The Incas

16.3

Chapter 16

Section 3

Geography

• Located in South America

• Began in the Andes Mountains

• Capital is located in present-day Peru

• Deserts, snowy mountains, fertile valleys, lush forests

Create an Empire

• Mid 1400’s- Emperor Pachacuti [pah-chah-KOO-tee] began to expand territory

• Early 1500’s- empire was huge– From Ecuador to central Chile

• About 12 million people lived in empire

Strong Central Government

• Conquered land ruled by trusted government officials

• Kids sent to capital to learn Inca way– Returned later

• Quechua [KE-chuh-wuh] official Inca language– All business spoken in this language– Still spoken today

Economy

• Government strictly controlled economy

• People worked for government and themselves

• Mita [MEE-tah]- labor tax• No merchants or markets

– Government distributed goods– Leftovers stored for later

Social Divisions

• Upper Class– Emperor, priests, government officials– Didn’t pay labor tax, best clothes, lived in

stone houses– Could relax in Machu Picchu

• Lower Class– Farmers, artisans, servants

• Maize, peanuts, potatoes, and llamas

– NO slaves– Lived simply

• Law stated couldn’t own more than needed to survive

Religion

• Rulers related to sun god; could never die

• Sacrifices– Rarely human

• Llamas, cloth, or food

• Outside capital people worshipped other gods– Certain items had magical powers

Achievements

• Grand builders– Masonry [stonework]– Network of roads

• 2 major highways

– Artisans• Pottery, gold and silver jewerly, textiles

• NO WRITTEN LANGUAGE– Quipas [ KEE-pooz] knotted cord system– Official “memorizers”

Pizarro Conquers the Incas

• 1520’s- civil war broke out after emperor died– Atahualpa [ah-tah-WAHL-pah] new leader

• Francisco Pizarro– 1532 met new ruler, surprise attack

• 180 vs. 1,000’s• Captured emperor

• Ruler for price– More than 24 tons of gold and silver– Worth millions of $ today– Still killed ruler; feared retribution

• 1537- Pizarro defeated Incas– Spain took control of empire for next 300

years