The Inca were ahead of their time with lots of technology that helped them build an amazing civilization that we remember today. The Inca would take technology that was old and turn it into their own modified, better version. They also made their own technology like roads, quipus, irrigation for farming, and intricate metalwork.
One area the Incas used their technology was in the area of architecture. There are very heavy earthquakes where the Inca were. Many of our buildings fall, but the Inca structures stay standing. That shows that the Inca had a good sense of how to build. That's +1 for The Inca! Inca Points: 1.
The Inca used technology in farming to make it easier to feed a civilization. They perfected reservoir technology, they drained or filled swamps, and channeled water into the deserts with their irrigation technology (George, page 32). The Inca also wanted to make their farms on flat ground, but the only flat ground was at an angle, aka a mountain. They decided to make it work for them by shaping the land to make terraces. Terraces were like giant steps that the Inca planted their crops on. Many Inca terraces are still used today. And that's another point for them. Inca Points: 2.
The Inca were pretty advanced in math. The Inca accountants did math by using quipus. Their quipus kept track of population, farming, taxes and trade. The quipus were made by putting cotton or wool strings of different color and length on bigger horizontal ropes (Baquedano, page 43). The quipus also made it easy for the accountants to keep track. The Inca also made standard units for weight, volume, distance and area. And that's 3 points for The Inca! Inca Points: 3
One area the Incas used their technology was in the area of architecture. There are very heavy earthquakes where the Inca were. Many of our buildings fall, but the Inca structures stay standing. That shows that the Inca had a good sense of how to build. That's +1 for The Inca! Inca Points: 1.
The Inca used technology in farming to make it easier to feed a civilization. They perfected reservoir technology, they drained or filled swamps, and channeled water into the deserts with their irrigation technology (George, page 32). The Inca also wanted to make their farms on flat ground, but the only flat ground was at an angle, aka a mountain. They decided to make it work for them by shaping the land to make terraces. Terraces were like giant steps that the Inca planted their crops on. Many Inca terraces are still used today. And that's another point for them. Inca Points: 2.
The Inca were pretty advanced in math. The Inca accountants did math by using quipus. Their quipus kept track of population, farming, taxes and trade. The quipus were made by putting cotton or wool strings of different color and length on bigger horizontal ropes (Baquedano, page 43). The quipus also made it easy for the accountants to keep track. The Inca also made standard units for weight, volume, distance and area. And that's 3 points for The Inca! Inca Points: 3
THe Rise and fall of the inca
Rise: Around
2500 BC, they stopped moving around and started farming. Lots of
different civilizations formed before the Incas. Civilizations like the
Chavin, the Paracas, the Nazca, and the Chimu. The Chimu had built a
city called Chan Chan. The city was important because it was very
advanced in many ways such as irrigation. The Incas took that
technology. The Inca started to grow their civilization by conquering
some civilizations like the Chavin and Chimu.
Height: The Inca Empire was the largest civilization of its time (wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire). The emperor had full power- he was treated like the son of a god, in this case the Sun God. The capital and sacred city was Cuzco. The only type of currency was trade. The government always gave tools, and seed and food for everybody. The government required people work a certain number of days each year. Farmers gave their food to the government so the government could give it away. They were very advanced in farming, building, and keeping track of stuff. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/south-american-history/incas.htm).
Fall: The Inca Empire for two big reasons: a fight and a conqueror. After Emperor Capac dies of a disease, his two sons Atahualpa and Huascar, fight over the throne. Around the time when Pizarro comes, Atahualpa takes the throne and becomes emperor. After Pizarro takes Cusco, the city of the Inca, he kills Atahualpa and makes his brother Manco the emperor, because Manco cooperated with the Spanish. The city was then taken by the Spanish and Manco began to rule from a city in the mountains for 36 more years. In the end, the Spanish took the city in the mountains and killed Manco's son, Tupac Amaru. Tupac was the end of the Inca rule.
Height: The Inca Empire was the largest civilization of its time (wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire). The emperor had full power- he was treated like the son of a god, in this case the Sun God. The capital and sacred city was Cuzco. The only type of currency was trade. The government always gave tools, and seed and food for everybody. The government required people work a certain number of days each year. Farmers gave their food to the government so the government could give it away. They were very advanced in farming, building, and keeping track of stuff. (http://history.howstuffworks.com/south-american-history/incas.htm).
Fall: The Inca Empire for two big reasons: a fight and a conqueror. After Emperor Capac dies of a disease, his two sons Atahualpa and Huascar, fight over the throne. Around the time when Pizarro comes, Atahualpa takes the throne and becomes emperor. After Pizarro takes Cusco, the city of the Inca, he kills Atahualpa and makes his brother Manco the emperor, because Manco cooperated with the Spanish. The city was then taken by the Spanish and Manco began to rule from a city in the mountains for 36 more years. In the end, the Spanish took the city in the mountains and killed Manco's son, Tupac Amaru. Tupac was the end of the Inca rule.
Map of Inca Land at their height