TITLE: Inca Expansionism
AUTHOR: Bill Turpen, Oklahoma School of Science and Math
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 10-12; history, geography
OVERVIEW: Many students are unaware of preİColumbian
civilizations
PURPOSE: As a result of this activity, students will become
familiar with some aspects of the Incas while learning the
skills associated with making a map overlay.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Locate Peru on a map of South America.
2. Know that the Incan Empire extended into areas other
than those associated with modern Peru.
3. Apply the skills of making a map overlay.
4. Identify the cultural and geographical features which
limited Incan expansionism.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
1. Political map of South America in Rand McNally
Classroom Atlas, or other map of South America.
2. Copy of Figure 12, "the Inca Imperical Expansion,"
from Conrad and Demarest, "Religion and Empire,"
Cambridge University Press, 1984.
3. tracing paper, pencils with erasers, colored pencils
(four colors per student)
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Introduction: The teacher will relate the following:
An old man sits unmoving in a dimly lighted room.
Everything about him attests to his wealth and power.
The clothing he wears and the room's furnishings are
the finest quality. Servants come and go, attending to
his wishes. Several aides are conferring with him,
their voices subdued and postures deferential. One of
them asks questions and the other answer; the old man
himself does not speak aloud. The interrogation
concerns the crops growing on his farmlands and the
preparations underway at one of his country estates,
where he plans to spend the summer. Everyone can sense
that he is deeply pleased, even though he does not
smile or shift his gaze as he listens. Instead, he
remains aloof and dignified,the perfect image of
lordliness.
Indeed, this awesome elder is a king. He claims to be
descended from the sun, and his subjects revere him as
a god. He has been married several hundred times. At
the moment his happiness stems from the impending visit
of his favorite son, the one he has chosen to inherit
the throne.
This aged ruler, presently conducting a normal day's
business, has been dead for thirtyİfive years. His
son, who succeeded him and will dine with him tonight,
died three years ago.
2. The teacher will explain the Inca inheritance system,
and that it evolved from earlier practices wherein small
sacrifices were made to household or clan ancestors.
Split inheritance system: A deceased emperor and his
panaga, i.e. all his male descendants except the new
Inca, continued to function as a royal court and had to
be supported in a royal manner. The new Inca would be
rich in privileges, but property poor.
3. The students will offer hypotheses on methods the new
Inca could use to raise revenues for the state's
coffers. When the need for expansion is understood,
proceed with step four.
4. The teacher will explain the purpose of a map overlay,
and will guide the students as they perform the
following:
1) Place a sheet of tracing paper over the map.
2) Make a cross in the upper right or upper left hand
portion of the tracing paper. The cross will be
directly over a longitude and latitude cross. The
cross will be labeled.
3) Make a similar cross on the bottom İ opposite the
first cross.
4) Transfer the information from the map to the
overlay.
5) Label the overlay "Inca Expansionism," or other
suitable title, and note the map scale.
The student now has an overlay he or she can file for
future use.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: The teacher will guide the class in
discussing the following:
a. What aspects of Incan culture mandated imperialism?
b. Did any part of the Incan inheritance system sow the
seeds of its own destruction?
c. Are there any other factors (geographical) which
limited the amount of expansion the Incas were able to
do? (The teacher may suggest placing the overlay on a
physical map if the students are at first unable to
identify the geographical factors.)
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org