The Rise and Fall of the Inca Empire

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The Rise and Fall of the Inca Empire - Part 1 of 2

It was the western hemisphere 's largest empire ever.
With a population of nearly 10 million subjects.
Over an area of more than 900, 000 square kilometers,
its people built massive administrative centers, temples, and extensive road and canal systems.
They did so, in an inhospitable, extreme terrain, all without the use of wheels, horses, iron, or even written language.
Yet, within 100 years of its rise in the 15th century, the Inca empire would be no more.
According to legend, the ancestors of the Inca rulers were created by the Sun God Inti,
and they emerged from a cave called Tambo Toco, leading 4 brothers and 4 sisters
was Ayar Manco, who carried a golden staff with instructions to find a place
where it would sink into the ground showing fertile soil.
After many adventures and extensive searching,
Ayar Manco and his siblings reached the Cuzco valley where the staff pierced the ground.
After fighting off the fierce, local native population, they founded their capital
and Ayar Manco became Manco Capac, the first Sapa Inca, or king of the Incas.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the Incas first settled in this valley around 1200 CE.
They remained a small kingdom until 1438 when they were nearly overrun by the neighboring Chanka tribe.
The Inca king of this time, Viracocha, and his designated heir fled in fear.
But one of his other sons remained, and successfully rallied the city 's defenses.
For his military skill, he became the 9th Inca ruler, assuming the name of Pachacuti, or Cataclysm.
Pachacuti expanded Inca rule throughout the Andes mountains,
transforming the kingdom into an empire through extensive reforms.
The empire 's territory was reorganized as Tahuantinsuyu, or 4 quarters,
with 4 divisions ruled by governors reporting to the king.
Although the Inca had no writing, they used a complex system of knotted strings called Quipu,
to record numbers and perhaps other information.
A decimal - based bureaucracy enabled systematic and efficient taxation of the empire 's subjects.
In return, the empire provided security, infrastructure, and sustenance,
with great storehouses containing necessities to be used when needed.
Great terraces and irrigation works were built, and various crops were grown in at different altitudes,
to be transported all over the empire.
And it was during Pachacuti 's reign, that the famous estate of Machu Picchu was constructed.

It was the western hemisphere 's largest empire ever.
the
was
It
's
ever
hemisphere
empire
largest
western
With a population of nearly 10 million subjects.
a
of
With
million
subjects
population
nearly
Over an area of more than 900, 000 square kilometers,
more
square
of
area
an
Over
than
kilometers
its people built massive administrative centers, temples, and extensive road and canal systems.
and
its
people
road
canal
built
systems
temples
administrative
massive
centers
extensive
They did so, in an inhospitable, extreme terrain, all without the use of wheels, horses, iron, or even written language.
in
the
all
They
of
or
did
so
an
use
even
without
wheels
language
iron
written
extreme
terrain
horses
inhospitable
Yet, within 100 years of its rise in the 15th century, the Inca empire would be no more.
be
in
the
of
its
would
years
within
rise
empire
no more
century
Yet
15th
Inca
According to legend, the ancestors of the Inca rulers were created by the Sun God Inti,
the
to
of
Sun
rulers
by
ancestors
were
created
God
legend
According
Inca
Inti
and they emerged from a cave called Tambo Toco, leading 4 brothers and 4 sisters
and
a
they
from
brothers
sisters
called
cave
leading
emerged
Tambo Toco
was Ayar Manco, who carried a golden staff with instructions to find a place
with
a
to
was
place
who
find
instructions
carried
golden
staff
Ayar Manco
where it would sink into the ground showing fertile soil.
the
it
sink
would
into
ground
where
showing
soil
fertile
After many adventures and extensive searching,
and
many
After
adventures
searching
extensive
Ayar Manco and his siblings reached the Cuzco valley where the staff pierced the ground.
and
the
his
valley
ground
where
siblings
reached
staff
Ayar Manco
Cuzco
pierced
After fighting off the fierce, local native population, they founded their capital
the
they
off
their
After
fighting
native
population
local
capital
founded
fierce
and Ayar Manco became Manco Capac, the first Sapa Inca, or king of the Incas.
and
the
of
or
king
first
became
Inca
Ayar Manco
Manco Capac
Sapa
Incas
Archaeological evidence suggests that the Incas first settled in this valley around 1200 CE.
in
the
that
this
valley
around
first
suggests
evidence
settled
Archaeological
CE
Incas
They remained a small kingdom until 1438 when they were nearly overrun by the neighboring Chanka tribe.
a
the
they
They
small
when
by
until
remained
were
nearly
tribe
kingdom
neighboring
overrun
Chanka
The Inca king of this time, Viracocha, and his designated heir fled in fear.
and
The
in
of
this
his
time
king
fear
designated
fled
heir
Inca
Viracocha
But one of his other sons remained, and successfully rallied the city 's defenses.
and
the
of
his
But
city
one
's
other
remained
successfully
defenses
sons
rallied
For his military skill, he became the 9th Inca ruler, assuming the name of Pachacuti, or Cataclysm.
the
he
of
or
his
name
For
ruler
became
military
skill
9th
assuming
Inca
Pachacuti
Cataclysm
Pachacuti expanded Inca rule throughout the Andes mountains,
the
throughout
mountains
rule
expanded
Andes
Inca
Pachacuti
transforming the kingdom into an empire through extensive reforms.
the
an
into
through
empire
kingdom
transforming
extensive
reforms
The empire 's territory was reorganized as Tahuantinsuyu, or 4 quarters,
The
or
was
's
as
empire
territory
quarters
reorganized
Tahuantinsuyu
with 4 divisions ruled by governors reporting to the king.
with
the
to
king
by
ruled
reporting
divisions
governors
Although the Inca had no writing, they used a complex system of knotted strings called Quipu,
a
the
they
of
had
no
system
called
used
writing
complex
Although
Inca
knotted
strings
Quipu
to record numbers and perhaps other information.
and
to
numbers
other
information
record
perhaps
A decimal - based bureaucracy enabled systematic and efficient taxation of the empire 's subjects.
A
and
the
of
's
subjects
based
empire
efficient
systematic
bureaucracy
enabled
decimal
taxation
In return, the empire provided security, infrastructure, and sustenance,
and
the
In
return
empire
security
infrastructure
provided
sustenance
with great storehouses containing necessities to be used when needed.
be
with
to
great
when
needed
used
necessities
containing
storehouses
Great terraces and irrigation works were built, and various crops were grown in at different altitudes,
and
at
in
Great
different
built
were
works
various
crops
grown
irrigation
altitudes
terraces
to be transported all over the empire.
be
the
to
all over
empire
transported
And it was during Pachacuti 's reign, that the famous estate of Machu Picchu was constructed.
the
that
of
And
it
was
's
during
famous
reign
Machu Picchu
constructed
estate
Pachacuti