Inca Presentation

1. The Inca Empire

2. They lived in the Andes Mountains in South
America. They lived from 1400’s C.E. until 1532
when the Incas were conquered by the Spanish.

3. Inca Messengers
• The Inca Empire covered
2,500 miles.
• Used runners called
chaquis to give messages
to people in different places.
• Would travel up to 250
miles a day!
• When you were running,
you would find another
messenger who would give
you a string with knots in it.
– Knots helped you to
remember numbers, and
messages.
• Incas had no writing
system, so these messages
helped them keep track of
important records

4. Where did the Civilization come
from?
• Influenced by the
Moche and Chimu
civilizations of Peru
• These ancient
people built great
cities, roads, and
developed the
message system

5. Legend of the Incas
• Capital city is called
Cuzco. It is in the
valley of Peru.
• It is believed that the
Incans came from the
Sun God Inti
• He commanded his
son to rise out of Lake
Titicaca. His son then
became the ruler of
the Incas.

6. Empire ExpandsEmpire Expands
• Although the empire expanded, and
the Incas conquered more land, they
were attacked by the Chancas.
(Neighboring tribe)
• Another legend says that the stones
on the earth turned to warriors, and
this was how the Incas were able to
defeat their attackers.

7. Social Classes
• TOP =EMPEROR
– Named Sapa Inca, was
god-like
– Sat upon a gold litter, and
was carried by servants
– Against the law to look
him in the eyes
• MIDDLE=NOBLES
– Helped run government
– Controlled land,
resources, taxes
• BOTTOM=FARMERS
– Majority of society
– Farmed, built roads

8. Family Life
• Families belonged to
ayllus (groups) they
lived with
• Worked within a
communal land of
area where they
produced crops
• Each family member
had different
responsibilities
– Some dug ditches,
others planted
• WORKED AS A UNIT!

9. Young People• If you were a
commoner, you had no
formal education,
instead you learned
skills.
• If you were rich, you
had a tutor who taught
you religion, geometry,
public speaking, and
physical education!
• At 15, boys went
through a rite of
passage. They wore
loincloths and had to
pass month long tests of
courage. Once they
had proven themselves,
they became warriors.

10. Religious Beliefs
• Believed spirits lived in
sacred objects and
places. (Huacas: temples,
charms, nature, tombs)
• Had many priests to
perform religious
ceremonies
• Rarely sacrificed humans
(Only on sacred
occasions or during
natural disasters.)
• Sacrificed children
because their blood was
believed to be pure

11. Relations with Other People
• Incas did not always resort to war when
they encountered other groups of people in
their expanding empire. They tried to meet
with the tribe.
• They tried to compromise, and if the group
did not want to be part of the empire, then
war was declared.
• It was believed that the Incas tried to
conquer so much land because they
believed their leaders would rule the area
in the afterlife.