Why Is Machu Picchu Important To The Inca Civilization

436 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Ancient inca temples essay

The Inca had many distinguishable achievements that many other empires could not claim for themselves. James Lockhart categorizes The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu to be the most significant achievements of the Inca civilization. The Inca Trail was very advantageous to the Inca empire because it allowed the people to travel all around where they ruled easily. The Inca Trail was built to ensure a fast route connecting everything under the Inca rule. It consisted of 25,000 miles of roads and bridges that connected major cities, the four quarters, and many valuable resources. Machu Picchu was also a very important piece of the Inca civilization and was also widely known for its architecture and art. The Inca left behind a legacy of architecture and art, most of which was presented at Machu Picchu. …show more content…

Additionally, Machu Picchu was significant to the Inca civilization because it was an ancient site that showcased many components of Inca culture, agriculture, religion, and urban dwelling. Machu Picchu had many purposes; it was mainly used as a religious ceremonial site, at the higher part, and used for agriculture, governmental, and military purposes, at the lower part (Blackwell, "Machu Picchu”). Machu Picchu was designed to fit into the existing landscape. The buildings were constructed of masonry in a polygonal shape that was typical of late Inca

Show More
Related

  • Comparison of The Aztecs and The Incas

    1543 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Aztec’s and Incas seemed like a very well devoted tribe to one another. Even though they only lived a few thousand miles away from each other and didn’t know about each other they were well known. The artifacts left behind shows that they were very advanced, and the food they ate they knew how to take care of their bodies. The Aztec and Inca’s also knew how to prepare for war also. These two tribes are some of the best warriors known to man.

    Read More

  • Hernan Cortes's Campaign Against Machu Picchu

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the moment Hernan Cortes landed in Mexico and began his campaign against the Aztec empire, the people of the new world were doomed to be conquered by both technological and biological means. Smallpox, a disease that had never been experienced in America before the arrival of the Europeans devastated large scale native populations. The abandonment of the famous lost city of Machu Picchu stands as a famous example of the devastation of native populations.

    Read More

  • Aztecs and Incas

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Aztecs and Incas served an important role in the primal Native American civilizations. They were similar and different with the treatment of women, the economy, and intellectual achievements. Economically, both civilizations used trade, tribute, and agriculture to build their economy. However, the Aztecs had a more mixed economy, used trade more frequently than the Incas, and had a merchant class whereas the Incan civilization had more governmental control. Intellectually, both civilizations achieved in fields such as architecture, and art; however, the Incan empire had a wider range of achievements, disregarding their lack of writing. Throughout both civilizations, women had a tough life and were underappreciated but comparing the two, Incan women had it better off due to parallel descent.

    Read More

  • Inca Empire Essay

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Spanish Colonialism and the Indigenous People of Bolivia

    2290 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Inca quickly became a successful empire, a relative ethnic minority which controlled a diverse region of peoples. Conquered groups were allowed to maintain local chiefs, cultures, religion and language, bound together only through payments and work for the Inca. The mita (forced labor) system facilitated the lives of common laborers and recruited soldiers while vast tracts of roadways allowed for trade between the high and lowlands. The Inca accumulated great wealth, thus significant artistic and architectural achievements were made with textiles, metal working, and the practice of fitting stones together for building without the use of mortar. Many of these walls survive today. Although the Aymara attem...

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Aztec And Inca Civilization

    465 Words  | 1 Pages

    Aztec culture had a rich and complicated set of mythological and religious beliefs. These religious practices and artistic accomplishments as well as music, dance, dress, food, drink, sports and games played a large part in their everyday lives. A rather remarkable part of Aztec culture was the ritual of human sacrifice. The Incas drew on the artistic traditions of their Andean predecessors and the skills of subject peoples. Beautiful pottery and cloth was produced in specialized workshops. Inca metallurgy was among the most advanced of the Americas, and Inca artisans worked gold and silver with great technical skill.

