Located in the Andes Mountains on western coast of South America

Empire stretched from modern-day Ecuador in north to Chile in south; largest empire in the Americas

Macchu Picchu• 8,000 feet above sea-level, between 2

mountain peaks• Purpose is unknown

Cuzco (capital of empire, in southern Peru)

Ruled by an emperor Divided territory into

units w/ central bureaucracy Single language (Quechua) Built cities in conquered

areas, founded Incan schools

Social system based on form of community cooperation = the “ayllu”

Based on high-altitude agriculture Incan state controlled most

economic activity Demanded labor tribute from

subjects = “mita” (all able-bodied citizens had to work for state a certain number of days per year)

Similar to socialism or modern welfare system

Polytheistic Worshipped fewer gods than Aztecs Focused on key nature spirits (sun,

moon, stars, thunder) Inti = sun god = Incan ruler

considered a descendant of Inti Incans embalmed their dead

(believed in after-life, worshipped spirits of ancestors, mummies of Incan rulers treated as if still alive)

Originally lived in high plateau of Andes, finally settled in Valley of Cuzco

1200s C.E. = established small kingdom 1438 C.E. = Pachacuti became emperor,

Inca conquered all of Peru 1500 C.E. = Inca ruled empire 2,500

miles long (about 16 million people) Accomplished conquest through

diplomacy and military force

After death of ruler Huayna Capac, empire was split between 2 sons (dual emperors)

Worked for a while, then civil war began

Spanish arrived at end of civil war, conquered the Incan empire

Road system• 14,000 miles of roads and bridges

Calendar• 2 types (night and day = could track the

gods in charge of each day and time) Record-keeping system

• “Quipu” Never developed a writing system