The rise and fall of the Inca Empire - Gordon McEwan

TED-Ed

12 Feb 201805:45

Summary

TLDRThe Inca Empire, once the Western Hemisphere's largest, thrived without wheels, horses, iron, or writing. It was a monumental civilization that built vast administrative centers and infrastructure across 900,000 square kilometers. Founded by Manco Capac, it grew under Pachacuti's reforms and expanded under Topa Inca and Huayna Capac. However, internal strife and the arrival of the Spanish, who brought diseases and military might, led to a devastating civil war and the empire's fall. By 1572, the once-mighty Inca civilization was no more, its legacy largely erased by the Spanish conquest.

Takeaways

🌏 The Inca Empire was the largest in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 10 million subjects over an area of more than 900,000 square kilometers.
🏰 The Incas built massive administrative centers, temples, and extensive road and canal systems in extreme terrain without the use of wheels, horses, iron, or written language.
🌅 The Inca rulers' ancestors were believed to be created by the sun god Inti and emerged from the cave Tambo Toco, with Ayar Manco leading the search for fertile soil.
🏙️ The Incas first settled in the Cuzco Valley around 1200 CE and remained a small kingdom until the 15th century.
🛡️ Pachacuti, the ninth Inca ruler, expanded the kingdom into an empire through extensive reforms and military skill, becoming known as 'Cataclysm'.
📜 The Inca Empire used a complex system of knotted strings called quipu for record-keeping, despite the absence of a written language.
🔢 A decimal-based bureaucracy allowed for systematic and efficient taxation, with the empire providing security, infrastructure, and sustenance in return.
🌾 The Incas developed advanced agricultural techniques, including terraces and irrigation, to support a diverse range of crops grown at different altitudes.
🏰 Machu Picchu, a famous estate, was constructed during Pachacuti’s reign, showcasing the architectural prowess of the Inca civilization.
💥 The Inca Empire faced internal strife and external threats, with a civil war between Atahualpa and Huascar weakening the empire before the arrival of the Spanish.
🗡️ Spanish conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro, overcame the Inca with superior weaponry and tactics, capturing and killing Atahualpa.
🏛️ Despite the fall of the capital Cuzco, the Incas resisted in a new capital at Vilcabamba for 40 years before the final Spanish conquest in 1572.

Q & A

What was the population of the Inca Empire at its peak?
-The Inca Empire had a population of nearly 10 million subjects at its peak.
How large was the territory of the Inca Empire?
-The territory of the Inca Empire was more than 900,000 square kilometers.
What were some of the unique challenges the Inca faced in building their empire?
-The Inca faced challenges such as inhospitable and extreme terrain, and they built their empire without the use of wheels, horses, iron, or a written language.
What is the legend about the creation of the Inca rulers?
-According to legend, the ancestors of the Inca rulers were created by the sun god Inti and emerged from a cave called Tambo Toco, led by Ayar Manco.
Who was the first Sapa Inca, or king of the Incas, and how was he chosen?
-The first Sapa Inca was Manco Capac, who was chosen after he and his siblings found the Cuzco Valley where his golden staff sank into the ground, indicating fertile soil.
When did the Incas first settle in the Cuzco Valley according to archaeological evidence?
-Archaeological evidence suggests that the Incas first settled in the Cuzco Valley around 1200 CE.
How did Pachacuti, the ninth Inca ruler, come to power?
-Pachacuti came to power after successfully rallying the city's defenses against the neighboring Chanka tribe when the Inca king Viracocha and his designated heir fled in fear.
What was the administrative structure of the Inca Empire known as?
-The administrative structure of the Inca Empire was known as Tahuantinsuyu, or 'four quarters,' with four divisions ruled by governors reporting to the king.
How did the Inca record information without a written language?
-The Inca used a complex system of knotted strings called quipu to record numbers and possibly other information.
What was the purpose of the storehouses maintained by the Inca Empire?
-The storehouses maintained by the Inca Empire contained necessities to be used when needed, providing security, infrastructure, and sustenance to the empire's subjects.
What was the impact of the Spanish conquistadors on the Inca Empire?
-The Spanish conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro, brought diseases that devastated the Inca population, caused a civil war, and eventually conquered the Inca Empire, leading to its fall by 1572.
Which Inca ruler was responsible for the construction of the famous estate of Machu Picchu?
-The famous estate of Machu Picchu was constructed during the reign of Pachacuti's son, Topa Inca.
What event led to the Spanish conquistadors encountering Atahualpa and his army?
-Atahualpa and his army encountered the Spanish conquistadors after he had won the Inca civil war in 1532.
How did the Spanish conquistadors manage to defeat the much larger Inca force?
-The Spanish conquistadors, though greatly outnumbered, stunned the Inca force with the use of guns and horses, which the Incas had never seen before.
What was the fate of the Inca Empire after the fall of their capital, Cuzco?
-After the fall of Cuzco and the devastation caused by civil war and disease, some Incas retreated to a new capital at Vilcabamba and resisted for 40 years, but by 1572, the Spaniards had destroyed all remaining resistance and much of the Incas' physical and cultural legacy.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Rise and Fall of the Inca Empire

The Inca Empire, the Western Hemisphere's largest, thrived without wheels, horses, iron, or writing, spanning 900,000 square kilometers with a population of 10 million. It was a civilization that built vast administrative centers, temples, and infrastructure in extreme terrains. The Incas were believed to be descendants of the sun god Inti, with the first Sapa Inca, Manco Capac, establishing their capital in Cuzco Valley. The empire expanded under Pachacuti, introducing the Tahuantinsuyu division and a quipu-based record system. Despite the absence of a written language, a decimal bureaucracy facilitated efficient governance. The empire provided security and infrastructure, with terraces and irrigation supporting diverse agriculture. The reign of Pachacuti also saw the construction of Machu Picchu. However, the empire faced internal strife with the death of Huayna Capac, leading to a civil war between his sons, Atahualpa and Huascar, which weakened the Incas. The arrival of Spanish conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro, with their superior weaponry and unfamiliar tactics, led to the capture and execution of Atahualpa, signaling the end of the Inca Empire.

