When the Spanish arrived in Peru in the 1500s, they found a highly organized and developed society: the Incas. At the head of the Inca Empire was a sophisticated government that ruled more than 10 million citizens. Written to support elementary social studies curriculum, this title covers the structure of the Inca society’s government, including dynasties from 1200 to 1572, important rulers, viceroys, high priests, and governors. Readers also learn about ayllu, laws, and taxes and labor practices. Age-appropriate information and colorful images help readers connect with the material.

When the Spanish arrived in Peru in the 1500s, they found a highly organized and developed society: the Incas. At the head of the Inca Empire was a sophisticated government that ruled more than 10 million citizens. Written to support elementary social studies curriculum, this title covers the structure of the Inca society’s government, including dynasties from 1200 to 1572, important rulers, viceroys, high priests, and governors. Readers also learn about ayllu, laws, and taxes and labor practices. Age-appropriate information and colorful images help readers connect with the material.

One of the most fascinating books on pre-Columbian and early colonial Peru was written by a Peruvian Indian named Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala. This book, The First New Chronicle and Good Government, covers pre-Inca times, various aspects of Inca culture, the Spanish conquest, and colonial times up to around 1615 when the manuscript was finished. Now housed in the Royal Library, Copenhagen, Denmark, and viewable online at www.kb.dk/permalink/2006/poma/info/en/frontpage.htm, the original manuscript has 1,189 pages accompanied by 398 full-page drawings that constitute the most accurate graphic depiction of Inca and colonial Peruvian material culture ever done. Working from the original manuscript and consulting with fellow Quechua- and Spanish-language experts, Roland Hamilton here provides the most complete and authoritative English translation of approximately the first third of The First New Chronicle and Good Government. The sections included in this volume (pages 1–369 of the manuscript) cover the history of Peru from the earliest times and the lives of each of the Inca rulers and their wives, as well as a wealth of information about ordinances, age grades, the calendar, idols, sorcerers, burials, punishments, jails, songs, palaces, roads, storage houses, and government officials. One hundred forty-six of Guaman Poma's detailed illustrations amplify the text.

The ancient Inca civilization is known having a developed economy, but the people didn’t use money. In fact, the society didn’t have it. This is just one fact presented in this volume, which provides an in-depth look at the Inca economy. The title covers terrace farming, irrigation, livestock, and the role of mit’a labor in ancient Peru. Through the text’s coverage of the government’s distribution of goods and services, readers will understand why the society is sometimes called a utopia. Written with age-appropriate language and accompanied by highly detailed images, this title makes classroom social studies concepts accessible for readers.

The Incas is a captivating exploration of one of the greatest civilizations ever seen. Seamlessly drawing on history, archaeology, and ethnography, this thoroughly updated new edition integrates advances made in hundreds of new studies conducted over the last decade. • Written by one of the world’s leading experts on Inca civilization • Covers Inca history, politics, economy, ideology, society, and military organization • Explores advances in research that include pre-imperial Inca society; the royal capital of Cuzco; the sacred landscape; royal estates; Machu Picchu; provincial relations; the khipu information-recording technology; languages, time frames, gender relations, effects on human biology, and daily life • Explicitly examines how the Inca world view and philosophy affected the character of the empire • Illustrated with over 90 maps, figures, and photographs

This book provides a detailed account of the Inca Empire, describing its history, society, economy, religion, and politics, but most importantly the way it was managed. How did the Inca wield political power? What economic strategies did the Inca pursue in order to create the largest native empire in the Western Hemisphere? The book offers university students, scholars, and the general public a sophisticated new interpretation of Inca power politics and especially the role of religion in shaping an imperial world of great ethnic, social, and cultural diversity.

How was the ancient Aztec government different from other ancient governments, as well as modern forms of government? The answer to this question and more is waiting for readers to discover as they learn the details of ancient Aztec government. Common social studies curriculum topics, such as ancient civilizations and forms of government, are presented in a way that’s sure to keep readers entertained as they learn. Manageable text is accompanied by full-color photographs and historical images. Readers also gain information through primary sources that were carefully selected to enhance their learning experience.