The Inca

1. The Inca

2. 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

4. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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