Inca Empire Characteristics and History

Which of the following was NOT a characteristic of the Inca Empire in 1491?

• A population of nearly 10 million subjects.

• An area covering over 900,000 square kilometers.

• Extensive use of iron tools for construction.

• Advanced road and canal systems.

According to Inca legend, who created the ancestors of the Inca rulers?

• Pachacuti

• Viracocha

• Inti

• Ayar Manco

What was the primary sign that Ayar Manco and his siblings had found the fertile land for their capital?

• A large river flowed through the valley.

• The golden staff sank into the ground.

• They encountered a friendly native population.

• A great temple was already built there.

How did Pachacuti become the ninth Inca ruler and transform the kingdom into an empire?

• He inherited the throne directly from his father, Viracocha.

• He successfully defended the city against the Chanka tribe after his father fled.

• He discovered new gold mines that funded his expansion.

• He formed an alliance with the Spanish conquistadors.

What system did the Inca use to record numbers and other information, despite not having a written language?

• Hieroglyphs carved into stone tablets.

• Pictograms painted on animal hides.

• A complex system of knotted strings called Quipu.

• Oral traditions passed down by designated storytellers.

How did the Inca Empire manage its vast territory and provide for its subjects?

• Through a decentralized system of independent city-states.

• By relying solely on trade with neighboring empires.

• With a decimal-based bureaucracy, systematic taxation, and centralized storehouses.

• By forcing conquered peoples into slavery to produce goods.

What was a significant factor that weakened the Inca Empire before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors?

• A series of devastating earthquakes that destroyed major cities.

• A prolonged drought that led to widespread famine.

• An outbreak of disease and a subsequent civil war between brothers.

• Rebellions by newly conquered territories seeking independence.

What technological advantages did Francisco Pizarro and his small group of conquistadors possess that helped them overcome the much larger Inca force?

• Advanced siege weapons and naval support.

• Superior knowledge of the local terrain and guerrilla warfare tactics.

• Guns and horses, which the Inca had never encountered before.

• Alliances with rival native tribes who provided overwhelming numbers.