powerful than

those of conquerors Incans believed that disasters marked

world’s end

Today descendants of Inca are present day Quechua-

speaking peasants of Andes, constitute about 45% population of Peru

combine farming, herding w/ simple traditional technology

rural settlements three kinds: families living in midst of fields, true village communities w/ fields outside of inhabited centers, combination of two

towns centers of mestizo (mixed-blood) population Indian community close-knit, families usually

intermarrying; much of agricultural work done cooperatively

religion is Roman Catholicism infused w/ pagan hierarchy of spirits and deities

Bibliography Bernhard, Brendan. Pizarro, Orellana, and the Exploration

of the Amazon. New York: Chealsea House Publishers, 1991.

Editors of Time-Life Books. Incas: Lords of Gold and Glory. Alexandria: Time-Life Books, 1992.

Ellis, Elizabeth Gaynor & Esler, Anthony. World History: Connections to Today. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 2001.

Ogburn, Dennis E. The Empire of the Incas. 7 Oct. 1997. 24 Feb. 2006 <http://www.millville.org/workshops_f/acker_inca/ inca.htm>

"Inca." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service. 26 Feb. 2006 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/ article?tocId=9042237>.

“Inca.” Grolier Universal Encyclopedia. Volume 5. New York: Grolier Inc., 1965.