Incas Flashcards
Language (inca)
No written language
Since it was so large, it included a variety of languages, cultures and people.
When did the Inca empire arise?
12th and 13th centuries
By 1500 it stretched from Ecuador in the north to Argentina in the south
It was divided into 4 quarters or regions and the capital was Cuzco
Unification (inca)
- incas tried to unify different regions into the empire
- sent different rulers children to Cuzco to learn about Incan law and administration
- they took this knowledge back to native lands, and ruled themselves
- this was done in hope that they would marry rulers into families in other parts of the empire which would help unify it
Sentence explanation of each social class
Sapa inca- emperor, believed to be sun gods representative on earth, owned all land in empire, commanded army and was also the high priest
Nobility- rank depended on how many households owned and how closely related they were to Sapa inca. Allowed to wear large spool in earlobes and changed the shape of skulls at birth (made it conical, wrapped cloth tightly around)
Commoners- lived in villages and were farmers, sorcerers, merchants and military generals
Military
- compulsory for every male to join army
- had no iron or steel so weapons were made with wood or leather
- well developed network of roads, so army could travel around empire easily and quickly
Bureaucy
Non-elected officials who managed state affairs
Communication
Chasqui employed at different stations long road network of empire, passed verbal messages
Quipu
- form of communication
- recorded numerical information. Used by accountants and government officials
- it was destroyed by Spanish and within a short amount of time, no one could understand it
Location from farming
High in the Andes so flat field required as it was impossible to grow crops on slope
- built terraces which were large steps cut into hillside to make stretches of flat land at top of step
Mit’a
- compulsory labour that commoners had to pay as tribute to empire
- citizens worked for the empire for a set number of days while the remaining number of days were allowed for the families to support themselves through farming
- empire provided people with basic necessities
- mit’a would go towards public service and community projects
- men provided heavy labour
- women made ceramics, jewellery and textiles
- if citizens didn’t provide their mit’a service, they could be hanged, stoned to death or pushed off a cliff.
Redistribution
The state collected crops after harves and reallocated crops among citizens. No one was allowed to starve or go without clothing or basic necessities
Crime
- barely any crime as empire provided them with everything they needed
- stealing also meant stealing from the Sapa inca which was punished severely
- theft resulted in the removal of a hand or foot
Religion
- the Sapa inca resided in temple of the sun in Cuzco
- inti (sun god) was to whom the Sapa inca was supposed to be related to
