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The Incas
How did the Incas manage their large and remote empire?
P R E V I E W
Carefully analyze the image your teacher is projecting, and answer these questions:
• What details do you see in this image?
• What do you notice about the physical geography of this setting?
• What might be some advantages to an empire with geography like this? What might be
some disadvantages?
• Suppose you are the leader of the Inca Empire at its height, around 1500. The empire extends
more than a thousand miles north and south of your capital. What kind of communication
system might you set up to get important information to and from the far corners of your
empire?
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I N T E R A C T I V E
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N O T E B O O K
R E A D I N G
N O T E S
Key Content Terms
As you complete the Reading Notes, use these terms in your answers.
Incas
communal
ayllu
oracle
Section 2
1. Which present-day South American countries did the Inca Empire include?
2. Choose the two ideas the Incas adopted from each earlier culture (the Moches and the
Chimus) that you think were the most important for the Incas in managing their empire.
In the space below, draw a quick illustration or symbol for each idea, and write a sentence
explaining why that idea was important to the Incas’ ability to manage their empire.
Moches
Chimus
3. What physical obstacles did the Incas face in managing their empire? List at least three
ways they overcame these obstacles.
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Section 3
1. Who held the top position in the Incan class structure? From whom did the Incas believe
he received his authority to rule?
2. Who were the Capac Incas? What jobs did they do?
3. Who were the curacas? What were some of their responsibilities?
4. To what class did most people in the Inca Empire belong? What kind of work did they do?
Section 4
1. Who owned the land each ayllu used? What did the ayllu members do on this land?
2. What was the mit’a? How was it paid?
3. How was the education of the sons of Incan nobles different from that of children of commoners?
4. At what ages did Incan men and women marry? What were the typical steps people
followed to find a partner and get married?
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Section 5
1. Which god was the most important to the Incas? Why?
2. Describe the types of sacrifices the Incas practiced in their religious ceremonies.
3. How old were girls who were selected to become Chosen Women? What did they learn to
do in the convents?
4. What could happen to Chosen Women after age 15?
Section 6
1. What did the Sapa Inca do first when he wanted to include a new group in his empire?
Why did he use this strategy?
2. What happened to groups that resisted inclusion in the Inca Empire?
3. What things did the leaders of groups that became part of the Inca Empire have to do?
4. What unique belief did the Incas have about the lands conquered by the Sapa Inca? How
may this have led the Incas to conquer such a large empire?
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P ro c essing
Follow these steps to fill in the Venn diagrams on this page and the next page.
1. Select two of these topics: class structure, family life, religion, or relations with other
peoples.
2. Write the name of each topic on the line above each Venn diagram.
3. Where the ovals overlap in the diagrams, list two things the Incan civilization has in
common with your own society.
4. In each part where the ovals do not overlap, list two things that differ between the Incas
and your own society.
Topic: ____________________________________________________________
Incan Civilization
My Society
Both
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I N T E R A C T I V E
S T U D E N T
N O T E B O O K
Topic: _____________________________________________________________
Incan Civilization
My Society
Both
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