Lesson 4: The lncas

Key Idea

High in the Andes mountains, many groups of people had already developed advanced farming and building skills. In the 1400s, a powerful group known as the Inca began to unite these peoples, creating a vast and organized empire that stretched for thousands of miles.

This empire was managed by a strong central government. It built an incredible network of roads and canals, controlled resources, and stored food to make sure its people did not starve. This system allowed the Inca to manage huge territories and populations long before Europeans arrived.

Key Idea

To rule their vast empire, the Incas built a complex road system through the Andes Mountains. These roads allowed the government to move armies, transport goods, and connect distant parts of the empire to the capital city of Cuzco.

Along these roads, a relay system of runners called chasquis carried messages from one end of the empire to the other. Since the Incas had no written language, officials used a quipu, a device of knotted strings, to record important information like population counts and taxes.

Key Idea

Incan society had a strict social hierarchy with three main classes. At the very top was the emperor, the Sapa Inca. He was considered a living god and held absolute power over the empire.

Below the emperor were the nobles. This class included high-ranking officials and local leaders who helped manage the government. They enjoyed a life of luxury and did not have to pay taxes.

Key Idea

Incan society was built upon the ayllu, a community of families who lived and worked together. Members of an ayllu shared land, animals, and crops. This system functioned like a large extended family that took care of its own members from birth until death.

Commoners paid taxes through labor in a system called the mit'a. They worked on state lands to grow food for the emperor, priests, and the army. This communal work ensured that everyone in the empire was provided for and that the state had the resources it needed to function.