Unit: Civilizations in the Americas

Lesson Title: The Inca Empire(See textbook pages 422-426)

The Inca Empire arose in the 1400s and lasted until the 1530s. In the 1500s the empire stretched almost the length of the Andes mountains in South America for 2,500 miles.

The Incas began as a small tribe living in the Andes.

They had learned how to adapt to their challenging environment from earlier societies that lived in their region like the Chavín.

What kind of challenges did they face?

Steep mountain terrain and high altitudes were key challenges for the Incas.

What were the adaptations of the Incas? How did they differ from the Aztecs living in Tenochtitlán?

A ruler named Pachacuti led the Incas in becomingan empire in the mid-1400s.

Cuzco today (in Peru)

Pachacuti conquered other tribes or made agreements with them. He established an official religion and built a capital city in Cuzco.

At its height in the 1500s, the Inca Empire had 12 million people.

What would be needed to hold an empire together that is so large geographically and has so many people?

In class reading activity

Read “Central Government and Language” and “Economy” on pages 424-425.

Answer these questions:

1. List three things the Incas did to strengthen their empire.

2. What was “Quechua”?

3. Describe Inca farming (the crops they grew and animals they raised and why).

The Inca Empire depended upon:

--a strong central government based in its capital with local leaders who were faithful to the empire;

--a common language;

--roads that connected places where people lived;

--a “controlled” economy where people worked for the government and the government owned farms and mines and distributed goods to the people.

How is this similar to, and different from,

our modern society in the United States?

Although the Incas had built a large empire, they were conquered by a small group of Spaniards—much like the Aztecs.

Conquistador Francisco Pizarro, in search of gold and wealth, met the Aztec ruler, Atahualpa, in 1532.

The meeting did not go well for the Incas!

In class reading activity #2

Read “Pizarro Conquers the Incas” and the “Biographies” on pages 425-426.

1. Summarize the story of Pizarro conquering the Incas by listing the 4 most important events.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Do you think Pizarro attacked Atahualpa because he refused to accept Christianity? Why or why not?

Right Side Notebook ActivityYou are an Aztec living in 1532. You were born in

Tenochtitlán a few years before Cortés conquered

your people in 1521. Your family fled Mexico and

migrated far south to Quito (see the map on page 423).

Your parents have told you the story about Cortés. Now

Pizarro’s men have come through your area and are

headed south to meet Atahualpa. You decide to warn

Atahualpa about what this means for the Incas.

Write a warning letter to Atahualpa. Advise him on how

to deal with Pizarro and his few hundred soldiers. Use

your knowledge of Aztec history for suggestions on

defending the Incas against the Spanish. (See page 426.)

Use illustrations to help Atahualpa understand you.