Answer:
Social Contribution: The social hierarchy of the Incas was broken down into four different groups. These groups included the Sapa Inca, who was the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. He owned and controlled everything in the Inca empire and was believed to be related to the sun god. Next came the royal family, which included the queen and relatives of the Sapa Inca. Third was the nobility, which included distant relatives of the royal family or the highly educated, and last was the ayllu which included everyone else. Because the Sapa Inca owned and controlled everything, no trading outside the Inca empire was necessary. Everything needing to be done in the empire was completed through ‘tributes' or free labor from everyone from the ages of fifteen through fifty.
Political Contribution: There were about 20 million people living in
the Inca Empire at its peak in the 1400s. Its capital city was Cuzco,
which is located in what know today as Peru. Cuzco was located at
the point where each of the empire’s four districts came together.
Each district was governed by someone from emperor’s family. Over
time, several emperors conquered more territory and the
government was set up for all people to pay taxes or ‘tributes’ to
make sure the military or any social needs like roads were managed
through free labor for the empire.
Religious Contribution: The Incas worshipped many gods and believed that
their principal god, Viracocha, created all life. Each god also represented
something in nature such as Inti, the sun god, who they thought was the most
powerful god. The Inca people also respected their ancestors by mummifying
them. Crops and pieces and cloth were sometimes burned as offerings and
llamas were sacrificed to the Gods, but they didn’t practice human sacrifice
except when there was a major crisis.
Intellectual Contribution: While the Incas did
not use written language, they did use a complex math and
communication system of colored ropes called quipu. Not many
people could read the quipu strings, but they were a very
effective way of both math and communicating across the
empire. The Incas also used coca plant leaves as a powerful drug
in medicine.
Technological Contribution: The Incas used very advanced forms
of terracing to farm in the high hills. They were excellent stone workers and could build walls of
stone for the terraces that did not require any mortar. The Incas
were very skilled metalworkers. They worked with copper, tin,
bronze, silver, and gold which they also learned to blend
together to form metal alloys which could then be made into
weapons and tools.
Economical Contribution: Macchu Picchu was built high in the
mountains and was able to survive earthquakes because of the
excellent stonework. The Incan Empire was very spread out and
the geography varied widely so the Incas to create a huge
system of 14,000 miles of roads through mountains and
deserts. All roads led through the capital city of Cuzco. These
roads greatly helped their economy because they used them to
communicate, move their armies to conquer neighbors, and
move supplies around where and when they were needed. The
Incas even built rope bridges across deep rivers, cut steps into
steep slopes, and tunnels through mountains. Economic growth
would never have been possible without them.
Explanation:
