The Inca Empire
etween 1200 and 1535 Farmers provided most of the
B AD, the Inca population
lived in the part of
South America
extending from the Equator to
the Pacific coast of Chile. The
beginning of the Inca rule
started with the conquest of
the Moche Culture in Peru.
The Incans were warriors with
a strong and powerful army.
Because of the fierceness of
their army and their
hierarchical organization, they
became the largest Native
American society. The height
of their reign in the 16th
century came to a brutal end
in 1535 when the Spanish
conquistadors took over their
territory.
Their cities and fortresses
were mostly built on
highlands and on the steep
slopes of the Andes
Mountains. The architecture
of the Inca cities still amazes
and puzzles most scientists.
Stone steps lead up to the top
of the cities, which consist of
stone houses and religious
buildings. The blocks of
stones weigh several tons
and they are fit together so
tightly that not even a razor
blade can fit through them.
The central city was mainly
used for government
purposes, while the citizens
occupied surrounding areas.
Their homes were made from
the same stone material and
had grass rooftops.
The Inca society was
arranged by a strict
hierarchical structure. There
were many different levels
with the Sapa, high priest or
ruler, and the army
commander at the top. Family
members were councilors to
the Sapa and even women
had authority in the Inca
hierarchy. The temple priests,
architects and regional army
commanders were next. The
two lowest classes consisted
of artisans, army captains,
farmers, and herders.
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shamans who believed in
subsistence for the rest of the
population. They had to pay
tax in the form of gold, which
were distributed to the higher
animal spirits living on earth.
Heaven was depicted by the
condor, the underworld by the
anaconda, and the brother
classes. who resided on earth was the
puma. The Sun Temple,
The comprehension of how located in Machu Picchu,
irrigation can benefit Peru, was a religious
agriculture is evident by the calendar that marked the
expansion into the highland winter and summer solstices.
areas. They developed
drainage systems and canals The Incans were not only
to expand their crop fierce conquerors but they
resources. Potatoes, also had a violent punishment
tomatoes, cotton, peanuts system. If someone stole,
and coca were among the murdered, or had sex with a
many crops grown by the Sapa wife or a Sun Virgin,
Inca. Llamas were used for they were thrown off a cliff,
meat and transportation. hands cut off or eyes cut out,
There were more than or hung up to starve to death.
enough resources available Prisons were of no use
for everyone. Increased because punishment usually
subsistence levels led to a consisted of death.
growth in the Inca population.
Recent excavations of the
Since population was Inca sites have revealed
increasing and the mummified bodies of the Inca
organization of the Inca royalty. They have been
became stronger, the need preserved by ice in the peaks
for protection became of the Andes mountains.
necessary. They built
enormous fortresses on top of
The 40,000-member army of
steep mountains that enabled the Inca was destroyed by a
them to see their enemies
180 member Spanish
and defend themselves. One conquistador army, which
of the most famous Inca
was commanded by
fortresses is Sacasahuman, Francisco Pizarro. The
located in Cuzco, the Inca
warriors of the Inca were no
Empire capital. Even though match for the Spanish guns.
the Inca never had access to
By 1535, the Inca society was
the wheel, they built a completely overthrown.
sophisticated road system to
connect the villages. The
roads were paved with flat
stones and barriers to protect
the messengers, or chasqui,
from falling down the cliff.
The highest point in an Inca
village was reserved for
religious purposes. This point
was the closest to the sun,
which represented their major
god, Inti, the Sun God. The
six major gods of the Inca
represent the moon, sun,
earth, thunder/lightning and
the sea. Pachamama is the
earth god, who is the mother
of all humans. The Inca had
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 The Inca Empire

COMPREHENSION CHECK

Are the following statements true (T) or false (F)?

True False

  1- It was on account of its strong army that the Inca Empire gained a vast area.
  2- The Incan civilisation survived more than three centuries until it was conquered
by the Spanish conquerors.
  3- Large areas of flat land were mostly preferred for dwelling by Incans.
  4- The Incans were remarkably good at architecture.
  5- In the Inca Empire, not only men but also women played an important role in
the reign of the empire.
  6- The Incans sometimes suffered from draught and famine.
  7- During the Inca Empire, very wide roads were built for the safety of the
villagers’ vehicles.
  8- The Incans believed in more than one god.
  9- Probably, there weren’t many prisoners in the Inca Empire.
  10- Although the Incan army had outnumbered the Spanish army, it was
defeated.

BUILDING VOCABULARY

A- Match the words on the left with a definition on the right.

__ reign 1. a person who does skilled work, making things with their hands
__ brutal 2. the state of having just enough money or food to stay alive
__ conquistador 3. (of a slope, hill, etc.) rising or falling quickly, not gradually
__ steep 4. the period during which a king, queen, emperor, etc. rules
__ artisan 5. any of the adventurers who took part in the Spanish conquest of the
Americas in the 16th century.
__ subsistence 6. violent and cruel

B- Match the words on the left with a definition on the right.

__ irrigation 1. to live in a particular place

__ cliff 2. to show an image of sb/sth in a picture
__ depict 3. to remove a leader or a government from a position of power by force
__ reside 4. supplying water to an area of land through pipes or channels so that
crops will grow
__ solstice 5. a high area of rock with a very steep side, often at the edge of the sea
or ocean
__ overthrow 6. either of the two times of the year at which the sun reaches its highest
or lowest point in the sky at midday, marked by the longest and
shortest days

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 The Inca Empire

Idioms and other phrases

A- Match the idioms on the left with a definition on the right.

__ consist of 1. to gain control of a political party, a country, an area, etc.

__ take over 2. finish
__ come to and end 3. to be formed from the things or people mentioned

B- Fill in the blanks with the appropriate idioms given below.

take over consist of come to an end

1- Our ecology club at school ………………………. twenty-three members.

2- I will phone you when the meeting ……………………….. .
3- We have been living in utter misery since the army ………………………. .

 Expressions with the word “use”

be (of) no use : These books are no use to me any longer. If you wish, you can take
them.
come into use : Every year, a number of new English words come into common use.
go out of use : Mercury thermometers are gradually going out of use.
it’s no use : It’s no use worrying about the exam. I believe you will do quite well.
make use of : The new government is trying to make better use of the natural
resources in the country.

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 The Inca Empire

ANSWER KEY

COMPREHENSION CHECK

1- T 2- F 3- F 4- T 5- T 6- F 7- F 8- T 9- T 10- T

BUILDING VOCABULARY

A-

1- artisan
2- subsistence
3- steep
4- reign
5- conquistador
6- brutal

B-

1- reside
2- depict
3- overthrow
4- irrigation
5- cliff
6- solstice

Idioms and other phrases

A-

1- take over
2- come to an end
3- consist of

B-

1- consists of
2- comes to an end
3- took over

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