Lesson 29: The Incas

• Inca period


  1400's-1532 C.E.
• Chasquis


  runners who relayed messages between different parts of the Incan territoy
• The Chimus


  • northern Peru (1300s-1400s)
  • built cities
  • irrigation methods
  • preserved the artistic Moches traditions
  • built roads
  • message system w/ runners
• Incas


  people of culture in the Andes Mountains of South America that arose in the 1400s C.E. and lasted until 1532
• Manco Capac


  the son of Inti, founded the Inca tribe (legend)
• Inti


  sun god
• Yupanqui


  • son of the Incan emperor
  • led an army against the Chancas and seized the throne
  • expanded the empire with his son on conquests
• Quipus


  consisted of knots and strings that stood for numbers, helped messengers memorize words since there was no written language
• Roads


  • two main ones connected by several smaller ones
  • 25,000 miles, stations at every 15-30 miles
  • vital for communication
• Present-day South American counties included in the Inca Empire:


  Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina
• Emperor


  • Sapa Inca
  • descended from Inti
  • everything belonged to him
  • many spouses and children (one primary wife = Coya)
• Nobles


  *Capac Incas, Hahua Incas, Curacas

  • land, servants, llamas, fine clothing
  • excused from taxes
  • multiple wives
• Capac Incas nobles


  • highest-ranking
  • controlled land and vital resources
  • important posts in the government, army, & priesthood
• Hahua Incas nobles


  incas by privilege
• Curacas nobles


  • local leaders of conquered peoples
  • collected taxes
  • inspectors
• Commoners


  • farmers and herders
  • supported the government through labor and help on gov-sponsored projects
  • most of potato crops and others went towards the government that gave it to people in need
• Incas originally from Cuzco (Incans by blood) were superior to those who weren't.
• Ayllu


  an Incan clan (group of related families) the basic unit of Incan society
• Work in Incan clans was made sure to be completed by...

  ayllu leaders
• Curacas nobles had aut control on the __________ in an ayllu.


  households
• Members of an ayllu worked the communal land the government gave them. Men worked on government projects and farmed crops. Taxes were paid in the form of labor and food.
• Amautas


  taught religion, geometry, history, military strategy, public speaking, and physical training to sons of nobles
• Sons of nobles


  • had tutors (amautas)
  • age 15, pass a month-long test of courage, strength, and discipline
  • swore loyalty to the Sapa Inca, received weapons of a warrior
• mit'a


  public tax that Incan men were required to pay by participating in government projects
• Incan marriages were arranged by the couple, the couple's families, or the local curaca noble within the ayllu
• Young men and women remained at home until they were...

  married
• Male commoners married only


  ONE wife
• Percentages of ayllu's produced supplies:

  1/3 - the Sapa Inca

  1/3 - Incan temples

  1/3 - commoners
• Commoner children only learned the skills they needed in later life instead of attending school.


  True
• Process of Incan arranged marriages


  (Men were 20 and Women were 16)

  1. Couple agrees to marry and exchanges their sandals
  2. Couple establishes their home within the ayllu
• Illapu


  weather god, rain giver
• Paca Mama


  Earth Mother
• Mama Cocha


  goddess of the sea
• Virachocha


  the creator of the world
• Reasons why the Incans worshipped Inti:


  1. it was believed Sapa Inca's family descended from the sun god
  2. Inti was also the god of agriculture (the basis of Incan life)
• Huacas


  nature-based temples, charms, places, or tombs and dead bodies in which Incans believed spirits dwelled; Incans prayed and made offerings to them
• Oracle


  a person through whom a god or spirit is believed to speak about the future
• Ways Incans worshipped Inti:


  • threw corn on the fire
  • animal sacrifice
  • occasional human sacrifice (sacred times or natural disasters)
• Divination helped the Incas decide upon a...


  course of action
• Mamaconas


  convent teachers