    Read More

  • Mayan, Inca, and Aztec Civilizations

    790 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Incas are much more advanced. Labor specialization was common, especially in the large densely populated areas like Cuzco. The Incas made roads, irrigation channels, fortresses, and mines. They used crop rotation, terracing and other advanced agricultural methods. These civilizations had retainers and all had slaves, usually slaves from other villages that they had fought in wars.

    Read More

  • Peruvian Culture

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    Did you know that Peru is one of the top ten countries to visit in the world? (UNWTO) Peru has unique music and energetic dances that are fun to see. The people are friendly and charming; they would be happy to help one find their way if they need help. But, the main reason Peru appears on the top ten list is because of its unique geographical features. Some examples are the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu and Cusco. The art and culture of the Peruvians, as well as the people themselves,and the popular places to go, are what tourists like to see in Peru.

    Read More

  • Inca Civilization Remember

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Incas used a wide range of building materials including three types of stones: Yucay limestone, green Sacsayhuaman diorite porphyry, and black andesite. Each block of stone could have weighed many tons. They had to be cut in order to be transported using nothing more than harder stones and bronze tools. Most of the structures were just one room with the outer walls sloping in about 5 degrees to make the walls look higher and thicker then they actually are, this is called ‘the trapezoid form’. In every large Inca settlement there was a structure called a ushnu, this was a sort of platform, that symbolized the Inca state rule across the whole empire and they were used for state-ceremonies, judicial purposes, and processions. Since the Incas never invented the wheel they had no use for roads so instead of traveling along roads they used bridges made of rope and pathways to get from place to place conveniently in the mountains. The Incas had a number of other architectural advancements, but these are just the general ones that the common people would

    Read More

  • The Fall of the Inca Empire

    2359 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Inca Empire, the massive nation that extended 2,500 miles along the western coast of South America and had a population of over 7 million at its peak. It included all of what is now Ecuador and Peru and most of Chile. Known as “The Children of the Sun”, they excelled at craftsmanship, weaving, and culture (“Children of the Sun”). A very religious people, they worshiped the Sun as their supreme god and held religious festivals monthly to appease these gods. Although they did not value it aside from its beautiful appearance, the Inca Empire was home to millions of pounds of solid gold and silver. The Inca had no use for it except to use it to craft decorations and statues. In fact, an Inca citizen valued cloth more than they valued gold or silver. Their collapse would be brought about because of the Spanish invasion, a brutal civil war that weakened the empire, and deadly disease brought over from Europe.

    Read More

  • Pedro De Cieza De Leon Sparknotes

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    This primary source tells the reader a great deal about the Incas. The Incas were extremely wealthy. Most of the document tells the reader about the wealth and riches of the Incas, describing their wealth in depth. Jobs in the Incas’ society included many lavish occupations. “[M]any silversmiths who did nothing but work rich pieces of gold or fair vessels of silver; large garrisons were stationed there, and a steward who was in charge of them all” (Pedro). The Incas were organized and intelligent. Large armies were set up to protect their villages, and they had plenty of silver and gold to experiment with and create new beautiful objects. They used their systems to create a fair,

    Read More

  • Incans Essay

    994 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Incan Empire was a great was a great civilation that thrived and paved the way for modern society. The Incans were a very intelligent people, as shown with the conquistadors not finding Machu Picchu because of its great height. They did many great things and built even more. They could travel along a mountainside that the road was only eighty centimeters long. They were very hard workers and they were about what was better for the population. These are the people that humans of the modern day should learn from and strive to be like.

    Read More

  • The Rise And Development Of The Aztec Empire

    933 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Mayan Civilization Dbq

    779 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Mayans were known for their engineering, one structure they were famous for is their pyramid temple

    Read More

  • Machu Picchu

    880 Words  | 2 Pages

    Scientists can surmise about who built it, who lived there, and why it was abandoned and forgotten, but they still are not one hundred percent sure. Machu Picchu was used for religious observance, astronomical observation, a royal retreat, and a secret ceremonial city. Therefore, I have partially proved my thesis. I said that Machu Picchu was created by the Inca culture for religious observance. Machu Picchu was used for that and many other things and that is why it is such an amazing civilization.

    Read More

More about Why Is Machu Picchu Important To The Inca Civilization

Open Document