Inca Civilization Essential Question How were both European

Inca Civilization

Essential Question How were both European and Native American cultures changed after European contact with the Inca? SS 6 H 1 a: Describe the encounter and consequences of the conflict between the Spanish and the Incas and the roles of Pizarro and Atahualpa.

Timeline Incas 1200 -1500 CE 1600 CE 0 Maya 300 -900 CE Aztecs 1100 -1521 CE

The Incas § Location: South America (Andes Mountains) – included parts of Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia and Argentina § Time Frame: 1200 CE to 1500 CE § Main City: Cuzco (in present day Peru) § At one time the empire spread 2, 500 miles

Religion § The Sun God, Inti, was a very important god to the Incas. § They believed Inti was their parent § Referred to themselves as children of the sun.

Roads & Hanging Bridges § The Inca built 19, 000 miles of roads. They belonged to the government. Permission was required to use the roads. § Messengers: Men would be told or given a message and would run to a “checkpoint” where they would pass the message along to the next messenger. This was the first version of a relay. § They also made hanging and pontoon bridges. Hanging bridges were made from weaving the fibers of the maguey plant.

Inca Agriculture § The Inca empire was located in the Andes mountains. § The Incas cut terraces into steep sides of mountains to create more farmland – § this kept soil from washing away § § The Incas built irrigation systems - channels designed to carry water from a mountain streams. Important crop – potato Used the first freeze-dried process which made it last for years and was easy to store

Language § The Inca did not have a written language § Inca government officials recorded information on knotted strings called quipus § Each quipu had a main cord with several colored strings attached to it. § Each color represented a different item

Llama, Llama § The Incas never invented the wheel, so they had no wheeled vehicles. They did not have horses or cows. § The llama was used for transportation. § It also provided the Incas with wool and food.

Machu Picchu § Inca city located at 7, 970 ft altitude on a mountain ridge in Peru § about 44 miles northwest of Cuzco § Machu Picchu is the most preserved city of the Inca Empire. § Explorers rediscovered it in 1911. It is often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas. "

Inca Empire Weakens § The Incan ruler, Huyayna Capac did not chose an heir before he died in 1525. § His sons fought to become the new ruler. § After 5 years of fighting, Atahualpa became new Inca leader. § But, the deadly conflict weakened the empire just as Pizarro arrived…

Pizarro Conquers the Incas § In 1531 Pizarro set sail with a small army of 180 Spanish soldiers for the Incan empire in search of gold. § Pizarro and the Inca leader, Atahualpa agreed to meet in a courtyard. § The Incas believed the Spanish might be gods, so they did not bring weapons. § The Spanish ambushed them and killed over 2, 000 Incas.

The Ransom § The Spanish captured Atahualpa and put him in prison. § Atahualpa promised to give the Spaniards mounds of gold (ransom) if they freed him. § The Inca paid up and but Pizarro’s men killed Atahualpa by strangulation in 1533.

The End of the Inca § By 1535 Pizarro had captured most of the Incan empire and the capital Cuzco. § How did this happen so fast? § Already weakened by civil war § Weapons (guns and cannons) § Diseases (smallpox, measles, and chicken pox) § Horses (the Native Americans were terrified of them)

The Inca under Spanish Rule § The Incas suffered terribly under Spanish rule § They could no longer practice their religion – were § § forced to become Catholics Spanish official punished Incas who rebelled Terraces and irrigation canals fell apart 8 out of 10 Incas died, killed by over-work, lack of food and disease The Spanish melted down most of the treasure from the Inca