Free Essays on The Inca Empire

The inca The Inca Empire was a vast kingdom in the Andes Mountains of South America that was created by the Quechua, a Native American people, in the 15th century AD (Inca Empire 1). In present day terms, it stretched from the southern border of Colombia to central Chile, which includes mountain regions in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina (The Incas 1). The Incas built a complex civilization that ruled more than nine million people (Inca Empire 1). The Inca lands eventually totaled about 906,500 sq km (1). They founded Cuzco (Cusco) as their capital, which was especially known for its architecture of enormous cut-stone blocks that fit so perfectly together (Cusco 1). Some of the best developments of the Incas were their own political organization, society, and religion. The Incan government had a strong hand on the people in the Empire. It was strictly organized, from the emperor and royal family down to the peasants. The emperor was thought to be descended from the sun god, Inti, and he therefore ruled with divine authority (Inca Empire 2). The emperor had one official wife, but he had many other mistresses. The emperor chose his most important administrators among his many sons. Just below the emperor came the aristocracy, which consisted of the emperors’ immediate family, concubines, and all his children. These Incas held the most important government, religious, and military posts. For administrative purposes, the empire was divided into four regions with Cuzco as its center, which were known as the â€Å"four quarters (suyus)† (Inca Empire 2). They called this empire Tahuantinsuyu, meaning â€Å"Land of the Four Quarters†. One quarter, the Antisuyu, stretched to the east of Cuzco and contained many forested land. The second quarter, Cuntisuyu, included all the land west of Cuzco. The third quarter, Collasuyu, was the largest of the quarters; it includes Lake Titicaca and regions of Bolivia, Chile, and Arg... Free Essays on The Inca Empire Free Essays on The Inca Empire The inca The Inca Empire was a vast kingdom in the Andes Mountains of South America that was created by the Quechua, a Native American people, in the 15th century AD (Inca Empire 1). In present day terms, it stretched from the southern border of Colombia to central Chile, which includes mountain regions in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina (The Incas 1). The Incas built a complex civilization that ruled more than nine million people (Inca Empire 1). The Inca lands eventually totaled about 906,500 sq km (1). They founded Cuzco (Cusco) as their capital, which was especially known for its architecture of enormous cut-stone blocks that fit so perfectly together (Cusco 1). Some of the best developments of the Incas were their own political organization, society, and religion. The Incan government had a strong hand on the people in the Empire. It was strictly organized, from the emperor and royal family down to the peasants. The emperor was thought to be descended from the sun god, Inti, and he therefore ruled with divine authority (Inca Empire 2). The emperor had one official wife, but he had many other mistresses. The emperor chose his most important administrators among his many sons. Just below the emperor came the aristocracy, which consisted of the emperors’ immediate family, concubines, and all his children. These Incas held the most important government, religious, and military posts. For administrative purposes, the empire was divided into four regions with Cuzco as its center, which were known as the â€Å"four quarters (suyus)† (Inca Empire 2). They called this empire Tahuantinsuyu, meaning â€Å"Land of the Four Quarters†. One quarter, the Antisuyu, stretched to the east of Cuzco and contained many forested land. The second quarter, Cuntisuyu, included all the land west of Cuzco. The third quarter, Collasuyu, was the largest of the quarters; it includes Lake Titicaca and regions of Bolivia, Chile, and Arg...