The Inca Empire

1. The Inca Empire Coach Smith Coppell HS

2. Background • Empire extended along the Pacific coast and Andean highlands from northern border of modern Ecuador to Maule River in central Chile • Inca originated in village of Paqari-tampu, about 15mi south of Cuzco • Official language: Quecha

3. Polytheistic religion- Pantheon headed by Inti-the sun god • combined features of animism, fetishism, worship of nature gods • offered food, clothing, and drink • rituals included forms of divination, sacrifice of humans and animals

4. Events leading to Rise and Fall • 1438: Manco Capac established capital at Cuzco (Peru) • 1400-1500: Pachacuti gained control of Andean population about 12 million people • 1525: Emperor Huayna Capac died of plague; civil war broke out between two sons because no successor named • 1532: Spanish arrived in Peru • 1535: Empire lost

5. Francisco Pizarro • 1527: Pizarro wanted to discover wealth; embarked on his third voyage to the New World • Sept. to Nov. 1532: The Cajamarca massacre- Pizarro led 160 Spaniards to Cuzco, slaughtering over 2,000 Inca and injuring 5,000

6. November 16, 1532: Atahualpa captured by Spaniards, offered gold for his freedom. • Pizarro accepted more than 11 tons of gold ($6 million+) baubles, dishes, icons, ornaments, jewelry, & vases, but never released Atahualpa. • July 26, 1533: Atahualpa was killed

7. Important People/Positions • Emperors known by various titles, “Sapa Inca”, “Capac Apu”, “Intip Cori”, or “Inca” • Manco Capac (1000 CE) • Sinchi Roca (1230) • Lloque Yupanqui (1260) • Mayta Capac (1300) • Capac Yupanqui (1320) • Inca Roca (1350) • Yahuar Huacac (1380) • Viracocha Inca (1410) • Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438-71) • Topa Inca Yupanqui (1471-93) • Huayna Capac (1493-1525) • Huascar (1527-32)  • Atahualpa (1532-33)

8. Manco Capac (1022-1107) • founder of Inca dynasty • declared himself Sapa Inca, divine son of the Sun • skilled warrior and leader • chief religious leader • exercised absolute power

9. Pachacuti (1438-1471) • Usurped throne form brother Inca Urcon • Considered the founder of the Inca Empire • Skilled warrior and chief religious leader • Claimed he was divine, son of the sun • Exercised absolute power

10. Important Positions • Local governors responsible for exacting labor tax which could be paid by service in army, on public works, or in agricultural work • Coya carried out important religious duties and governed when Sapa Inca absent • Nobles ruled provinces w/ chieftains Inca conquered

11. Political Philosophy • policy of forced resettlement ensured political stability • officials collected taxes, enforced laws, kept records on a quipu (collection of knotted colored strings) which noted dates, events, population, crops • use of road system strictly limited to government, military business • all land belonged to Inca, crops allotted to specific groups, government took possession of each harvest • private property forbidden, crime nonexistent, citizens never starved • no written records; oral tradition preserved through generations

12. Economic Developments • constructed aquaducts, cities, temples, fortresses, short rock tunnels, suspension bridges, 2250mi road system • metal works of alloy, copper, tin, bronze, silver gold • developed important medical practices- surgery on human skull, anesthesia • resources-corn, potatoes, coffee, grain • created woven baskets, woodwinds

13. Military Expansion • attacked, looted villages of neighboring peoples, assessing tribute • program of permanent conquest, establishing garrisons among settlements of peoples whom they conquered • conquered and assimilated people of Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru • gained territory south to the Titicaca Basin, north to present-day Quito making subject peoples of powerful Chancas, Quecha, kingdom of Chimu • empire reached southernmost extent in central Chile, last vestiges of resistance on southern Perurian coast eliminated • pushed northern boundary of empire to Ancasmayo River

14. Cultural Conflict & Cooperation • religious institutions destroyed by Spanish conquerors’ campaign against idolatry • Spaniards superior military technology • horses, muskets, cannons, metal helmets, armor, steel swords and lances • Incan Bronze Age weapons • llamas, clubs, sticks, wooden spears and arrows • division & discontent among Inca, Spanish played on old feuds • disease brought by Europeans • survivors felt gods were less powerful than those of conquerors • Incans believed that disasters marked world’s end

15. Today • descendants of Inca are present day Quechua-speaking peasants of Andes, constitute about 45% population of Peru • combine farming, herding w/ simple traditional technology • rural settlements three kinds: families living in midst of fields, true village communities w/ fields outside of inhabited centers, combination of two • towns centers of mestizo (mixed-blood) population • Indian community close-knit, families usually intermarrying; much of agricultural work done cooperatively • religion is Roman Catholicism infused w/ pagan hierarchy of spirits and deities

16. Bibliography • Bernhard, Brendan. Pizarro, Orellana, and the Exploration of the Amazon. New York: Chealsea House Publishers, 1991. • Editors of Time-Life Books. Incas: Lords of Gold and Glory. Alexandria: Time-Life Books, 1992. • Ellis, Elizabeth Gaynor & Esler, Anthony. World History: Connections to Today. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 2001. • Ogburn, Dennis E. The Empire of the Incas. 7 Oct. 1997. 24 Feb. 2006 <http://www.millville.org/workshops_f/acker_inca/ inca.htm> • "Inca." Encyclopedia Britannica. 2006. Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service. 26 Feb. 2006 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/ article?tocId=9042237>. • “Inca.” Grolier Universal Encyclopedia. Volume 5. New York: Grolier Inc., 1965.