The+Incas


 * The Incas**

__**Civilization Overview**__


 * Capital: ** Cusco


 * Population: ** 12million


 * Area: ** 800000 square km


 * Time: ** 13th century- 15th century

-had laws -religious people(reincarnation,Gods,Godesses)
 * Where: ** West Coast of South America

-architecture was well-advanced,so architects were renowned and respected
 * -Hierarchy: ** Emperor,nobles,priests and relatives of emperors,craftsmen and architects,working class,slaves

-had medicine -often used cocaine
 * -Materials used by them: ** textile,ceramics(painted),metals(gold,silver etc.)


 * -Armor: ** Shields,helmets


 * -Weapons: ** spears,swords,axes

-potato,beef,corn
 * -Food: ** dry-freezed the food to preserve

__**General History**__

The Inca Empire,was the largest empire in South America.The political, social and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization began in around the 13th century. The Incas spoke Quechua throughout their empire,but due to the different tribes hundreds of dialects of Quechua were spoken and almost none were the same. The Inca referred to their empire as Tawantinsuyu which means, The Four Regions. Since the Inca lacked a written language most of the known history is gathered from Quipus, ceramics, and the oral history translated from generation to generation.



__** Expansion **__

From 1438 to 1533, Throughout the time that their empire stood the Incas had a very sophisticated government and military that allowed them to conquer many of the surrounding tribes and expand into greater parts of South America. They used many different methods peaceful and otherwise to create an empire, centered on the Andean mountain ranges, they encompassed much of Ecuador, Bolivia, parts of Argentina, northern Chile, and a small portion of Colombia.

__**Religion**__ The Inca nation encouraged local worship, but the Inca leadership pushed the worship of Inti—the sun god—. Very important to their religion, the Incas considered their King, the Sapa Inca, to be the "child of the sun. They thought that all their leaders were all gods sent to lead them unto further greatness. They also believed in reincarnation. Reincarnation is basically the idea that once the soul or spirit leaves the body it returns to find life back on earth in another human body. A polytheistic society they believed in more than just the "sun god". In fact, these are all the gods and deities they worshiped.

Viracocha (also Pachacamac) - Created all living things

Apu Illapu - Rain God, prayed to when they need rain

Ayar Cachi - Hot-tempered God, causes earthquakes

Illapa - Goddess of lightning and thunder (also Yakumama water goddess)

Inti - sun god and patron deity of the holy city of Cuzco (home of the sun)

Kuychi - Rainbow God, connected with fertility

Mama Kilya - Wife of Inti, called Moon Mother

Mama Occlo - Wisdom to civilize the people, taught women to weave cloth, and build houses

Manco Cápac - known for his courage and sent to earth to become first king of the Incas, taught people how to grow plants, make weapons, work together, share resources, and worship the Gods

Pachamama - The Goddess of earth and wife of Viracocha, people give her offerings of coca leafs and beer and pray to her for major agricultural occasions

Qochamama - Goddess of the sea

Sachamama - Means Mother Tree, goddess in the shape of a snake with two heads

Yakumama - Means mother Water, represented as a snake, when she came to earth she transformed into a great river (also Illapa)

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__** Technology **__

The Incas were very technologically advanced for their time period; much more advanced than the tribes that they surrounded. Architecture was the most important of all the Inca technology. For example, with intricate stonework Machu Picchu still stands today and was constructed by Inca architects.

Machu Picchu has suffered from mountaintop erosion and mudslides and the ruins still stand today.

Also, their engineering of roadways and solid town structures was one of the reasons for their rapid expansion.

__**The End of the Inca Empire**__

In 1526 Francisco Pizarro and a small company of men stumbled upon the Inca civilization after an exploration of modern day Panama. After receiving word from the Queen, the Spaniards attacked an easily conquered a weakened Inca nation. The Incas had just been in the midst of a civil war between brothers on which one would lead the nation and that had depleted the military forces of the Inca into basically nothing. Also smallpox and other disease spread from Central America had recently reached the land a had killed off a population of 37 million by half. Although their weapons and armor were advanced for their surrounding tribesmen the Spaniards had an obvious advantage and wiped them all out.



__** Facts… **__ The Incas dominated a large area of land in what is now modern day Peru. They lacked a written language, but were pioneers in early phonograph recordings, predating Thomas Edison by hundreds of years.

Francisco Pizarro is believed to have conquered the Incas with 180 men, 1 cannon and only 27 horses.

Unlike the Mayans and Aztecs, the Incas were quite agriculturally advanced, having developed a system of irrigation to rival their European counterparts.