The Inca civilization, centered in Cuzco, Peru, was characterized by its mountainous environment, advanced architectural techniques, and unique counting system known as quipu. They practiced terrace farming, had a polytheistic religion focused on nature gods, and were ruled by a powerful emperor, the Sapa Inca, who maintained strict law enforcement. The empire ultimately fell due to smallpox and conquest by Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro.

2. Inca’s Physical Environment
• Andes Mountains of South
America
• Cuzco is the capital
• in modern day Peru
• deserts and fertile valleys
• hot and dry

3. Incan Architecture
• large stone fortresses for protection
• master builders using huge blocks of
stone
• built rope bridges, roads & temples

4. Incan Language
• no written language
• kept records using a counting
system with a base of ten. It had
colored strings and knots which had
special meanings (the Quipu)

5. Incan Leisure Activities
• dance and music
• played a game with a
spinning top
• played a dice game
• played sports like temple ball

6. Incan Scientific
Knowledge
• terrace farming; grew crops on the
mountain sides
• relay system for delivering messages
• Counting system with a base of ten
• System of roads
• Calendar with 12 months

7. Incan Religious Beliefs
• polytheists: worshipped
many gods of nature
• Inti (the sun god) was the
most important god
• had religious festivals to
honor gods
Inti

8. Incan Government
• Sapa Inca ruled (emperor)
• Sapa Inca put relatives in positions of
power (oldest son)
• punishment was harsh so no one broke
the law (pushing the offender off a cliff,
cutting off hands or blinding them)

9. Incan Economic Activities
• Sapa Inca owned all the land
and wealth of the empire
• Farmers gave the Sapa Inca a
tribute (kind of tax) by doing
work for him
• Wealth of gold and silver
• Hunted llama and grew crops
like corn (maize)

10. Incan Downfall
• Smallpox killed many of the people
and weakened the empire.
• Spanish conquistadors led by
Francisco Pizarro conquered the
empire after they captured and
killed the emperor, Atahualpa.

11. What else did
you learn
about the
Incas?