The Incas

Rise of Inca Empire

Untitled Slide

• vast, well-organized
• about 2,500 miles
• adopted ideas and institutions from earlier cultures
• like the Moche and Chimu
• they conquered the Chimu in 1470

beginning of empire

• capital was Cuzco
• legend says that Manco Capac founded the tribe
• from his father, the sun god
• began expanding in 1438 while they were attacked by Chancas
• subdued major groups in the central Andes; by 1500s covered 350,000 square mi

Class structure

emperor

• called Sapa Inca
• complete authority
• everything belonged to him
• servants carried him on a gold litter
• had many wives; main was called Coya who was a full sister

nobles

• gifts of land, servants, llamas, and clothing
• did not pay taxes, men could marry more than one wife
• 3 classes of nobles: Capac Incas, Hahua Incas, and curacas
• Cupac Incas: relatives of emperor
• Hahua Inca: did not share royal blood

Untitled Slide

• curacas: leaders of people conquered by Incas
• Cupac Incas were the highest ranking; controlled land and valuable resources
• Hahua Incas staffed government's complex bureaucracy
• Curacas collected taxes and made sure everyone followed laws and customs

commoners

• most were either herders or farmers
• men alos built roads; women might weave clothes
• grew squash, peppers, peanuts, corn, and potatoes
• They were required to give most of their crops to government
• food was distributed to warriors, priests, and people in need

Family Life

Life in the Ayllu

• Groups of families belonged to clans called ayllus.
• owned farming land and homes that belonged to government
• Everyone had responsibilities to the ayllu/government
• leaders assigned work to members: repairing roads, build storehouses, work in mines
• The Sapa Inca received one third of everything the ayllu produced

Childhood

• learned responsibilties early in life
• like tasks around the house
• girls took care of babies,cooked, and made clothing
• boys helped in fields and watched animals
• children of commoners learned skills and customs from elders, instead of tutors

Untitled Slide

• sons of commoners were trained to serve the emperor
• boys of nobles had amautas, or tutors who taught religion,
• math, military strategy, public speaking, and physical training
• They had to pass month-long tests about strength, courage and discipline
• then they would be rewarded with loyalty and weapons of an Inca warrior

Marriage

• male commoners only married one wife
• men married at 20; girls could marry at 16
• were usually married to people on their ayllu
• the curaca would hold a "marriage market" where the men chose their brides
• when they agreed, they would exchange sandals

Untitled Slide

• Married commoners then established their own homes
• with one room made of adobe or stone.
• Nobels had fancy houses with several rooms
• commoners had to get their own food and clothing
• while nobels had servants

RELIGION

Religious beliefs

• believed in many gods for different aspects of nature
• Examples: Illapu: weather god/Paca Mama: Earth Mother
• they believed that the power came from supreme god: Viracocha
• most important was Inti, the sun god-agriculture:basis of life; was emperor's descendant
• believed in spirits called huacas that dwelled in temples and nature; afterlife

religious practices

• Priests worked at temples and shrines devoted to gods
• especially those dedicated to Inti
• they offered sacrifices regularly; like throwing corn into a fire for the sun to appear
• sacrifices animals and people for purity
• priests performed divination to predict the future; like when army might attack

DECLINE OF INCA EMPIRE (1500s)

• The spanish arrived are fought against Incas.
• They brought sicknesses with them.
• They killed Atahualpha, ruler of the Inca at that time.
• It was destroyed over the years when Incas were forced to give up their traditions.
• The Incas were worked to death.

the end