Inca EmpireNick Pasinato & Titus Theis

About the Empire

• The Inca empire ranged from Colombia to Chile and reached west to east from the Atacama desert to the Amazonian rain forest.

• The empire lived on top of the mountains and carved gardens into it’s sides. They had roads and bridges connecting t he empire together. This affected the empire by making it difficult for enemies to reach the cities.

Inca Religion

• The Inca worshipped the dead, ancestors, founding culture heroes,

• they conquered, they did bring their gods to those peoples by incorporating them in law such as required sacrifice. The Inca attempted to combine their deities with conquered ones in ways that raised the status of their own.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire

Achievements in the Empire • Drums and flutes were

very popular• Systems of

Measurement/ Quipus: Using a base of ten, the quipus had a main string about two feet long.

• Things they did NOT invent: The wheel, a system of writing

http://incas.mrdonn.org/inventions.html Google images/inca/.com

Achievements in the Empire • Achievements important to the

success of the Inca Empire: • Communication: (roads, runners) • Specialized Professions

(engineers, metal workers, stone masons, other artisans)

• Service Tax (huge free labor force)

• Technology (terrace farming, surplus crops, irrigation systems)

• Strong Central Government (all powerful Inca, strict laws, basic needs satisfied)

Government

• The region was divided into four states. While the Inca Empire had no codified set of laws. Each individual state had it’s own government, which reported to the emperor and had it’s own laws in that state. Similar to the Pharaohs of Egypt, the emperor was believed to be descended from gods.

• Laws were simple and strict. “Do not be lazy, do not lie, do not steal”. Punishments were to make a point to the states and subjects as a way to enforce the laws. If a man stole, he would be maimed. If he lied, his tongue would be cut off. These laws are also similar to Hammurabi's code: “An eye for an eye, tooth for tooth”

Political Structure • The political structure of the Incas was complex and tightly

controlled. • The Emperor was the supreme ruler of the state. The empire

was divided into four quarters known as the four Suyus. • Hence the Incas called their empire Tahuantinsuyu, which

means 'land of the four quarters'. • Each quarter was placed under a governor who reported

directly to the king.• The king ruled the Inca Empire from his seat in the capital city

of Cuzco. These governors were blood relatives of the king.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-inca-civilization.html

Political Structure

• . Under every governor there were 10 district governors, each having 10,000 peasants. The offices were further divided with smaller units of peasants under each official of descending rank. At the lowest level, an official had only 10 peasants under him.

Economics in the Empire

• Economics varied from state to state, but they kept taxes the same by law of the emperor.

• They had to pay taxes in either money or crops, or in manual labor/ military works. In return the empire provided security and shelter for the people.

• Barter was present and may have been result of their location, high points on the mountains may having more minerals and stronger stone while lower points having richer soil and more water for crops.

Economics in the Empire

• The Incas traded bronze, animals, crops, and different tools to each state in turn for money or other materials.

• Higher points on the empire grew crops like potatoes and lower points grew corn and raised llamas.

• The government controlled the economy and maintained trade. They also stored surplus goods and leftover crops for times of need so the different states wouldn’t get hungry or starve in times such as the winter.

Social Structure in the Inca Empire

• Social Structure was different in each area in the empire. Though they generally kept the same idea.

• First was the Sapa Inca (The Emperor). • Next was nobles, people related to the emperor,

priests, or members of the government in that area. • Third was the artisans and craftsmen. While in the

middle of the social pillar, they were treated the same as nobles due to the respect they earned for providing shelter, transport, and temples for the priests and other members in the community.

Social Structure in the Empire

• Fourth came the farmers, who were respected, but respected highly by priests because of providing food to store for times of hardship. However farmers stayed in their own separate structure.

• Last were the peasants or slaves, who helped the farmers manage their land and crop.

Citations

• Images came from google images.• Information came from wikipedia.