Unit 4

Lesson 2
Inca
Government
and Society
 Activity #1

Read the article poseted on Google

Classroom and answer the question at
the end IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
 Government
Sapa Inca: Emperor or king
of the Inca Empire; “sole
ruler”; most powerful person
in the land

Coya: Sapa Inca’s principal

wife, the queen
● Laws were made
by the Sapa Inca
and carried out by
the tax collector
● Punishment for
laws was very
cruel, so there
was very little
crime
 Activity #2

Create your own version of the Inca

Social Hierarchy pyramid
 Social Hierarchy
● The Inca Society was based around strict classes
● Few people had the opportunity to improve their social
status
● Once a person was born into a social class, that was
where they would remain the rest of their life
 Nobles

● The most privileged group included the Emperor and his

family
● The high priests, descendants of first settlers of the
empire, and a few people specifically chosen by the
Emperor, were considered nobles, but were not treated
with the same respect as the Emperor and his family
local official - controlled almost every aspect of Inca life;
decided what each farmer planted and when; distributed
food, clothing, and cooking utensils; decided how much tax a
person should pay the government

dominant - most powerful

 Commoners
● Had to pay part of their harvest
● Built bridges and roads
● Had little freedom but were secure with food and
clothing
Job Specialization
● Commoners were
responsible for
most of the labor
in the Inca Empire

● Groups of families
were organized into
units called ayllu
Ayllu: a group of families that worked a
portion of the land together
Ayllu: ● Paid most of the taxes in
the empire either in food
or hard labor
● Provided food for the
emperor, nobles, and
commoners
● Built government buildings,
roads, worked in mines, and
served in the military
 Activity #3

Create an illustrated definition of Ayllu

To help you remember the term and its
importance
Organized Religion
● The religion of the Inca was closely
tied into the everyday life of the
Inca as well as with their
government
● Believed their ruler, Sapa Inca, was
part god himself
● The Sapa Inca or “sole ruler” was
all-powerful, owned everything, was
head of government, and made the
laws - his word was final
● Inti:
○ Most important god
○ God of the Sun
● Sapa Inca was said to
be a descendant of
Inti
○ Married to the
Goddess of the
Moon, Mama Quilla
 Activity #4

Create a comic to describe the Inca

Religion