Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________

Early History of the Americas

Section 3

MAIN IDEAS
1. The Incas created an empire with a strong central government in South
America.
2. Life in the Inca Empire was influenced by social structure, religion, and the
Incas’ cultural achievements.
3. Francisco Pizarro conquered the Incas and took control of the region in
1537.

Key Terms and Places

Cuzco capital of the Inca Empire, located in present-day Peru
Quechua the official language of the Incas
masonry stonework

Section Summary
THE INCAS CREATE AN EMPIRE
While the Aztecs were ruling Mexico, the Incas were On what continent did the
Incas build their empire?
building an empire in South America. The Incas
began as a small tribe high in the Andes. They built _______________________
their capital, Cuzco, in modern-day Peru. In the mid- _______________________
1400s, the ruler Pachacuti (pah-chah-KOO-tee) led
the Incas to expand their territory. By the early
1500s, the Inca Empire stretched from Ecuador to Where did the Inca tribe
central Chile. originate?
To rule this empire of 12 million people, the _______________________
Incas formed a strong central government. The _______________________
Incas replaced local leaders of conquered areas
with new people loyal to the Inca government. The
Incas established an official language, Quechua
(KE-chuh-wuh). The Incas paid taxes in the form of
labor. This labor tax system was called the mita
(MEE-tah). There were no merchants or markets.
Instead, government officials would distribute How did Incas get food,
goods collected through the mita. clothing and other goods?

_______________________
LIFE IN THE INCA EMPIRE _______________________
Inca society had two main social classes. The
emperor, priests, and government officials were the

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49 Guided Reading Workbook

Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Section 3, continued

upper class. The upper class lived in Cuzco and did

not pay the labor tax. The lower class included
farmers, artisans, and servants. Most Incas were
farmers. They could not own more goods than they The Incas believed their
needed. rulers were related to
The Inca religion was based on the belief that whom?

Inca rulers were related to the sun god and never _______________________

really died. Inca ceremonies often included sacrifice _______________________

of llamas, cloth, or food. They also believed certain
natural landforms had magical powers.
Incas are known for their masonry, or The Incas excelled in the
stonework. They built massive buildings and a use of what building
material?
network of roads. Inca artisans made beautiful
_______________________
pottery, jewelry, and textiles. The Incas had no
written language. Instead, they kept records with _______________________

cords and passed down stories and songs orally.

PIZARRO CONQUERS THE INCAS

In the late 1520s a civil war began between an Inca
ruler’s two sons, Atahualpa (ah-tah-WAHL-pah) and
Circle the name of the
Huáscar (WAHS-kahr). Atahualpa won, but the war leader who led the Spanish
had weakened the Inca army. On his way to be conquistadors in their
defeat of the Incas.
crowned king, Atahualpa heard that conquistadors
led by Francisco Pizarro had arrived in the Inca
Empire. When Atahualpa came to meet them, the
Spanish captured him. They attacked and killed
thousands of Inca soldiers. The Incas brought gold
and silver to offer for Atahualpa’s return. But
instead the Spanish killed him. The Spanish
defeated the Incas and ruled their lands for the next
300 years.

CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Critical Thinking: Drawing Inferences The Incas
used labor as a form of currency. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of this type of
economic system? Write a brief essay explaining
your answer.

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50 Guided Reading Workbook

Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Section 3, continued

Atahualpa Cuzco masonry

Pachacuti Francisco Pizarro Quechua

DIRECTIONS Use the terms from the section to write a summary of

what you learned in the section.

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Original content © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

51 Guided Reading Workbook