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Introducing The Inca: The Engineers of South America

Who were the Inca?They were a people who built a great civilization on the western coast of South America.The first Inca people lived in the area around Cuzco in modern-day Peru.In the early 1400s these people began conquering neighboring lands. The Sapa Inca (like a king or emperorr) ruled over more than 12 million people living on over 2000 square miles of land.By the late 15th Century, the Inca empire covered more than 2,500 miles, embracing almost all of modern Peru, most of Ecuador, much of Bolivia, and parts of Chile and Argentina

Worshipping the sun and the son

The ruler of the Incan civilization was known as the Sapa Inca, living son of Inti, the sun god. Just as no one can look directly at the sun, no one was allowed to look directly at the Sapa. If you did, you would be killed.Inti the sun god

The Empire of the SunLocated on the western coast of South America, in modern day Peru.By the 1530s, the Incas were the largest civilization in the Americas.There were 12 million people stretched over 2,000 miles.Their lands were diverse. Near the coast there were dry deserts, while snow fell in the Andes mountains. There were also the jungles of the Amazon.

Inca Life

What was it like to live in an Incan community?All families were members of a clan that farmed a specific piece of land.Most Incans made their living by farming. The potato was their biggest crop. Llamas were important because they were very strong and could carry a lot. However they were very stubborn animals. They used their wool for clothing and when they died they made them into llama jerky

For The Good of the EmpirePart of the workers time was spent for the Sapa Inca and the empire. While raising crops some went to the farmer and some went to the empire.The Inca people believed they were providing for the good of the people. Supplies were stored in warehouses for the elderly or in times of great need.He-Who Sees-Everything (what they called a government official/inspector) traveled to the inca villages to collect taxes, serve as matchmaker, and to collect information for the census.He-Who-Sees-Everything interviewed all the unmarried girls. He sent the good ones to be a wife to the Sapa Inca and the rest were given to an unmarried man.

Inca Engineering

What Did the Incas Build?The Royal Road: A 2.000 mile long road made to quickly send the army to outlying territories and for trade. It wasnt until the 1800s that a longer road was built. It was 24 feet wide.Bridges: In 1350, the Incas build a bridge over a steep river gorge call Apurimac. It was a hanging suspension bridge and the rope that suspended it had to be replaced every 2 years. It was in service for 500 years.Mountain staircases: In order to grow crops on the steep mountainside, the Incas used terraces. They were flat farm fields that were cut into the side of the mountain. Irrigation systems were put in to bring in water.

How to Survive Without a Phone, a Car, or Written LanguageThe Incas came up with a strategy for keeping records using pieces of string of various colors of different lengths with different knots in each string (the Inca called these quipu).

They also used messengers trained to run short distances at great speeds to carry news throughout the empire.Since they did not have written language, the messengers had to memorize the message. He would sprint to the next messenger a mile or more away and, while still running, he would recite the message to the next messenger who would immediately commit it to memory and carry it to the next messenger.The system was fast! A message could travel 150 miles a day! In the late 1860s, the famous poney express riders of the American West were only able to cover about 200 miles a day- and they rode on horseback!

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