Inca Civilization PPT made on our 3rd year History class. There are videos in the PPT and they will just automatically play (download file for best viewing)
4. A Little History
At first, the Incas were simply a small
tribe that lived in the city of Cuzco.
They worshiped gods of nature. They
believed in omens and dreams. Around
1430 C.E, a neighboring tribe
attacked the Incas.
The Incas won! That was the
beginning of the Inca Empire.
6. GEOGRAPHY
ANDES
MOUNTAINS
* North to south were the
Andes Mountains - home
of the Inca civilization.
* The mountains dominated
Incan society.
* The mountain peaks were
worshiped as gods.
7. GEOGRAPHY
* The Andes created a
natural barrier between
the coastal desert on
one side and the jungle
on the other.
* The snow-capped
mountains were full of
deep gorges.
8. GEOGRAPHY
* The Inca built bridges
across the gorges so
they could reach all
parts of their empire
quickly and easily.
* These mountain gorges
were natural barriers. If
an enemy approached,
the Incas could simply
burn the bridges.
9. GEOGRAPHY
AMAZON JUNGLE
* On one side of the Andes
was the Amazon jungle.
* The Incas must have
entered the jungle
occasionally, as they did
know about the many
valuable things that could
be found in the Amazon,
like wood and fruit and
natural medicines.
10. GEOGRAPHY
* But they never established
settlements there. They
had no desire to live in the
jungle.
* The Incas expanded north
and south instead.
11. GEOGRAPHY
COASTAL
DESERT
* Between the mountains
and the Pacific Ocean is a
coastal desert 2000 miles
long and between 30-100
miles wide.
12. GEOGRAPHY
* The desert provided a
wonderful natural barrier.
* There are fertile strips
where small rivers and
streams run from the
Andes mountaintops to
the sea.
14. RELIGION
* Practiced several
polytheistic religions
* Viracocha was the
creator of the Sun, the
Moon and the Stars.
15. GOVERNMENT
Sapa Inca
*Inca : means emperor
*Sapa :means the only emperor
- The Sapa Inca ruled everything and owned
everything. The Inca was not just a ruler. The Inca
was believed to be a direct descendant of the sun
god, Inti.
16. ARCHITECTURE
* The Incas built the best planned cities in the
ancient Americas.
* Most Incan cities did not have walls around
them.
* The Incas build beautiful cities.
* The architecture was formal yet simple.
18. CONTRIBUTIONS
Calendar
* Each calendar month
hosted a different religious
festival.
* The Incan calendar was
divided into 12 months.
Each month was divided
into 3 weeks. Each week
had 10 days.
19. CONTRIBUTIONS
Musical Instruments
* They invented many wind
and percussion
instruments.
* Drums and flutes were
very popular.
* The panpipe was the most
popular.
20. CONTRIBUTIONS
Systems of
Measurements:
Quipus
* Using a base of ten, the
quipus had a main string
about two feet long.
* The quipus allowed
messages to be carried by
the Inca runners from one
end of the empire to the
other.
21. ACHIEVEMENTS
Important to the success of the Inca
Empire:
* Communication : roads, runners
* Specialized Professions :engineers,metal
workers, stone masons, other
artisans
22. ACHIEVEMENTS
* Service Tax :huge free labor force
* Technology : terrace farming, surplus
crops, irrigation systems
* Strong Central Government: all powerful
Inca, strict laws, basic needs satisfied