Inca Empire Essay -- essays research papers fc

We know from history many various civilizations. Civilizations like Sumerian (4000 BC), Egyptian (3000 BC), Minoan (2000 BC), and Babylonian (1700 BC). Later, the Greek civilization, throughout the Macedonian empire, ranged as far east as northern India and as far south and west as Egypt. Then Romans were the rulers of the whole area from Constantinopole, to Palestine and North Africa to Britain. After centuries, the Vikings, people from what is now Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, established colonies in northern France, Sicily, England, and Ireland. During the 13th century AD, Mongols created a vast empire in Central Asia and the Mongol Empire controlled the expanse of territory from the Ural mountains in Russia to the Pacific Ocean. The same period of time another great civilization, called Ottoman Turks, was taking over most of North Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkan Peninsula. In America, Incas were the rulers of the largest native empire. Near the end of the 14th century the Inca empire began to expand from its initial base in the Cuzco region of the southern Andes, mountains of South America. Incas’ expansion ended with the Spanish invasion led by Francisco Pizarro in 1532. The Incas were the greatest indigenous civilization of the Americas. Within 100 years they had build a powerful empire, stretching the entire length of the Andeas, at a distance of more than 5,500 km. It was probably the greatest empire of its time life anywhere in the world, if we imagine that they had built a road system that extended some 30,000 to 40,000 km, unrivaled until the invention of the automobile, they possessed great skills in medicine, and they had a fully controlled social, political, and economical organization, although they lacked basic concepts such as the written language, the wheel, the steel, and the horse. In common with other Andean cultures, the Incas left no written records. Their history and their culture are known chiefly from the oral traditions preserved through the generations by official â€Å"memmorizers† and from the written records composed from them after the Spanish conquest (Inca 375). The official language of the Inca Empire was the Quechua language. Eventhough the Spanish destroyed most Quechua cities and religious centers when they conquered the Inca Empire, many aspects of their way of life survive. There are about 10 million people in Per... ...of the Andes, and many thousands of tourists every year go there to see the impressive stone architecture the Incas erected among spectacular scenery. Because of records made by early Spanish and native chroniclers, we also know more about the Incas than about any earlier culture of the Andes. And, fortunately, through documentary research and archaeology, we continue to learn even more about the Incas and their achievements, such as their great road system, impressive architecture, elaborate ceremonies, and more. BIBLIOGRAPHY: â€Å"Inca Empire†. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, 1999, ed. Pages: 1-12. â€Å"Quechua†. Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, 1999, ed. Pages: 1-3. â€Å"Inca†. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1984, Greek, ed. Pages: 375-380. Rosso, Francesco. â€Å"Inca Empire†. Histrory. Papyrus Press ed. Athens: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation. (1969): 119-133. Lost Civilizations. Incas: Lords of Gold and Glory. New Jersey: Time Life Books, 1992. â€Å"The Incas: A Pictorial Tribute To the Art & Culture of The Incas" - by a native of Ecuador. http://www.colourprep.com/jorge/incas/incas.htm. â€Å"Inca†. Broadcast November 24, 1997, 7:00-9:00 PM. Http://www.historychannel.com