The Story of the Inca Government: How an Empire Was Ruled 🌄

High in the Andes Mountains 🏔️ of South America, there was a great empire called the Incas 🏞️. The Inca Empire was one of the largest in the world at the time 🌍, and it needed a strong government 🏛️ to keep everything running smoothly.

At the very top of the Inca government was the Sapa Inca 👑, the ruler of the entire empire. The Sapa Inca was believed to be a descendant of the sun god, Inti ☀️, which meant the people saw him as both a king and a god. He had absolute power over everything in the empire!

The Inca government was highly organized 📜. Below the Sapa Inca were his advisors 👥 and noblemen, who helped him make big decisions for the empire. They helped run the four regions of the empire 🌎, which were divided to make governing easier. The capital city was Cusco 🏙️, and it was the heart of the empire, like a center of power ⚡.

The Incas didn’t use money 💰; instead, they used a system called mita 🛠️. This was a form of labor tax, where people worked on farms 🌽, built roads 🛤️, or created large structures like temples 🏛️ for the government. The government made sure that everyone had food 🍲 and shelter 🏠 in return.

Messengers 🏃 called chasquis ran across the vast empire, delivering messages 📝 using knotted strings called quipu 🎗️, which helped keep records of everything, from taxes to food supplies. The roads were well-kept 🛣️, and the chasquis were fast, allowing the Inca government to communicate quickly, even across long distances 🌍. Because they didnt had wifi nor telephones. 🛜☎️

Judges ⚖️ made sure the laws were followed. If someone broke a law, the government acted swiftly to keep peace 🛡️ and order. They had different rules than we have today, but that is another story.

The Sapa Inca also led the army 🛡️⚔️, protecting the empire from enemies. The government made sure that all the lands under its rule were safe and well-organized, and everyone worked together to keep the empire strong 💪.

The Inca government was one of the most organized and powerful in ancient times, built on hard work 🛠️, communication 🏃, and strong leadership 👑, making sure their large empire stayed connected and thriving! If you lived in the Inca Empire, what job do you think you would want to have—bein an advisor, maybe part of the army or you are quick runner and can fit perfectly for messanger?

Here are some follow-up questions to spark further curiosity and thinking after the story :

1. Why do you think the Incas believed their leader, the Sapa Inca, was connected to the sun god? How might that have helped the people trust him?

2. How do you think the mita system (working for the government instead of paying money) helped the Inca Empire grow?

3. What would it have been like to be a chasqui (messenger) in the Inca Empire? How do you think you would feel running up and down the mountains?

4. Why do you think the Incas didn’t use money? How did their system of sharing work?

5. What do you think was the most important job of the Sapa Inca? Why?

6. How do you think the quipu (knotted strings) helped the Inca government keep track of important things? Could you imagine keeping records like that today?

7. Why was it important for the Inca Empire to have good roads and messengers? What might have happened if they didn’t?

8. What do you think the judges in the Inca government had to think about when solving problems?

9. How do you think the Inca government kept people in such a large empire connected and working together?

10 What about other Civilizations , how did they governed themselves? Naturally leading to History research or work with the Question Chart Material 📚📜🤔

These stories of ancient civilizations and their governments beautifully illustrate how Geography and History are deeply interconnected. From the vast steppes of Mongolia to the mighty Incan Empire, each civilization was shaped not only by its leaders but by the land and people they governed. The stories remind us of the power of cooperation, how societies came together to solve problems, create laws, and build thriving communities. Through the wisdom of past rulers and the teamwork of their people, we see how collaboration can lead to peace and progress

With Montessori Joy,

Vanina 😊