The Inca

Geography of The Inca Empire

Inca empire was located on western side of South America

Andes Mountains home of Inca empire-used gorges as natural defense against invaders

Amazon Jungle was source of wood, medicinal herbs and fruits. Did not settle region

Coastal Desert of 2,000 miles located on coast of Pacific Ocean is a perfect natural defense

Cuzco: The City Of Gold

Appeared around 1200 and began to build city of Cuzco

Cuzco served as the capital city of the empire and center of their economy

Protected by massive walls and site of the emperor’s palaces

City population was comprised of nobility, artisans and government officials

Aqueducts, schools, paved streets, gardens, government buildings and festival grounds

Cuzco: The City Of Gold

The Sapa Inca, the only Inca (emperor) maintained power by assigning family to offices

Responsible for taking care of the indigent, infrastructure and maintaining order

Government obligated to help populace during natural disasters

1430 Inca empire embarks on expansion and rules over 12 million people

Pachacuti

1430 saw Cuzco invaded by a neighboring tribe and on the verge of capitulation

Pachacuti, the Sapa Inca’s son rallies the Inca army and destroys the aggressors

Pachacuti seizes the throne and embarks on a policy of conquest

Inca army was technological advanced, organized and effectively led

Pachacuti

Embraced those who joined and forced relocation of dissident tribes

Embarked on road building to link growing empire

Introduced a messenger system

Tupac Inca follows fathers footsteps and commands army during fathers expansion

Policy of Expansion and Growth

Policy of Expansion comprised of 3 components Road system built from

Cuzco to conquered people

Inca officials sent to assist rule of people

Inca governor ruled people

Conquered people had to become Inca adopt their language, culture and religion

Policy of Expansion and Growth

Architecturewas designed to fit in with environment and withstand earthquakes

Introduced terrace farming

Introduced dehydrated food by freezing then allowed it to dry

Harvested corn, potatoes, quinua seeds for cereal and kept honeybees

Policy of Expansion and Growth

Built over 14,000 miles of paved roads

Roads served only the army, messengers and food trains

Road signs, supply houses and inns

Introduced suspension, pontoon and pulley bridges

Peasants paid a “labor tax” to build roads

The Sun People

Believed in gods of nature- worshipped sun, moon, stars and planets

Believed in an afterlife and mummified dead

Priests had enormous amount of influence

Held religious festivals that involved human sacrifices monthly

The Social Classes

Rich lived a life of luxury and could own various types of property

Nobility were guaranteed government positions Wore same style of clothing as poor but quality

was always better Hairstyles determined your rank in society Poor only owned a home and were either farmers

or laborers for the Sapa Inca Could not travel on roads, get an education, paid a

“Labor Tax”, and could not be idle Were provided with food, free religious festivals

and guaranteed a job

The Social Classes

Poor had to marry by age 20

Babies and young were left alone when parents went to work

Children were not held or coddled because it was believed to tire parents

Had a high mortality rate

Crime and Punishment Inca Style

Possibly lowest crime rate during time period “Swift and Harsh” If you disrespected the Sapa Inca, committed murder,

adultery, cursed the Inca gods you were thrown off a cliff Thieves, cheats and con-artists had either their hands or

feet cut off Lesser crimes like rudeness, fighting, and laziness resulted

in stoning, eye gouging, being tied outside to freeze Survivors of punishment became “employed criminals” who

were forced to tell stories of there crimes and outcomes of their punishment till they died

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was home to nobles and possible a sanctuary discovered in 1911

Built at 8,000 feet it possess some of the most well preserved examples of terraces, baths, temples and residences for priest and nobles

Most of dead found were females and there is no written record as to the purpose of Picchu

Pizzaro and The Spanish Conquest

1525 saw the Inca empire in civil war between brothers for title of Sapa Inca

War between brothers armies lasted 5 years until Athualpa wins

In 1531 Spaniards arrive seeking fabled cities of gold

Francisco Pizarro

Pizarro and The Spanish Conquest

Athualpa underestimates Pizarro’s ambition and tactfulness and fails to eliminate him

1531 Pizarro enters the Inca kingdom and realizes he too has underestimated the Inca

Pizarro seizes Athualpa during a ceremonial precession

A ransom is paid in gold in silver for the Sapa but he is killed as the Spanish fled

Pizarro and The Spanish Conquest

1536-1572 the Inca will resist the Spaniards but all is lost

Reasons Spaniards conqueror the Inca Steel weapons Diseases Indian allies Greed as a motivator