III. The IncaIII. The Inca

A. Andean A. Andean CivilizationCivilization

1. In the Peruvian Andes

3. CuzcoCuzco: ancient Incan capital (11,000 ft. above sea level)

4. language: QuechuaQuechua

Machu PicchuMachu Picchu

Incan MummiesIncan Mummies

B. EconomicB. Economic1. agricultural & pastoral

2. terrace farming in mountains

3. potatoes, maize, beans, coca leaves, guinea pigs

4. domesticated llamas & alpacas

5. pottery

Incan Ceramic Incan Ceramic JarsJars

PeanutPeanut PotatoPotato SquashSquash

Cacao God

Cacao God

CornCorn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coca.jpg

6. large professional army

7. intricate road system

8. peasants owed compulsory labor to the state - mitamita system

C. SocioculturalC. Sociocultural1. Rigid hierarchical society:

− rulers (el Inca)− aristocrats/military elite− priests− small merchant class− peasants

2. Religion:

− Inti: sun god, owns all property– little human sacrifice

D. PoliticalD. Political1. Military expansionism

– professional standing army

2. most united empire in the Americas!

– large bureaucracy– unified language– roads/bridges− quipusquipus (knots for

counting)− chasquis (runners)

The Quipu: An Incan Database

I. Southwest of U.S.I. Southwest of U.S.

1. present-day Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado

2. Hohokam culture (pottery & irrigation)

3. The Anasazi used large-scale irrigation with sophisticated weaving & pottery

4. Hopi & Pueblo built “adobeadobe” shelters

II. Mississippian CultureII. Mississippian Culture

1. Chiefdom tradition

2. cities built on large platform large platform mounds mounds & buried dead in mounds

3. city of Cahokia

Pre-Columbian Pre-Columbian Comparisons:Comparisons:Aztecs Maya Inca

Economics

Society

Politics

Pre-Columbian Pre-Columbian Comparisons:Comparisons:

A. Politically :A. Politically :

1. Expansion

– Maya: slaves– Aztec: military expansion for territory, sacrifices– Inca: religious

2. Centralization– Maya: city-states– Aztec: Tenochtitlan; NO bureaucracy– Inca: most centralized (big bureaucracy)

B. Socially:

1. All 3:

– peasant majority– slavery of conquered peoples– women subordinate except

• inherit land• commerce

2. Maya & Aztecs: merchant class Aztec: warrior elite Inca: religious elite, god-king (el Inca)