The+Inca+Empire

__The Inca Empire__
//Christine Melcher//

The Inca were a powerful empire dating to AD 1438-1532, that both rose and fell from power quickly. They were centered around Cuzco Valley the northern part of South America, what is now Peru. Their territories also expanded throughout the western coast, from modern-day Ecuador to the northern part of modern-day Chile. They fell from power in 1532 after being taken over by Spanish conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizzaro.


 * Territorial reign**

The Inca began their expansion in the city of Cuzco, which is in modern-day Peru and is still a large city there. This city was a central hub for trading, agriculture, industry, religious practice, government, and more. The city also had an extensive set of road systems which went throughout the Inca territory, connecting all of the provinces. It went through various geographical locations such as the jungle, rope bridges through the mountains, and large peaks. The road system was an estimated 30,000 miles long. The elites in Cuzco used the road system to maintain control over the empire and have easy access to every end. It's also been suggested that the city of Cuzco was built in the shape of a puma, which was a sacred animal in the society.

From their they spread their empire along the Pacific coast, ending up with about 380,000 mi2, which is about the size of Egypt today. Their empire was divided into four districts: Chinchaysuyo, Contisuyo, Collasuyo, and Antisuyo.


 * Political hierarchy**

The Inca empire had a distinct political hierarchy that was in place. The ruler of the whole empire was the emperor, also referred to as the Inca. Their monarchy didn’t fully form until the emperor Pachacuti began ruling in 1438. He was the one who began the expansion of the empire further into South America, and set up the four provinces. His system of expansion consisted of sending a message to people in surrounding areas, and if they refused to surrender and join the Inca empire, he would send a battle their way. Emperors had control of all aspects of society. Next down on the totem pole were people called high priests, who were involved with religious worship in the empire. After that came the four Apus, whom each controlled one of the four districts of the empire.




 * Fall of the empi****re**

Several factors contributed to the fall of the Inca empire, the most prominent being the conquest of the Spanish conquistadors, beginning in 1532. However, beforehand, the Inca empire was already facing it’s own internal struggles. First off, their people were suffering from an epidemic of smallpox, leaving many weak and dying. There was also a civil war going on which was between two brothers. Both were sons of the prior emperor who had died, and thought they deserved the throne. The sons, Huascar and Atahualpa, had different mothers and therefore it was unclear who was the be the next emperor. War broke out, and thus with the combination of the small pox, the empire was in turmoil.

The Spanish returned to Peru in 1532 with permission from Spain to take over territory in South America. With the empire already split apart it was fairly easy for them to take control, finishing their conquest and taking down the last Inca regime in 1572.


 * Spain’s impact on Inca culture**

The Spanish, wanting to have complete authority over the area, attempted to destroy many artifacts and aspects of Inca society. They got rid of the Inca’s form of record-keeping, the Khipu, which was a system of string with notches. Along with physically ridding Inca objects, they changed their agriculture system and tried to convert everyone to Christianity. The Spanish repressed all Inca people, even Manco Capac, an Inca man who the Spanish appointed as the emperor, because they controlled everything he did as a ruler. As for the citizens of the Inca empire, most of them became slaves and used for manual labor. It was practically impossible for the Inca people to retain any aspects of their previous culture. They were forced to conform to the new Christian society being made around them. One part of Inca culture that was still used were their native languages of Quechua and Aymara, although the Spanish language was also implemented.


 * The Inca today**

There are still people of the Inca today that live in South America. Somewhere around 9-14 million speakers of Quechua and 2-3 million of Aymara use their native language. Other aspects of ancient Inca customs are visible, such as the use of llamas. In the 16th century, they were mostly used for transportation and trade; today they are less often used for transportation thanks to newer technology, but they are still important especially for their wool. Another custom that was passed down to the Incas of today were different art forms, primarily weaving. An important thing, especially in the daily lives of women, is to weave textiles, girdles, blankets, and more. This is clearly linked with ancient Inca, as archeologists have found intricate textiles from the wool of llamas. Generations of Inca descendants have held on to their culture, despite the rule, destruction and influence of the Spanish.

Citations:

Anitei, Stefan. "Inca: The Empire of the Sun - Softpedia." //Latest News - Softpedia //. 2001. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .

Feder, Kenneth L. //The past in Perspective: an Introduction to Human Prehistory //. New York: Oxford UP, 2010. Print.

"Inca Civilization." //Crystalinks //. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .

Means, Philip Ainsworth. //Fall of the Inca Empire and the Spanish Rule in Peru, 1530-1780 //. New York: Gordian, 1971. Print.

"National Geographic Photo Gallery: Peru Today." //National Geographic. // Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .

"The Incas: Weaving." //The Incas Civilization //. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .