The Inca Geography and Overview

The Inca Geography and Overview

  • Geography of the Incan Empire

    • Included diverse topography:

    • Coastal regions

    • Desert regions

    • Rainforests

    • Andean mountains (2nd highest mountains in the world) located in South America

  • Capital City of the Ancient Inca

    • Cusco/Cuzco was the capital city.

  • Technological Limitations

    • The Inca did not utilize the following:

    • Horses

    • Wheels

    • Written language

  • Ruler's Belief

    • The Inca believed their ruler was the son of the Sun.

    • The Spanish referred to all the Inca people as "Inca" because they called their ruler by this name.

  • Sun God

    • Inti: The most powerful god in the Incan pantheon, representing the Sun.

  • Utility of the Llama

    • The Inca employed llamas for multiple purposes:

    1. Cloth Production: They made cloth from llama wool.

    2. Food Source: They consumed llama meat.

    3. Fuel: Burned llama dung for fuel.

    4. Transport: Used llamas for carrying goods.

Inca Farming

  • Invention of Terrace Farming

    • Developed due to the mountainous environment where flat land was scarce.

    • Constructed steps using rock walls, filling each with broken rock topped with rich soil:

    • These terraces descended down the mountains.

  • Thermal Benefits of Rock Walls

    • Rock walls absorbed heat from the sun during the day and released it at night, aiding plant survival against cold temperatures.

  • Irrigation Systems

    • Employed gravity-based irrigation to maintain soil moisture during droughts and to manage drainage during rainy seasons.

  • Major Crops Grown by the Inca

    • The Inca cultivated four primary crops, referred to as the "big four":

    • Corn (Maize)

    • Potatoes

    • Quinoa

    • Beans

  • Food Storage and Starvation Prevention

    • Built ventilated storehouses to preserve harvested food using cool, dry air:

    • This practice ensured they could manage food distribution during failed growing seasons.

    • Government could safely transport food to drought or frost-affected areas.

Inca Infrastructure

  • Road System Ownership

    • The Incan road network was government-owned, primarily used for military movements throughout the empire.

    • Access Limitations:

    • Not all Incan citizens could use these roads; access was limited to nobles, military personnel, official couriers (roadrunners), and traders with permission.

  • Incan Bridges

    • The unique construction of Incan bridges relied on rope made from twisted and braided grass rather than metal.

    • Average lifespan of these bridges: 1-2 years.

  • Importance of Suspension Bridges

    • Crucial for cross-country travel, providing safe and quick passage over gorges and rivers.

  • Role of Runners

    • Acted as a message and package delivery system across the empire, also utilized for urgent communications, such as news of invasions.

Incan Labor and Economy

  • Labor Contributions

    • Required labor from every citizen; in return, they received free clothing, food, healthcare, and education.

    • Expected Compliance:

    • Noncompliance could result in severe penalties, including the death penalty via execution methods such as hanging or stoning.

  • Incan Tax System

    • Incan farmers were heavily taxed;

    • Specifically, they had to allocate ⅔ of their farmland for the ruler and temples dedicated to the Sun god, Inti.

  • Counting Device

    • Instead of a writing system, the Inca used quipu, which consists of knots on strings to represent numbers and account for records:

    • Note: No formal writing system existed.

Incan Achievements in Construction and Engineering

  • Stone Construction

    • The Inca excelled in creating large, precise stone buildings that could endure for centuries, especially despite frequent earthquakes.

    • Their structures, made of variously shaped stones, fit together without gaps, resembling a jigsaw puzzle:

    • No mortar was used in these constructions.

  • Engineering Innovations

    • Major engineering achievements included:

    1. Creation of advanced irrigation systems.

    2. Construction of 14,000 to 25,000 miles of roads.

    3. Development of terrace farming techniques.

    4. Mastery of precise geometric and measurement techniques for fitting stones together.

Incan Religion and Society

  • Religious Beliefs

    • Inti was the most significant deity, representing the Sun, with the emperor regarded as a descendant of Inti.

    • Incan temples were constructed to honor their deities, with luxurious decorations such as covered statues and walls lined with gold.

  • Machu Picchu

    • Location: Found in Peru.

    • Significance: Served as a summer retreat for the royal family; remarkably, it was preserved from destruction or discovery by the Spanish, allowing for archaeological learning about Incan culture.

Decline of the Inca Empire

  • Conquest by the Spanish

    • The Incan Empire experienced a dramatic decline following the conquest led by Francisco Pizarro.

    • Following deceptive tactics to trap the Incan emperor Atahualpa, Spanish soldiers launched a surprise attack while firing cannons.

  • Impact of Disease

    • The spread of smallpox introduced by the Spanish had a devastating impact, leading to a population decline of approximately 80% within a decade due to overwork, disease, and food shortages.