User:Mallory Dixon/History of the Incas

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The Incas were most notable for establishing the Inca Empire in Pre-Columbian America, which was '''centered in modern day South America in Peru and Chile. It was about 2,500 miles from the northern to southern tip. The civilization lasted from 1438 to 1533. It was the largest civilization throughout the Pre-Columbian era.  At the peak of the Inca Empire, it was the largest nation in the world and to this day is the largest native state in the western hemisphere. The Inca civilization was located from north to south of the western hemisphere of South America. ''' The Inca state was known as the Kingdom of Cuzco before 1438. Over the course of the Inca Empire, the Inca used conquest and peaceful assimilation to incorporate the territory of modern-day Peru, followed by a large portion of western South America, into their empire, centered on the Andean mountain range. However, shortly after the Inca Civil War, the last Sapa Inca (emperor) of the Inca Empire was captured and killed on the orders of the conquistador Francisco Pizarro, marking the beginning of Spanish rule. The remnants of the empire retreated to the remote jungles of Vilcabamba and established the small Neo-Inca State, which was conquered by the Spanish in 1572.

The Quechua name for the empire after the reforms under Pachacuti was Tawantin Suyu, which can be translated The Four Regions or The Four United Regions. Before the Quechua spelling reform it was written in Spanish as Tahuantinsuyo. Tawantin is a group of four things (tawa "four" with the suffix -ntin which names a group); suyu means "region" or "province".

The empire was divided into four suyus, whose corners met at the capital, Cuzco (Qosqo).

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MY ADDITIONS: ALL INFORMATION IN DAILY LIFE, GEOGRPAHY, RELIGION, AND GOVERNMENT

Daily Life
Main Article: Inca Society

A Curaca is in charge or the leader of each group of families also called allyus. Their clothing was made from alpaca fur and even a lot of their religious practices included using the animal as well. For shoes they would wear sandals. At the height of their civilization, there was an estimation of about 20 million Inca peoples. The universal language that was used was Quechua (KECH-WUN). However, there was no form of written language only things like symbols are found. They also mostly lived in a rural setting of villages rather than urban life of living in the cities.

Religion
Main Article: Religion in the Incan Empire

The Inca people were very religious. They believed that evil could come about at any time and destroy them. They had sorcerers who were highly trusted and valued to protect from spirits. They also believed in the idea of spirits returning and being reincarnated and would take measures to make sure the next spirit has what it might need. According to the Incas all gods or goddesses come from the all-encompassing Sun God. The king himself is considered the son of the Sun God. The mythology is that the Inca people come from the Sun God so therefore they believe it is their duty to worship said Sun God with celebration.

Government
Main Article: Government of the Incan Empire

We know the names of the kings from the Incan empire because they kept track of them. However, we do not know the dynamics of all the aspects of the kings and their power. The Spanish records that we have do not go into great detail about all that there is to know. The Sapa Inca (absolute ruler) was held in a very high position. They would live a life of luxury. Drinking from gold and silver cups and even luxury furnishing in their palaces. The ruler was mummified after death and would be in ceremonies and even brought out of the Coricancha temple in Cuzco and brought offerings. The Social structure of the Incas goes as follows: