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