The Incas (Peoples of America)

The Incas were a small ethic group from the southern Peruvian highlands who created the greatest empire ever seen in the independent Americas—an empire of 10 to 12 million people.Inca history, largely presented to us by the conquering Spanish, reveals a rich culture of stunning achievement.In many ways, Inca life was defined by its unique geographical setting in the Andes, whose climate influenced everything from the crops the Incas grew to the altitudes in which they lived. This course focuses on Inca life at the height of empire, the society’s origins, its military, religion, ruling structure, and finally, the Incas’ legacy today.

Course Syllabus
Lecture 1 Portrait of the Incas: An Introduction
Lecture 2 The Land and Its People
Lecture 3 The Origins of Inca Society
Lecture 4 The Formation of Tawantinsuyu: The Inca Empire
Lecture 5 Inca Militarism
Lecture 6 Cuzco: The Navel of the Universe
Lecture 7 The Royal Estates
Lecture 8 At the Heart of Power
Lecture 9 Powers of the Sky and Earth, Past and Present
Lecture 10 Growing Up Inca
Lecture 11 Provincial Rule
Lecture 12 Building the Empire
Lecture 13 Provisioning the State and the Sun
Lecture 14 Invasion and Aftermath