Name: Nathan Briggs Period: 1

Inca Empire Reading Notes

Class Structure, pp. 292-293

1. What were the advantages of being identified as “Inca by blood”?
Held higher status than non-Incas.

2. a) Who held the top position in Inca class structure? b) From whom did the Incas believe he received
the authority to rule?
a) The Emperor b) The Sapa Inca who was descended from Inti, the sun
god

3. What were the powers/privileges of being Sapa Inca? List several.

- Had fine gardens
- Had golden statues
- Had jars made of gold and silver studded with emeralds
- Were carried everywhere on a golden litter
- Could have many wives and hundreds of children

4. What were the powers/privileges of being a noble? List several.

- Received gifts of land
- Received gifts of servants
- Received gifts of llamas
- Received gifts of fine clothing
- Didn’t pay taxes
- Men had the right to marry more than one wife

5. a) Who were the Capac Incas? b) What type of jobs did they do?
a.) The highest-ranking nobles b) Controlled the empire’s land, held important posts in the
government, army, and priesthood

6. a) What was the background of the curacas? b) What were some of their responsibilities?
a) A third class of nobles; local leaders of conquered people b) Carried out various jobs, collected
taxes, were inspectors, and made sure everyone followed Inca laws and customs

7. To what class did most people in the Inca Empire belong?

Commoners.

8. How did commoners support the government? (2 ways)

a. Through the products of their labor
b. Working on government-sponsored projects

Family Life, 294

 1. What is an ayllu?
Families in the Inca Empire belonging to larger clans.

2. Who owns the land each ayllu used?

The emperor.

3. How was work, pay, and tribute organized and managed on the ayllu? Give 3 details
- Government loaned land to the ayllus for living and for farming
- People of an ayllu worked the communal land cooperatively to grow crops and produce goods
- Everyone had responsibilities to the ayllu and to the government except for the very young and very old

4. a) What was the mita? b) How was it paid?

a) A public duty tax b) By contributing labor to government projects each year

Religion, pp.296-297
1. Which god was most important to the Incas? Why?
Inti, the sun god. Because they believed the emperor’s family was descended from Inti, and that Inti
was also the god of agriculture, which was the basis of Inca life.

2. Describe the types of sacrifices the Inca practiced in their religious ceremonies.
- Each day priests would throw corn on a fire to encourage the sun to appear
- Sacrificed animals, usually llamas or guinea pigs
- Sacrificed humans only on sacred occasions or in times of a natural disaster
- Sacrificed children because they believed their purity honored the gods

3. How old were girls who were selected to become Chosen women?
8-10.

4. What did Chosen women learn to do in the convent?

Learned how to prepare special foods and drinks, and they wove garments.

Relations with Other Peoples

1. a) What did the Sapa Inca do when he wanted to include a new group in his empire? b) Why did he use
this strategy?
a) Sent a delegate to meet with a tribe b) So that the tribe could join the Inca Empire and enjoy
peace and prosperity

2. What happened to groups that resisted inclusion in the Inca Empire and were defeated?
Moved the tribe to other parts of the empire so that its people lost their native lands as well.

3. What things did the leaders of groups that became part of the Inca Empire have to do? What
strategies/policies were used to make sure the new group became loyal “Inca?” Give 4 policies.
- Build a sun temple
- Had to accept the Inca gods as the most powerful
- Local leaders and their sons had to study Inca laws
- Local leaders and their sons had to study Quechua, the official Inca language