The Incan political system was one of superior sophistication for its time. The political system was that of an aristocracy meaning that a few entitled people ruled the rest of society. The Incan government was organized in a pyramid-like fashion, with the most power resting in the hands of a few and working its way down. The Sapa Inca was at the very top of the pyramid; he was also referred to as the king. He was the descendant of the Sun God Inti. He ruled form the capital Cuzco. The most famous Inca king was Pachacuti. Following the Sapa Inca in power were the members of the Supreme Council, or the Apus. There were 16 men in the supreme council and they held power much like the senate does today. Each Apus had 4 men, and each quarter had …show more content…
4 apus (16men in total). The Inca Empire was separated into four sections together known as 'Ttahuantin-suyu' or "land of the four quarters".
Within the four quarters, the people were further divided into clans called "Ayllus". Each Ayllus was in itself a small community. Each quarter was ruled by a governor called 'Apu-cuna'. The governor’s primary responsibility was to make sure its land and people were working smoothly. Then came the officials; this included army officers, priests, judges, and others from the noble class. The tax collectors were next; there was once tax collector for each community (ayllu). At the very bottom of the pyramid of power came the laborers or workers. The majority of the Inca population was included in this section. The laborers were the driving force behind the Inca economy and the reason the hierarchical political system was in place. (Heinemann/Raintree ) Crime in the Inca Empire was virtually non-existent. They live in a peaceful society and cooperated with each other. When a crime did occur however, punishment did follow. The Incas did not have prisons. Instead for serious crimes such as murder, stealing and blasphemy offenders were executed by being pushed off a cliff. Less serious crimes were punished by cutting off the hands or
blinding. When the Inca armies conquered other ruling cities, they didn't kill the local rulers. Instead they let them rule as long as they followed Inca rules, didn't rebel, paid taxes, and kept the storehouses full. Basic laws were enforced: don’t steal etc. but the primary law/rule that must be followed was that of taxation. (Terence N. D'Altroy) The tax requirements were high. Women were expected to weave a certain amount of cloth, while men had to mine or serve in the army. Taxes were expected to be paid by commoners. If the commoners didn't have money, they'd pay with service on state projects or make items to sell such as thread or hand-woven cloaks. People could also pay the government by giving a portion of their yearly crop to the collectors for storehouses instead. (Wikapedia) The Inca government was easily the most advanced system at the time. It would have been interesting to see how the Incan government changed over time if they had not been conquered by the Spaniards in the 16th century. Works Cited The Inca empire. Heinemann/Raintree. Wood, Tim. (1996) "Inca Empire." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. . The Incas. Terence N. D'Altroy, T.J. International. (2003)
The mosh is an awesome place in Downtown Jacksonville; where everyone can learn some interesting facts about our city, how the body works , what animals are in the ocean and etc. I visited the Timucua Indian exhibit; I learned a lot of intriguing information that I didn’t know before. I learned how the Timucua Indians first came about, how the Indians lived and survived during this time period. This exhibit also showed me how the Indians looked and the way they did things. Being able to learn about the Timucua Indians is so fascinating to me.
Established a government that was made of the king, the kuhina nui, and the chiefs-in council, along with the representatives.
The Incas cared for everyone in their kingdom; supplies and health needs were distributed to all who needed the attention, regardless of monetary standings, as long as they worked. Laziness was not heard of among the Incas. Work had to be done and everyone pitched in to help, even the lords. Their system cared for everyone and made a seemingly happier, better kingdom. The rich were not allowed to wear fancy, elaborate clothing because they were aware that the poor members of society could not indulge in such extravagance. The only exception to this rule were “the rulers and the headmen, who, to maintain their dignity, were allowed great freedom and privilege”
The Saga of the Tigua Indians is an amazing one. By all reasoning they should have been wiped out long ago. There quiet defiance to change, however, has carried them through. From the height of civilization to near extinction the Tigua have remained. They endure imprisonment by the Spanish, oppression and manipulation by everyone that followed. This is the story of a people thought to extinct, that are once again learning to survive.
Patterson, Thomas C. "Tribes, Chiefdoms, and Kingdoms in the Inca Empire.” Power Relations and State Formation (1987): 1-15,117-127.
The Inca Empire Janos Gyarmati’s Paria la Viexa and an expanding empire: Provincial centers in the political economy of the Inca Empire proved that the Inca’s built an empire unlike any other. From 1440 to 1532 A.D., the Inca Empire dominated the Americas. Known as “the fastest growing and largest territorial empire”(Gyarmati 37) of its time, the Inca Empire left a mark with their complex, perpetual and innovative economic, road, and settlement system. The Inca’s were advanced for their time, however, they lacked a system that would guarantee the survival of their kin. In order to strive, for the long-term, the Inca’s created provincial centers that would ensure their growth and economy for the generations to come.