05:02

🛡️ Last Stand of the Incas

Following the fall of the Inca capital Cuzco to the Spanish conquistadors, who were awestruck by its beauty, the Incas retreated to a new capital at Vilcabamba and continued to resist for 40 years. Despite their tenacity, by 1572, the Spaniards had crushed all remaining resistance and much of the Inca's cultural legacy was destroyed. The rapid collapse of the once-mighty empire was a stark contrast to its rapid rise, marking the end of an era for the Inca civilization.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Inca Empire

The Inca Empire was the largest empire in the pre-Columbian Americas and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. It is central to the video's theme as it describes the rise and fall of this civilization. The script mentions the empire's vast territory, population, and administrative achievements, emphasizing its significance in the historical narrative.

💡Tahuantinsuyu

Tahuantinsuyu, meaning 'four quarters' in Quechua, refers to the territorial organization of the Inca Empire. The concept is integral to understanding the Inca's administrative structure, as the script describes how the empire was divided into four parts, each overseen by a governor who reported directly to the king.

💡Quipu

Quipu is a system of knotted strings used by the Inca for record-keeping. This concept is key to understanding the Inca's method of organizing information without a written language. The script highlights the quipu as a complex system that allowed for efficient taxation and administration.

💡Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a famous Inca estate and archaeological site, symbolizing the architectural and engineering prowess of the Inca civilization. The script mentions its construction during Pachacuti's reign, showcasing it as an example of the empire's cultural and technological achievements.

💡Pachacuti

Pachacuti, also known as 'Cataclysm,' was the ninth Inca ruler who expanded the kingdom into an empire. His name is significant as it represents a turning point in the Inca's history, as the script describes his military skill and the extensive reforms he implemented to transform the Inca state.

💡Topa Inca

Topa Inca, Pachacuti's son, continued the military expansion of the Inca Empire. His reign is a continuation of the empire's growth narrative, as the script notes his efforts in extending the empire's reach across western South America.

💡Huayna Capac

Huayna Capac was the Inca ruler who succeeded Topa Inca and is mentioned in the script as the last ruler before the Spanish conquest. His reign is marked by the strain on the empire's social fabric due to his distant military campaigns and his death, which led to a civil war and the empire's vulnerability to external threats.

💡Atahualpa

Atahualpa was one of Huayna Capac's sons who fought for the throne during the Inca civil war. His encounter with the Spanish conquistadors and subsequent capture and death are pivotal events in the script, illustrating the beginning of the end for the Inca Empire.

💡Francisco Pizarro

Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that resulted in the fall of the Inca Empire. His name is central to the video's theme as it represents the external force that ultimately led to the empire's collapse, as the script describes his strategic and technological advantages over the Inca.

💡Cuzco

Cuzco was the capital of the Inca Empire and a symbol of its cultural and administrative center. The script describes Pizarro's awe at its beauty, emphasizing the city's significance in both the Inca and Spanish narratives.

💡Vilcabamba

Vilcabamba was the last capital of the Inca resistance against the Spanish. It represents the final stand of the Inca people, as the script recounts their 40-year resistance before the complete destruction of their empire by the Spaniards in 1572.

Highlights

The Inca Empire was the largest in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 10 million subjects over 900,000 square kilometers.

The Incas built massive administrative centers, temples, and extensive road and canal systems in extreme terrain without wheels, horses, iron, or a written language.

According to legend, the Inca rulers' ancestors were created by the sun god Inti and emerged from Tambo Toco cave.

Ayar Manco, with a golden staff, led his siblings to find fertile soil, eventually founding the capital in the Cuzco Valley.

Archaeological evidence suggests the Incas first settled in the Cuzco Valley around 1200 CE and remained a small kingdom until 1438.

Pachacuti, the ninth Inca ruler, expanded the kingdom into an empire through extensive reforms after successfully defending against the Chanka tribe.

The Inca Empire was reorganized as Tahuantinsuyu, or 'four quarters,' with four divisions ruled by governors reporting to the king.

The Incas used a complex system of knotted strings called quipu to record numbers and possibly other information, despite having no writing.

A decimal-based bureaucracy enabled systematic and efficient taxation of the empire's subjects.

The empire provided security, infrastructure, and sustenance, with storehouses containing necessities and great terraces and irrigation works built for agriculture.

During Pachacuti's reign, the famous estate of Machu Picchu was constructed.

Topa Inca continued the empire's military expansion, becoming ruler in 1471 CE and extending the empire across much of western South America.

Huayna Capac, Topa's son, succeeded him in 1493, but his distant military campaigns strained the social fabric.

The arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the Caribbean brought diseases that killed millions, including Huayna Capac and his designated heir.

A civil war between Huayna Capac's surviving sons, Atahualpa and Huascar, greatly weakened the empire.

In 1532, Francisco Pizarro and his small group of conquistadors defeated Atahualpa's larger force using guns and horses, which the Incas had never seen before.

The Spanish conquerors were awed by the beauty of the capital, Cuzco, which Pizarro said would be remarkable even in Spain.

Despite the fall of Cuzco and devastation from civil war and disease, some Incas resisted in a new capital at Vilcabamba for 40 years.

By 1572, the Spaniards had destroyed all remaining resistance and much of the Incas' physical and cultural legacy, marking the fall of the great Inca Empire.