1. Mesoamerica
Incan Empire

2. Essential Standards
6.H.2 Understand the political, economic and/or social significance of historical events, issues, individuals and cultural groups.
6.G.1Understand geographic factors that influenced the emergence, expansion and decline of civilizations, societies and regions (i.e. Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas) over time.
6.C.1 Explain how the behaviors and practices of individuals and groups influenced societies, civilizations and regions.

3. Clarifying Objective
6.H.2.3 Explain how innovation and/or technology transformed civilizations, societies and regions over time (e.g., agricultural technology, weaponry, transportation and communication).
6.G.1.3 Compare distinguishing characteristics of various world regions (e.g., physical features, culture, political organization and ethnic make-up).
6.G.1.4 Explain how and why civilizations, societies and regions have used, modified and adapted to their environments (e.g., invention of tools, domestication of plants and animals, farming techniques and creation of dwellings).
6.C.1.2 Explain how religion transformed various societies, civilizations and regions (e.g., beliefs, practices and spread of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism).

4. Essential Questions
What DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC describes the Incan civilization’s physical features?
What innovations & development in technologies helped the Incans be so successful despite the fact they lived in the mountains?
What were the 3 ways that the Incans were able to adapt to their environments to become successful?
What roles did mummies play in the culture of the Incans?

5. Advanced Society
Mesoamerican Civilizations (Central & South American) were the first to establish WELL ORGANIZED ADVANCED SOCIETIES in the Americas
These societies existed well before the European people arrived to the Americas

6. South American Civilization
The Incans were the largest & greatest civilization to ever exist in South America
They were a highly advanced civilization with roads, a capital city, organized religion & huge population
They extended from Chili all the way to Columbia in the Andes Mountains

7. Story of the Incas
Story of the Incans begins with a young prince named Pachacuti
The Incans were a small tribe in the Peru, South America
Their main rivals were the Chonka Warriors which was a different tribe

8. Pachacuti
Pachacuti was a prince of the Incas but he was not the next king in line
His older brother was to be the next king of the Incan People
Pachacuti never the less believed that he should be king
He tried for years to show his father that he should be the next king

9. Chonka were Coming
For years the Chonka were trying to take the Incan capital city of Cuzco
The Chonka now had enough men to take the city
They were led by their mummified leader Izkavilika

10. South America Mummy Incan culture always mummified their bodies
The dead meant so much to the living
Incans believed that their ancestors were the ones that gave them rights to a territory from the gods
This is why they carried the mummified bodies around & still talked to them after they were dead

11. Essential Questions Get with a partner and answer…..
What roles did mummies play in the culture of the Incans?

12. Chonka Indians Attack
Chonka Indians create a massive army & stand at the gates of Cuzco
The king & his two sons stand ready to defend the Incan Empire
Then the king & his oldest son decide to run from the battle leaving only Pachacuti to defend the city

13. Pachacuti vs. Izkavilika
Pachacuti knew he was destined for this battle
The goal of the Chonkas was to annhilate the whole Incan Army & capture the city
The goal for the Incan tip over the mummified leader of the Chonka & they will run

14. Pachacuti Defends Cuzco
The Chonka attack running at the Inca
Pachacuti waits for the Chonka to be in distance & then has his army release a fury of stones from their sling shots
This takes down hundreds of Chonka
Pachacuti charges

15. Pachacuti Defends Cuzco
The battle lasts for only a couple of hours as Pachacuti’s Incans begin to slaughter the Chonkans
Legend says that Pachacuti himself makes it to the mummy of his enemies & tips it to the ground
The Chonkans run & are never heard from again

16. Pachacuti
Pachacuti celebrates his victory at the top of a mountain where he takes the name Pachacuti meaning “World Shaker”
From that point on the Incans begin to build the greatest South American Civilization in world history

17. Civilization in the Mountains
The Incan Civilization was almost totally in the Andes Mountains
It stretched from Chili all the way to Columbia
At most places it was thousands of feet above sea level

18. Essential Questions Get with a partner and answer…..
What DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC describes the Incan civilization’s physical features?

19. Domestication of the Llama
The Incan Civilization would not have become successful without the DOMESTICATION of the Llama
The llama enabled the Incans to travel in the mountains
Llamas were also used for farming to pull plows

20. Terrace Farming Irrigation
Inca People were an agricultural civilization
They developed a brand new kind of irrigation to water plants
This was a way to increase their “FARMING SPACE” to grow more food

21. Terrace Farming Irrigation
Terrace Farming is like building a farm of stairs
Each stair would grow crops
Tops of mountains naturally have water sources at the top because of rain the receive
Rain water drains down from the mountains down each stair watering the crops on each stair

22. Incan Crops The Incan people grew these crops….
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Corn
All these crops were crops never seen before in any other part of the world
Incans were able to DOMESTICATE corn
They will later be taken back to Europe & become a main part of the diet in Europe

23. Essential Questions Get with a partner and answer…..
What were the 3 ways that the Incans were able to adapt to their environments to become successful?

24. Incan Roads Incan Trail were the Incan road system
The roads connected the Incan Empire
Roads led to the capital city of Machu Picchu
Water canals were dug to follow the Incan roads so travelers & their animals always had something to drink

25. Machu Picchu Known as the palace in the clouds
This was the new home of Pachacuti after he became king of the Incas
Just like Rome all roads led to Machu Picchu

26. Essential Questions Get with a partner and answer…..
What innovations & development in technologies helped the Incans be so successful despite the fact they lived in the mountains?

27. EOG Questions
How were the oldest civilizations in Central and South America similar?
A) They were large, but not well-organized.
B) They established extensive trade with Pacific Rim nations.
C) They were strongly influenced by Asian and African civilizations.
D) They were the first to develop advanced societies in the area.

28. EOG Questions
The mountains of South America made farmland difficult to find.
How did ancient people adapt to this?
A) They used terraced farming.
B) They grew crops in the valleys.
C) They used large farm animals to plow.
D) They moved to a new area each growing season.

29. EOG Questions
Societies adapted to their surroundings by irrigating and building dams.
Why did they need to use these techniques?
A) to decrease the overcrowding of crops
B) to increase space for people to live
C) to increase their farmland for growing crops
D) to decrease the numbers of animals on the land

30. Important Points
6.H.2.3 (Innovations & Technologies: Agriculture) The Incans created Terrace Farming so they could grow crops in the mountains
6.H.2.3 (Innovations & Technologies: Transportation) The Incans created a road system to connect the Incan Empire
6.G.1.3 (Distinguishing Characteristic: Physical Feature) The Incan Civilization was in the Andes Mountains
6.G.1.4 (Adapting to physical environment: Terrace Farming) The Incans adapted to their physical environment by creating Terrace Farming so they could grow crops
6.G.1.4 (Adapting to physical environment: Domestication of Plants & Animals) The Incans domesticated crops like corn & animals like llamas to make them successful