Their religion also emphasized ancestor worship. At its basis,Incan religious beliefs were intimately connected with nature and included the belief that Inca rulers were direct descendants of the sun god, Inti.”The Inca Empire, also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire, was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, and possibly the largest empire in the world in the early 16th century. One of the Inca civilization's most famous surviving archaeological sites is Machu Picchu, which was built as a retreat for an Incan emperor”. The Incas called their empire Tawantinsuyu, the “Land of the Four Corners,” and its official language was Quechua.The city proper had a population of around 40,000 with another 200,000 in the surrounding area at the time of the Spanish conquest. Cuzco was also an important component in the propaganda of Inca rule. It was encouraged to be venerated by Inca subjects as a sacred
In the Great Planes of America there was a tribe of Indians known as the Arapaho Indians. There is little documentation as to when or where they came from but it is known they were in many different places in the Midwest including Oklahoma, Wyoming, Kansas and Colorado. The Arapaho Indians were nomadic people who survived on hunting buffalo and gathering. This tribe was greatly changed when they were introduced to horses. The horses provided them a new way to hunt battle and travel. The horse became the symbol and center of Arapaho nomadic life: people traded for them, raided for them, defined wealth in terms of them and made life easier.
...c used a slash and burn style of farming and they relocated once the nutrients of the land were used up. The Incas were much more advanced. Labor specialization was common, especially in the large densely populated areas like Cuzco. The Incas made roads, had irrigation channels, fortresses, and mines. They used crop rotation and terracing and other advanced agricultural methods.
The Inca government was one of the most efficient and complex of ancient history, Spanish conquistadors could do nothing but stand in awe while contemplating the complexity in their society. Mostly because Spaniards found many tangible resemblances between Spain's monarchy and the structural hierarchy in which the “antiquated” Incan Empire revolted around. The Incas consolidated a strong Empire based on coercion and rewards over conquered tribes that served a centralized power in Tahuantinsuyo. They were maintained in check through appointed representatives and tax collectors who were empowered to carry out punishment for crimes,
The Ancient Aztec government got its structure from units of society that existed long before the Aztec empire was founded. Families didn't individually own land, the land was owned by a group of families, called the calpulli. This structure of local government existed long before the Aztec empire. The head in the calpulli would be responsible for the basic needs of the group. The Inca were able to keep control over their vast empire by using of a number of techniques and practices that assured either cooperation or
Many arguments have occurred over the centuries since the Spanish marched into the Andean highlands and took over the Incan empire, over whether the Incan's were part of an ideal human society, or just a group of tyrannical rulers. While the Incan society had created a stable political, economic, and social system in the Andean world it was far from being an ideal society. On the same note, the Incan's were not tyrannical rulers, did not exploit their subjects or take away their land for no reason. The reading entitled "Was Inca Rule Tyrannical?" discusses this argument about the Incan empire, tries to classify the form of government the Incan's lived under, and searches for the truth about what the Incan empire was really like. The truth about the Incan empire lies somewhere between the romanticized views, and the views meant to justify the Spanish conquest, while it is impossible to classify in modern terms the form of government the Incan's had.
The population of the Empire was very diverse and large, containing millions of people. The Incan people called their state Tawantinsuyu. It consisted of four divisions with the capital, Cuzco, located in middle. The people did not have written language, making the early Spanish as the only source of The Incan Empire. However, according to the Incan people, the Empire did not start its growth until the capital was almost destroyed by the revolting Chanca people in the fifteenth century. The son of the emperor, Inca Yupanqui, was able to stop the revolt. While in power, he had a goal to bring civilization to all of the Andean people. Along with his successors, they made the Incan Empire begin to quickly grow. Alliances, intimidation, and conquest gave the power needed to expand the Empire. Conquered areas were not made to be tributaries for the Incas, but actually became part of the Empire. More than 14,000 miles of road would be used for transport by the Empire, so moving large groups of people was not hard. The newly conquered people were split up and relocated, making the conquered people less of a threat to the empire. The roads contained administrative centers and warehouses that not only allowed the Empire to transport people, but also created storage for goods throughout the Empire. Food and clothing that was stored allowed the army to constantly move while always having supplies. The Incan Empire was
A government was required to lead the people and aid in organizing a city. City governments were far more powerful than the council of elders and local chiefs of farming villages. At first, Priest probably had the greatest. In time, warrior kings came to power as chief political leaders. They soon set themselves up as the chief hereditary ruler and passed their power from father to son. Governments soon became more complex as rulers issued laws, collected taxes, and organizes systems of defense. To enforce order, rulers relied on royal officials. Over time, government bureaucracies evolved. Almost always rulers claimed their power came from god or divine right. These rulers then gained religious power as well.
Punishing the unlawful, undesirable and deviant members of society is an aspect of criminal justice that has experienced a variety of transformations throughout history. Although the concept of retribution has remained a constant (the idea that the law breaker must somehow pay his/her debt to society), the methods used to enforce and achieve that retribution has changed a great deal. The growth and development of society along with an underlying, perpetual fear of crime are heavily linked to the use of vastly different forms of punishment that have ranged from public executions, forced labor, penal welfarism and popular punitivism over the course of only a few hundred years.