Question 1

What was the Inca name for their empire?

Accepted Answer

The Incas called their empire Tawantinsuyu, meaning "The Four Regions Together" in Quechua. The empire was divided into four suyus (quarters) radiating from the capital Cusco: Chinchaysuyu (north), Antisuyu (east), Collasuyu (south), and Cuntisuyu (west).

Question 2

Which Inca ruler is credited with transforming the Inca from a small kingdom into a vast empire in the 15th century?

Accepted Answer

Pachacuti (reigned c. 1438–1471) is considered the founder of the Inca Empire as a major power. After defending Cusco against the Chanka invasion, he launched a series of conquests and reorganized the state, implementing the administrative systems that made the empire function. Fun fact: Pachacuti is also credited with building Machu Picchu as a royal estate.

Question 3

What was a quipu and what was it used for?

Accepted Answer

Quipus were recording devices made of cotton or camelid fiber strings with knots tied at various positions. The knots encoded numerical data used for census records, tax obligations, and inventories. The Incas had no written script, making quipus their primary method of information storage. Fun fact: Around 600 quipus survive today, and scholars are still working to fully decode them. Some researchers believe quipus may have recorded narrative information, not just numbers.

Question 4

Approximately how long was the Inca road system (Qhapaq Nan) at its peak?

Accepted Answer

The Qhapaq Nan, or Great Inca Road, stretched approximately 30,000 km (about 18,600 miles) across diverse terrain including coastal deserts, Andean peaks, and tropical forests. It connected the far reaches of the empire and facilitated rapid communication through a relay runner (chasqui) system.

Question 5

What was the mit'a system in the Inca Empire?

Accepted Answer

The mit'a was a mandatory public service system in which every adult member of the empire owed a certain amount of labor to the state each year. This labor was used for building roads, terraces, temples, and military service. In return, the state provided food, chicha (corn beer), and coca leaves to workers.

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