Inca Empire
Nick Pasinato & Titus Theis
About the Empire
• The Inca empire ranged from Colombia to
Chile and reached west to east from the
Atacama desert to the Amazonian rain forest.
• The empire lived on top of the mountains and
carved gardens into it’s sides. They had roads
and bridges connecting t he empire together.
This affected the empire by making it difficult
for enemies to reach the cities.
Inca Religion
•
The Inca worshipped the dead, ancestors,
founding culture heroes,
• they conquered, they did bring their gods to
those peoples by incorporating them in law
such as required sacrifice. The Inca attempted
to combine their deities with conquered ones
in ways that raised the status of their own.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire
Achievements in the Empire
• Drums and flutes were
very popular
• Systems of
Measurement/ Quipus:
Using a base of ten, the
quipus had a main
string about two feet
long.
• Things they did NOT
invent: The wheel, a
system of writing
http://incas.mrdonn.org/inventions.html
Google images/inca/.com
Achievements in the Empire
• Achievements important to the
success of the Inca Empire:
• Communication: (roads, runners)
• Specialized Professions
(engineers, metal workers, stone
masons, other artisans)
• Service Tax (huge free labor force)
• Technology (terrace farming,
surplus crops, irrigation systems)
• Strong Central Government (all
powerful Inca, strict laws, basic
needs satisfied)
Government
• The region was divided into four states. While the Inca
Empire had no codified set of laws. Each individual state had
it’s own government, which reported to the emperor and had
it’s own laws in that state. Similar to the Pharaohs of Egypt,
the emperor was believed to be descended from gods.
• Laws were simple and strict. “Do not be lazy, do not lie, do not
steal”. Punishments were to make a point to the states and
subjects as a way to enforce the laws. If a man stole, he would
be maimed. If he lied, his tongue would be cut off. These laws
are also similar to Hammurabi's code: “An eye for an eye,
tooth for tooth”
Political Structure
• The political structure of the Incas was complex and tightly
controlled.
• The Emperor was the supreme ruler of the state. The empire
was divided into four quarters known as the four Suyus.
• Hence the Incas called their empire Tahuantinsuyu, which
means 'land of the four quarters'.
• Each quarter was placed under a governor who reported
directly to the king.
• The king ruled the Inca Empire from his seat in the capital city
of Cuzco. These governors were blood relatives of the king.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-incacivilization.html
Political Structure
• . Under every governor there were 10 district
governors, each having 10,000 peasants. The
offices were further divided with smaller units
of peasants under each official of descending
rank. At the lowest level, an official had only
10 peasants under him.
Economics in the Empire
• Economics varied from state to state, but they kept
taxes the same by law of the emperor.
• They had to pay taxes in either money or crops, or in
manual labor/ military works. In return the empire
provided security and shelter for the people.
• Barter was present and may have been result of
their location, high points on the mountains may
having more minerals and stronger stone while lower
points having richer soil and more water for crops.
Economics in the Empire
•
The Incas traded bronze, animals, crops, and
different tools to each state in turn for money or
other materials.
• Higher points on the empire grew crops like
potatoes and lower points grew corn and raised
llamas.
• The government controlled the economy and
maintained trade. They also stored surplus goods
and leftover crops for times of need so the different
states wouldn’t get hungry or starve in times such as
the winter.
Social Structure in the Inca Empire
• Social Structure was different in each area in the
empire. Though they generally kept the same idea.
• First was the Sapa Inca (The Emperor).
• Next was nobles, people related to the emperor,
priests, or members of the government in that area.
• Third was the artisans and craftsmen. While in the
middle of the social pillar, they were treated the same
as nobles due to the respect they earned for providing
shelter, transport, and temples for the priests and
other members in the community.
Social Structure in the Empire
• Fourth came the farmers, who were
respected, but respected highly by priests
because of providing food to store for times of
hardship. However farmers stayed in their
own separate structure.
• Last were the peasants or slaves, who helped
the farmers manage their land and crop.
Citations
• Images came from google images.
• Information came from wikipedia.