Inca At its peak, the Incan empire stretched more than 2,500 - - PDF document

February 14, 2012

Inca

The Inca controlled a vast empire covering parts of modern day Peru, Ecudor, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

At its peak, the Incan empire stretched more than 2,500 miles, almost the entire length of the Andes Mountains. The geography was varied and harsh: rainless desserts, towering mountain ranges and steamy rain forests. The climate varied from tropical to polar. Communication

Ruling an empire of this size required good communication. The telephone didn't exist, so messengers had to travel from town to town. Although they never invented the wheel, the Inca built

• ver 14,000 miles of road, much of

it paved. Many of these roads still exist and are used today. You needed special permission to travel

• n the roads since they belonged to

the government. The army would use the roads to quickly stop rebellions or protect themselves from intruders. Llama trains would travel the roads delivering food or other resources. Cuzco was the capital of the Inca

• Empire. Quechua was the language.

Any conquered or joining groups had to learn this language. The Andes mountains did not make travel easy. Messengers had to cross deep gorges and rivers. So the Inca built suspension bridges, pontoon bridges and sometimes hung a basket

• n a cable to pull people across the

gorge. Building roads was one way farmers could pay their "service tax" to the government. Suspension bridges were made of woven reed and were replaced every other year. These pictures are of the Qeswechaka bridge near Cuzco, the last surviving Inca rope bridge. It is still rebuilt annually out of

• grass. Villiagers gather for four days to continue this 700 year
• ld tradition.

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Chasquis (pronounced kas kee)

The Inca set up a network of messengers by which important messages would be conveyed along these roads. These messengers were known as Chasquis and were chosen from the strongest and fittest male youngsters. They ran many miles a day to relay messages. They lived in cabins or tambos along the roads usually in groups of four or six. When a chasqui was spotted, another one would run to meet him. He would run beside the incoming messenger trying to listen and to memorize the message, he would also relay the quipu if he was carrying one. The tired chasqui would stay and rest in the cabin while the other one will run to the next relay station. In this way messages could travel over 250 miles a day.

Quipu

The Inca had no writing or number system. Instead they used the quipu to record

• information. This was a series of

knotted, colored strings hung from one main cord. Each color had a meaning, such as "corn" or "speeches by the king." Knots were tied in each string to indicate numbers in a decimal system.

T

• morrow's Activity

You are going to be chasqui as you participate in an activity to share knowledge about the Inca.

• 1. Read your assigned pages and complete the matching

section of the notes/worksheet.

• 2. Bring your notes to class tomorrow.
• 3. Be prepared to run! The fastest and most intelligent

chasqui will be rewarded by the Sapa Inca!

Directions:

• 1. Your team must quickly and accurately relay a question down the path to

your "expert group" located at Relay station D. T

• relay the message, do

the following: · Send one messenger from Station A to the Sapa Inca (teacher) to receive an important question. Each team will get a different question. · · Memorize your question. The follow your path to relay station B. · · Whisper your question to one messenger or chasquis. This messenger must take the message to station C. · · Repeat the process until the message gets delivered to station D. Once a messenger has delivered his/her message they must return to their station.

• 2. Your team must relay the answer to the question back to the Sapa Inca

in the same manner, but reverse order. If there are two or more messengers, send one who was not gone yet.

• 3. When the messenger arrives back at Cuzco, he or she must write the

answer neatly and completely on the slip of paper, enter the team's number and hand it to the Sapa Inca.

Now let's review and fill in our notes!

T eam 1 T eam 2 T eam 3 How did it feel to become a chasqui and relay important messages? What was difficult or challenging about this system? What might have been the advantages of such a system for Inca leaders? What were the most interesting or important pieces of information you learned about Inca class structure, family life, religion, and relations with

• ther peoples?

T eam 4

Inca Timeline

· 1200 A.D. Inca developed into a distinct culture. · · 1438 A.D. Pachacuti, the ninth emperor, began to create the empire over the next 30 years by subduing neighboring tribes. Building of Machu Picchu begins. · · 1493-1525 The height of the Inca empire. · · 1525-1532 Civil war broke out due to two brothers feuding over the who would be the next emperor. · · 1532 Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro defeats the Inca army. · · 1535- 1819 Spain rules Peru. · · 1824 Peru gains independence from Spain. · · 1911 Machu Picchu is found by Hiram Bigham

February 14, 2012

Adapting to Life in the Andes Machu Picchu This ancient Inca city is located high in the Andes Mountains in northwest Peru. It is

• ne of the best preserved examples of Inca ruins.

Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham.

http://www.plainlocal.org/olc/folder.aspx?id=21246&c=5736&s=1119

Challenges of Life in the Empire enormous size - 2,500 miles in length variable landscape - coastal deserts, lofty mountain ranges, and rain forests climate varied from tropical to polar more than 6 million people to feed daily

Agricultural T echniques

T erracing allowed the Inca to provide food for more than six million people. T erraces are typically 5 - 13 feet high with varied length and width according to the steepness of the mountain. Usually they are wider at the bottom of the incline and get narrower as they go up the mountain. T

• irrigate the fields they built channels to

bring water from the glacier-fed rivers. They also straightened rivers, filled or drained marshes as needed, and channeled water into deserts.

Inca grew corn, potatoes, and quinoa (a grain). Potatoes were the main food eaten daily. We can thank the Inca for introducing us to this food!

terraced mountain sides channeled water and diverted rivers for irrigation grew corn, potatoes, quinoa

· enormous size - 2,500 miles long · varied landscape, deserts, mountain ranges & rain forests · varied climate - tropical to polar · had to feed 6 million people ancient Inca city in Andes located in northwest Peru

• ne of best preserved

examples of Inca ruins Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911

Inca Social and Political Organization

1) Sapa Inca 2) Nobles 3) Commoners

Sapa Inca or emperor ruled by divine right and was thought to be a descendant of the sun god, Inti. Could not be looked in the eye. He was carried on a litter and lived lavishly. The Sapa Inca had hundreds of wives selected from the Chosen Women, but his primary wife, the empress or Coya, was

• ne of his sisters.

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Nobles

Capac Incas highest nobles related to the emperor in charge of empire's lands and resources leaders of government, army and priesthood Curacas Lowest nobles Local leaders of conquered lands ruled over allyu had to learn Inca laws & language Commoners Bulk of population falls into this category. Work from age 5 until no longer able to

• work. Most were farmers or herders.

Pay taxes to the emperor in the form of goods and services. Men had to pay a duty tax: build roads, dig irrigation ditches, repair suspension bridges, serve in the army. Government would provide for those unable to work or supply areas from store houses when there was a shortage.

Commoners Knotted strings of many colors. recorded numbers of llamas, food supplies, days worked for duty tax, etc. every 10 households governed by a head who reported to other household heads. made it easier to collect taxes · state designated jobs (army, chasqui, etc.) · had to help with Inca projects (roads, etc.) · all contributed to the emperor's storehouses · descendant of Sun god, Inti · ruled by divine right · not allowed to look him in eye · did not walk as a mortal, carried in a golden litter. · married to empress, Coya Capac Incas- relatives of Sapa Inca controlled land and resources leaders of govt., army, & priesthood Most people were commoners. Most were farmers or herders. Had to work and contribute to emperor (taxes) Men paid mit'a or duty tax by giving service to government

Patterns of Culture Review

Artistic Patterns Stonework - built structures with cut stone that were so precise that you cannot push a razor blade between them. Goldwork - Emperor and his palace was decorated in elaborate gold work. Music - played panpipes and drums for social & religious ceremonies. Later banned by Spanish, none survived.

Fill in remainder of patterns for homework!