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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