En este artículo vamos a presentar en inglés algunos rasgos importantes respecto al imperio incaico (Inca Empire) que pueden ser trabajados en una sesión de aprendizaje del área de inglés en el nivel secundaria con el fin de practicar el pasado simple, a manera de recordar parte de la historia del Perú que todos hemos estudiado en algún momento.
The Inca Empire
The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. It began around 1200 and ended in 1532.
The inca empire had thirteen rulers.
Manco Capac was the first ruler and Atahualpa the last one.
The incas referred to their empire as Tahuantinsuyo which means "The Four Regions" or "The Four United Provinces".
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Location
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The incas lived in the Andes Mountains of South America. The capital of the empire was Cuzco, Peru. |
Language
The incas spoke Quechua as the official language.
Economy
The economy was based on agriculture. The incas did not use money. They used the barter. The citizens paid taxes to the Inca with their crops, cattle, textile and specially with work.
Agriculture
The incas were great farmers. They grew mainly potatoes, corn, tomatoes, beans and cotton.
In addition, they domesticated the llama and alpaca which were used for many purposes such as transportation, meat, wool, religious sacrifices, etc.
The incas did not domesticate the vicuña and guanaco, but they hunted vicuñas for wool and guanacos for meat.
Religion
The Incas believed in many gods and godesses. The most important were: Inti (the sun god), Viracocha (the creator), Illapa (the weather/thunder god), Pachamama (the earth goddess), Mamacocha (the sea goddess), and Mamaquilla (the moon goddess).
Inti was the most respected and the highest god.
Education
The inca educational system did not cover the general population. It was only for the nobility. Boys studied in the Yachaywasi (house of knowledge) and girls in the Acllawasi (house of the chosen women).
Since the incas did not have a writing system, the education was based on listening and memorizing. Teachers were called Amautas. They taught their students by practice, repetition and experience.
It is believed that the Quipu was the inca writing system.
Architecture
The incas were great architects, too. The inca architecture is the most significant pre-Columbian architecture in South America.
The incas built roads, rope bridges, irrigation systems, stone buildings and fortress temples.
Referencias Bibliográficas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire
http://www.crystalinks.com/inca_civilization.html
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