Incan Civilization Test Review

What was the capital of the Incan Empire?

Cuzco

Be able to explain the Incas counting system.

The quipu had a main cord with many colored strings of different length and thickness tied to it. Each string had knots tied in it. A simple knot means one, while longer knots may show numbers up to nine. Red might be for soldiers, while yellow is for corn. The knots at the bottom stood for ones, and higher up knots stood for tens, hundreds, and thousands.

When were Inca religious festivals held and why?

The festivals were held each of the 12 months of their calendar. The Capac Raimi (December) was the most important and elaborate. Pauca Huaray (March) celebrated the ripening of the earth. Inti Raimi (June) was the festival of the sun. Uma Raimi (October) was the festival of water.

What animal was very important to the Inca Civilization?

The llama was important as it provided labor, wool, food and fuel.

Describe and explain huacas.

A Huaca was a sacred place or thing. They may be mummies of the dead, temples, holy places, or things of nature, such as mountains, springs, and stones. Each family had small statues in their home of huacas so they could have daily prayers.

Where would the citizens of the Inca Civilization gather in times of danger?

Fortresses near the city

Where was the Inca Civilization located? What was the center of the Inca Empire?

In the Andes Mountain Region (countries of Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina) off the coast of South America. Cuzco (present-day Peru) was the center of the Inca Empire.

Who was known as the Sun God?

Inti, the father of Inca rulers. Gold was his symbol.

What is the best-preserved Incan city?

Machu Picchu

What was the most important food to the Incas?

Potatoes, often called papa. There were over 40 different varieties.

Be able to describe the Incas road system. How many miles did it cover? How many major roads were there?

The Inca people built the road system (roads and bridges) through the labor tax (mita). The roads belonged to the government and no one could use the roads without special permission. No wheeled vehicles were allowed, and only llamas and persons walking were able to use the roads. The roads standard width was 24 ft. and they had side walls to keep out sand drifts. The roads stretched for more than 10,000 miles. There were 2 major roads: The Royal Road was 3,250 miles long and the Coastal Highway was 2,520 miles long.

What type of arts and crafts were most important to the Incas?

The Incas are most famous for their weaving, but they also developed skills in metal work as well (using gold, silver, copper and tin).

Describe the Runners, Roads, and Rope Bridges of the Inca.

The Incas built huts or relay stations along the roads. Runners would carry messages or packages from station to station. News could be carried over 150 miles in one day. The runner would blow on a conch shell to let the next runner know he was coming. The next runner would memorize the message and take the packages on to the next station. If the news was an emergency, the Incas would build bonfires to alert others. The Incas were master builders and made thousands of miles of a transportation system. They built hanging bridges across mountain gorges and rivers. These bridges were made of twisted or braided ropes. The cables of the bridge were anchored by stone pillars on each side. They made guardrails with smaller ropes and twigs were placed across the cables to form a floor.

Describe the Incan water systems.

The Incas dug canals to create irrigation systems. They also used aqueducts to provide water from the mountains to the terraces.

Be able to explain the importance of farming to the Incas and describe the type of farming that was used. What types of crops were grown?

The Incas used terrace farming. The men would break up the soil with sticks, the women followed and put the seed into the earth. The children would help by scaring off birds and other animals. Farming was the subject of many religious ceremonies. They made sacrifices to the rain god after the planting season. They planted potatoes, corn, tomatoes, avocados, peppers, strawberries, peanuts, cashews, squash, beans, pineapple, cacao, and other crops.

What was the title of the ruler of the Incan Empire? Be able to describe his life.

The Sapa Inca was the title of the ruler. The people worshiped the Inca as a god and he had absolute power. He had many wives, the main one being the queen. He may have 100's of children. He wore a crown and wore the finest of garments. He ate and drank only from gold plates and goblets. Servants carried him on a platform with a golden chair. Each new Inca had a new palace built and decorated it with gold.

What were the Incan buildings made of? Why were they so amazing?

The buildings were made from stones by skilled Stone Masons. They were amazing because the masons fit enormous stones of various sizes together. The stones fit perfectly together without mortar (not even the blade of a knife could fit between them), and they lasted for centuries.

What was a Quipu and why was it important?

The quipu was a counting system that used a base of ten. It helped them remember numbers, events, birthdays, crops and celebrations. It helped them keep records.

How did the Incas help to pay their labor tax (mita)?

They provided physical labor to build roads, bridges, and palaces.

What types of openings were made for doors and windows of the Inca buildings?

Trapezoidal openings

How have people been able to learn about Inca history?

We have learned of Inca history by studying ancient artifacts, drawings and writings from the Spanish.