Conquistadors: Inca Rebellion: Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 9-12
Curriculum Focus: World History
Lesson Duration: Three class periods
Program Description
Disease and civil war weakened the Inca Empire before Francisco Pizarro and his men came to
conquer. Conditions under Spanish rule were brutal, but the Inca staged one last rebellion to
recapture their pride and ancestral lands.
Onscreen Questions
Part I—Before watching the video
•
Pizarro and his fellow conquistadors brutally oppressed the Inca. As you watch the program,
think about how so few Spanish conquistadors could conquer so many indigenous people.
•
What are some factors that contributed to the downfall of the Inca?
Part I—After watching the video
•
Imagine the Internet as a means of communication in 1536. Design a Web site that Manco Inca
might have used to gain support for his cause and to expose the atrocities of the Spanish
conquistadors.
Part II—Before watching the video
•
As you watch the program, think about why Manco Inca waited so long to rebel.
•
What strategies did Manco Inca use to attack the Spanish?
•
What were some of the weaknesses in the Spanish defense and how did the Inca plan to exploit
these weaknesses?
Part II—After watching the video
•
Discuss the actions of the Spanish conquistadors from the time of Pizarro’s arrival in Peru to his
death in 1541.
•
What are some events that led to the Spanish victory and destruction of the Inca Empire?
Conquistadors: Inca Rebellion: Teacher’s Guide
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
•
Research and report on the Inca uprising from the point of view of either the conquistadors or
the Inca.
•
Write a short essay on whether this uprising and bloody clash of cultures could have been
avoided.
Materials
•
Computer with Internet access
•
Paper, pens, pencils
•
Print materials on the Inca rebellion
•
Library resources
Procedures
1. Engage students in a discussion of the Inca rebellion. Encourage them to consider the clash of
cultures from the point of view of both the Spanish conquistadors and the Inca. Make sure
students understand the following events:
•
Manco Inca was put into place as emperor of the Inca by Pizarro as a puppet ruler.
•
Manco Inca surprised the Spaniards by organizing a resistance.
•
Manco Inca was motivated to fight the Spaniards because he hated them after they
humiliated him.
2. Tell students they are going to work in groups to research both sides of the Inca rebellion and
then give a brief report to the class. As part of their research, students in each group should
answer these questions:
•
What was the goal or purpose of your assigned group (conquistadors or Inca)?
•
Who were some of the main characters involved in your group’s side of the resistance?
•
What kind of life was your group accustomed to?
•
In what ways did your group differ from the other group?
•
What advantages did your group have in this clash of cultures?
•
What disadvantages did it face?
•
In your opinion, what mistakes or errors of judgment did your group make?
3. Tell students that each group also should include in its report five or more direct passages or
quotations from research that back up an answer to a question or provide other information
about the group’s perspective. Suggest that students look for examples of a particular bias or
prejudice on the part of the writer.
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Conquistadors: Inca Rebellion: Teacher’s Guide
3
4. Divide the class into two groups; assign one Francisco Pizarro and the Spaniards, the other
Manco Inca and the Incas. If possible, have students use library resources as well as the Internet
for their research.
5. Direct the group focusing on the Spanish conquistadors’ role in the Inca uprising to the
following Web sites:
•
http://www.fll.vt.edu/culture-civ/spanish/texts/spainlatinamerica/pizarro.html
•
http://www.bruce.ruiz.net/PanamaHistory/francisco_pizarro.htm
•
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/inca.html
6. Direct the group focusing on the Inca rebellion to the following Web sites:
•
http://www.jqjacobs.net/andes/tupac_amaru.html
•
http://www.bookrags.com/books/hcpru/PART19.htm
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http://www.hc09.dial.pipex.com/incas/conquest-1537.shtml#top
•
http://www.famousamericans.net/mancoincayupanqui/
7. When the student groups have finished their research, have them give a brief report to the class,
answering the assigned questions and using appropriate passages as support.
8. As a final activity, have each student write a paragraph or short essay on whether they think the
Inca rebellion could have been avoided. Given the era and what was at stake, was it feasible that
the two sides could have reached a peaceful solution in spite of their cultural differences?
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students’ work during this lesson.
•
3 points: Students participated actively in class discussions; worked cooperatively and
effectively in their group and ensured that the assigned questions were answered clearly
and thoughtfully in the report; wrote a paragraph or short essay that presented clear
reasons for their opinion.
•
2 points: Students participated somewhat in class discussions; worked somewhat
cooperatively and effectively in their group and contributed somewhat to ensuring that the
assigned questions were answered clearly and thoughtfully in the report; wrote a paragraph
or short essay that presented somewhat clear reasons for their opinion.
•
1 point: Students did not participate in class discussions; did not work cooperatively or
effectively in their group to ensure that the assigned questions were answered clearly and
thoughtfully in the report; wrote a paragraph or short essay that lacked clear reasons for
their opinion.
Vocabulary
Almagro
Definition: Pizarro’s former partner who became his fiercest enemy during the Inca rebellion
Context: Manco Capac’s gravest mistake was to make Almagro his ally. In 1544, seven of
Almagro’s men assassinated Manco Inca.
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Conquistadors: Inca Rebellion: Teacher’s Guide
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Cuzco
Definition: The capital of the Inca Empire
Context: Cuzco was the site of the first Inca rebellion against the Spaniards.
Manco Inca
Definition: The Inca emperor who organized a resistance and fought the Spaniards from 1536
until his death in 1544
Context: Manco Inca staged two rebellions against the Spaniards, but ultimately the Inca were
defeated.
Francisco Pizarro
Definition: The Spanish conquistador who successfully defeated the Inca
Context: Francisco Pizarro and his brothers were successful in crushing the Inca rebellion.
Vilcabamba
Definition: A heavily forested, remote mountainous area of Peru to which Manco Inca retreated
in the midst of the Inca rebellion
Context: As Manco Capac and his followers retreated to Vilcabamba, they destroyed the roads
and bridges behind them in an attempt to prevent the Spaniards from pursuing them.
Academic Standards
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit link:
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
•
History—World History: Understands the economic, political, and cultural interrelations
among peoples of Africa, Europe, and the Americas between 1500 and 1750
•
Language Arts—Writing: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process,
Gathers and uses information for research purposes
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
NCSS has developed national guidelines for teaching social studies. To become a member of NCSS,
or to view the standards online, go to http://www.socialstudies.org
This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards:
•
Culture
•
Time, Continuity, and Change
•
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
•
Power, Authority, and Governance
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Conquistadors: Inca Rebellion: Teacher’s Guide
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Support Materials
Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools
offered on the Discoveryschool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a
Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more, visit
•
http://school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.