The Incas World History/Napp

“While the Aztecs ruled in the Valley of Mexico, another people – the Inca – created an equally powerful state in South America. From Cuzco, their capital in southern Peru, the Inca spread outward in all directions. They brought various Andean peoples under their control and built an empire that stretched from Ecuador in the north to Chile in the south. It was the largest empire ever seen in the Americas.

The Inca originally lived in a high plateau of the Andes. After wandering the highlands for years, the Inca finally settled on fertile lands in the Valley of Cuzco. By the 1200s, they had established their own small kingdom in the valley. During this early period, the Inca developed traditions and beliefs that helped launch and unify their empire. One of these traditions was the belief that the Incan ruler was descended from the sun god, Inti, who would bring prosperity and greatness to the Incan state. Only men from one of 11 noble lineages believed to be descendants of the sun god could be selected as Incan leaders.

At first the Incan kingdom grew slowly. In 1438, however, a powerful and ambitious ruler, Pachacuti, took the throne. Under his leadership, the Inca conquered all of Peru and then moved into neighboring lands. By 1500, the Inca ruled an empire that stretched 2,500 miles along the western coast of South America. The Inca called this empire ‘Land of the Four Quarters.’ It included about 80 provinces and was home to as many as 16 million people.

To control the huge empire, the rulers divided their territory and its people into manageable units, governed by a central bureaucracy. The Inca created an efficient economic system to support the empire and an extensive road system to tie it together. They also imposed a single official language, Quechua, and founded schools to teach Incan ways. Certain social groups were identified by officially dictated patterns on clothing. All of these actions were calculated to unify the variety of people controlled by the Inca.” ~ World History 1- Where was Incan civilization located?

2- What did the Inca believe about their ruler?

3- Who could be selected as an Incan leader?

4- How did Pachacuti change the Incan kingdom?

5- Describe the empire of the Incas.

6- How did an extensive road system benefit the Incas?

7- What was Quechua and why was it important?

8- How did the Inca unify their people? Roads and Ayllu Public Works and Quipu Religion - As in Rome, all roads led - Labor tribute was known - Chief of the Incan gods was to the capital, Cuzco as mita a creator god called Viracocha - Though they had no iron - It required all able-bodied tools and did not use the citizens to work for the state - Next in importance was the wheel, Incan builders carved a certain number of days sun god, Inti and transported huge blocks of stone, fitting them - Mita workers labored on - Because the Incan ruler together perfectly without state farmlands, produced was considered a descendant mortar craft goods for state of Inti, sun worship warehouses, or helped with amounted to worship of the - The Incan social system public works projects king was based on an age-old form of community - Citizens were expected to - The Temple of the Sun in cooperation – the ayllu work for the state and were Cuzco was the most sacred cared for in return of all Incan shrines - The ayllu, or extended family group, undertook - The aged and disabled - It was heavily decorated in tasks too big for a single were supported by the state gold, a metal the Inca family referred to as “sweat of the - The state made sure that sun” - These tasks included the people did not go hungry building irrigation canals or cutting agricultural terraces - Freeze-dried potatoes were into steep hillsides stored in government warehouses for distribution - The ayllu also stored food in times of food shortages and other supplies to distribute among members - The Inca never developed a during hard times writing system

- But the Inca created an accounting device known as the quipu, a set of knotted strings that could be used to record data 1- Prove that the Incas were superb builders.

2- Define ayllu, mita and quipu.

3- How did the Inca leadership provide for its people?

4- Describe the religion of the Inca. Which civilization is credited with recording The location of the Inca civilization of South data with quipu, developing an elaborate America demonstrates the road system, and constructing Machu 1. importance of trade with western Picchu? Europe 1. Roman 2. ability of humans to adapt the 2. Egyptian environment 3. Mesopotamian 3. influence of cultural diversity 4. Inca 4. complexity of indigenous belief systems Which development is most closely associated with early Inca achievements? One way the Incas adapted their 1. inventing the wheel as a environment was by transportation device 1. building a network of roads through 2. improving iron weapons the mountains 3. expanding global trade 2. growing rice as a major agricultural 4. adapting a mountainous environment product 3. establishing an encomienda system A key reason the Incas were able to control 4. creating floating gardens their large empire was that they 1. outlawed human sacrifice Which factor most influenced the 2. formed a democratic government development of diverse cultures in pre- 3. built a road system to connect distant Columbian South America? areas and to move armies 1. trade agreements 4. promoted literacy and mass 2. geographic features education programs to teach loyalty 3. imported religious ideas to their subjects 4. peasant revolts

What was an important strategy used by Which phrase best completes the partial both the Romans and the Incas to unify outline below? their empires? I. Achievements of the Incas 1. building a large network of roads A. ______and bridges B. Kept records using quipus 2. using powerful navies to protect sea C. Built stone structures without using trade routes mortar 3. supporting free-market economies by 1. Cast bronze statues minting silver coins 2. Created a system of terrace farming 4. granting citizenship and voting rights 3. Invented a foot stirrup to conquered peoples 4. Developed chariots

One way in which the Aztec and Inca Which geographic feature had the greatest civilizations are similar is that they both influence on the development of the Inca 1. defeated the Spanish conquistadors Empire? 2. developed advanced architectural 1. deserts techniques 2. irregular coastline 3. lacked strong central governments 3. river valleys 4. settled primarily in river valleys 4. mountains A major agricultural advancement of the Base your answer to the question on the Incas was the diagram below and on your knowledge of 1.domestication of cattle social studies. 2.use of a steel plow 3.terracing of mountains for farming 4.development of floating gardens

Which geographic feature had the greatest influence on the development of the Inca Empire? 1. deserts 2. irregular coastline 3. river valleys 4. mountains

Which geographic factor had the most influence on the development of Inca society and Japanese society? 1. frequent monsoons 2. large deserts 3. mountainous topography 4. tropical climate

Which technological advancement helped unify both the Roman and the Inca Empires? This diagram shows the Incas had a farming 1. astrolabe system that 2. road system 1. provided crops for the entire society 3. gunpowder 2. left much of the land unfarmed 4. wheeled carts 3. set aside fifty percent of the crops for those who farmed the fields The archaeological evidence found at the 4. grew crops only for priests and Mesoamerican sites of Tenochtitlan and government officials Machu Picchu suggests that these societies 1. consisted of hunters and gatherers Inca terrace farming and Aztec floating 2. were highly developed and organized gardens are examples of cultures 1. the ability of civilizations to adapt to 3. practiced a monotheistic religion their region’s physical geography 4. followed a democratic system 2. slash-and-burn farming techniques 3. Mesoamerican art forms symbolizing An effect of a mountainous topography on the importance of agriculture Inca and Chinese civilizations was the 4. colonial economic policies that development of harmed Latin American civilizations 1. Industrialization 3. Cash crop farming 2. Terrace farming 4. Desertification