Religion
Who was the most important god to the Inca people?
Inti, the Sun God.
What was the name of the labor tax system in the Inca Empire?
Mit'a
What were the schools for noble sons called?
Yachaywasi or "Houses of Knowledge."
Who was the leader of the Inca Empire?
The Sapa Inca.
What was the basic unit of Inca society?
The ayllu (extended family group).
Why was Inti particularly important to the Inca?
Inti was the god of agriculture, which was essential to Inca survival.
How did the Mit’a system support the Inca economy?
It required people to contribute labor to government projects, such as roads and buildings, which helped the empire function efficiently.
How might the education system have influenced the Inca Empire’s stability?
It ensured that future leaders were well-trained to govern effectively.
How did the Sapa Inca justify his authority to rule?
He claimed to be a descendant of Inti, the Sun God.
What was the main role of women in Inca family life?
Women wove cloth, cooked, and helped manage the household.
Why might the Inca have chosen to focus so much on agriculture in their religious practices?
Agriculture was central to their survival and economy, and worshiping Inti reinforced the emperor's divine authority as a descendant of Inti.
How did the redistribution of taxes effect both the Sapa Inca and the commoners?
One-third of taxes went to the emperor, one-third to temples, and one-third stayed with the commoners.
How did the informal education for commoners contribute to the empire’s development?
Commoners learned skills like farming and weaving from elders, supporting the economy and community needs.
Compare the roles of Capac Incas, Hahua Incas, and Curacas in the government.
Capac Incas held high-ranking positions; Hahua Incas were nobles by privilege; Curacas were local leaders managing daily tasks.
How did the ayllu help the Inca manage resources?
Members worked together to farm, share resources, and fulfill labor obligations to the state.
Was human sacrifice an essential part of Inca religious practices? Why or why not?
Yes, but only during sacred occasions or natural disasters; it was not a regular practice.
Was the Mit’a system fair? Why or why not?
Example argument for why it was fair includes because everyone contributed, or example for unfair is because it was enforced harshly.
Was the focus on noble education more beneficial or harmful to the empire’s development?
Student arguments could include the stability provided by educated leaders or the neglect of broader talent in the population.
Was the Inca government’s hierarchical structure effective? Why or why not?
Arguments might include its efficiency in managing a large empire or its reliance on coercion.
Describe a family’s responsibility under the Mit’a system.
Families were required to contribute their own labor for public projects, such as building roads or farming state lands.
Plan a ceremony that the Inca might have conducted during a natural disaster, incorporating key elements of their religion. When you've finished, write your plan on the whiteboard.
Possible details include involving prayers to Inti, sacrifices, oracles, and offerings at sacred huacas.
Design a system to replace the Mit’a that still ensures government projects are completed. Write your design on the whiteboard.
Examples might involve how labor, taxation, or other resources are organized while ensuring the completion of government projects.Might touch on the efficiency of completing those projects or the fairness of the system to the commoners.
Propose a change to the Inca education system that would include commoners in formal schooling. Write it on the whiteboard.
Proposals could include basic literacy or formal skill-based training for all children, among other things.
Redesign the Inca government to give commoners more representation.
Designs may include elections, or councils made up of local leaders.
How did the Inca government support families that could not farm?
The government distributed food from storehouses to the sick, elderly, and others unable to farm.