The Inca's Triumph Over Geography

______Date ____ Class _____

Latin America Geography and History Activity

In 1438 the Inca ruler Pachacuti began the scorching coastal deserts, over moun building a powerful empire in what is tains more than 20,000 feet high, through today Peru. By the end of the 1400s, the tangled masses of tropical rain forest, and Incas controlled the largest empire ever across raging torrents of rivers hundreds established in the Americas. It encom of feet wide. Totaling nearly 15,525 miles passed nearly 12 million people in Peru, (25,000 km), the roads were used to tie southern Colombia, Ecuador, northern the vast empire's people together, and to Chile, western Bolivia, and part of north allow quicker movement of soldiers and ern Argentina. goods. Llamas carried loads of agricul tural products or textiles along its length. Three Distinct Regions Storehouses and barracks were placed at Three physical regions-deserts, moun regular intervals. The Inca living nearby tains, and rain forests-made up the Inca maintained each length of road. Empire. Deserts run along the Pacific The highway system also served as a coast. The Atacama Desert in northern communication network for the govern Chile is one of the driest places on Earth. ment and military. Relay runners con Fertile areas can be found, however, where stantly carried messages long distances small rivers and streams run from the often up to 250 miles (403 km) per day. Andes highlands to the sea. That same distance took the Spanish East of the coastal deserts, the Andes colonial post nearly two weeks to cover. ranges run 4,500 miles (7,242 km) from The Inca's road network consisted of north to south. Dominating Inca society, two north-south roads-one that ran 2,236 the mountain peaks were worshiped as miles (3,600 km) along the Pacific coast, gods. Cities were built of stone cut from and the other along the Andean highlands the mountainsides. One city, Machu farther inland. These main roads were Picchu, was built 7,710 feet (2,350 m) periodically interconnected by smaller high in the Andes. east-west roads. The eastern foothills of the Andes even To cross the many steep ravines, gorges, tually slope toward the Amazon Basin. and rivers found in the Andes, the' Inca The Inca never established settlements built vine-supported suspension bridges. there, but they did use many valuable rain If enemies tried to cross into the empire's forest resources, such as wood, fruit, and territory, Inca soldiers set fire to the natural medicines. bridges. Road Network Fall from Power One of the most remarkable Inca For all its power and accomplishments, accomplishments was the empire's vast the Inca Empire lasted only about 100 network of roads, which still exists in years. Spanish conquistadors under the many areas of western South America leadership of Francisco Pizarro took over today. The Inca built their roads through the empire in 1532.

II Name ______Date _____ Class _____

Geography and History Activity continued

3. Identifying Who was leader of the Inca The System Inca Road Empire at the height of its power?

4. Listing What physical regions were found in the Inca Empire?

5. Calculating What was the total distance of the entire Inca road network? o...... 50 0 kil omet ers o 500 miles 6. Describing How long was the longest PACIFIC OCEAN segment of the Inca highway, and where was it located?

KEY o Inca sit e • M odern t own or cit y () Town or city over Inca site 7. Explaining What were the main uses -Inca road of the Inca road network? Who or what - Current boundary traveled the Inca highways?

'+II Applying Geography to History Directions: Read the information about 8. Critical Thinking How.do you think the Inca Empire and examine the map. the Spanish took advantage of the Inca Then answer the questions below. highway system after they conquered the Incas in 1532? 1. Identifying Where and when did the Inca Empire originate?

2. Listing Which South American coun tries were once populated by the Inca Empire? 9. Mapping Activity Use an atlas to find the three physical regions included in the Inca Empire. Use different colors to highlight and label those regions on the map above.