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Incan Empire

Definition

The Incan Empire was a pre-Columbian civilization in the Andes of South America, existing from the 13th to the 16th century. It was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America.

Analogy

Think of the Incan Empire like a massive, well-organized sports team. Each player (or citizen) had a specific role and contributed to the overall success of the team (or empire). Just as a sports team has complex strategies and plays, so did the Incas with their advanced systems of agriculture, architecture, and societal structure.

Related terms

Terrace Farming: This is an agricultural method that involves carving out flat strips of land on mountain slopes to allow for farming. The Incas used this technique extensively in their mountainous terrain.

Quipu: A system used by Incas for record keeping. It consisted of colored strings with knots tied at various positions - kind of like an ancient version of a computer database!

Cuzco: This was the capital city of the Incan Empire, serving as its political and cultural hub.



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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.