Project Description: The whole idea behind the Time Travelers Project is to research an ancient civilization. We found learned about their whole culture; how they built their city, how they worshipped their gods, and how they came, ultimately, to their downfall. We each were given pillars in our group to lighten the work as well as be able to get a wider grasp on things by using teamwork. The four pillars were art and architecture, religion and society, government, and science and technology. My specific pillar was art and architecture, and my civilization was the Inca civilization. We revised our drafts many times, making sure that we cited our work. We used MLA style footnotes and end notes.
Process: During this project we revised our drafts many times. We used a certain format to make the drafting process easier. This format made the drafting easier because we knew exactly where our thesis, support, and evidence sentences are so we can tell how our paragraphs should look and sound.
Reflection:What did you learn? I learned about the Incas and how they were defeated by the Spanish conquistadors. I also learned that they had a great culture, rich with beautiful architecture and art, as well as political contracts that helped them through their lack of written language or mathematical system.
What challenges did you encounter? I had trouble with working with some of my teammates, but luckily, because of our individual work, I didn't have to directly deal with that person. I also had trouble with citing my sources because I got most of my information online>
What would you do the same or different? Next time I will make sure I have all my sources cited while I still have the book or website on hand. Next time I will also definitely have my peers and parents edit my work to help with my drafting process.
How will this help you later? Citing my work will give credit to the hardworking authors that deserve it. By citing early I can keep track of my work better and stay organized. When I have my peers edit my papers, I can see my paper from their perspective and get a different view on my own writing.
Final Research Paper
Inca Civilization Research Paper: Final Draft
Aldous Huxley once said that, “Every civilization is, among other things, an arrangement for domesticating the passions and setting them to do useful work.” [1] This is true in all civilizations, both ancient and current. Each has their own specific culture, their own special way of showing the culture and tradition that flourishes in their country. Art and architecture is one of those ways that people can display their beliefs and show how they interpret different things. The way that the Incas used art as a way to express their religious beliefs is by making gold sculptures of religious figures and also making political contracts on the tapestries of the alpaca. But sadly, some of the beautiful artifacts of the Inca were lost. Although the Inca civilization was destroyed by the conquistadors and was plagued by the small pox the Spaniards brought with them, their art survived as well as their brilliant architecture, adding to the Peruvian culture all around it.
The Incan civilization started in the 13th century and ended in the 16th century. During that time the Incas produced great artwork and built great buildings. The Incas were polytheists, meaning they believed in many gods usually associated with the sun, or the moon. The fall of the civilization was due to both a civil war and Spanish conquistadors. The conquistadors brought with them smallpox, along with a hunger for gold. They burned down the Inca city and stole their gold, leaving it deserted. All of the Incas that weren’t killed were sold into slavery. In light if this horrible conquest, most of the Inca buildings still stand today. [2]
The Incas made great art; it was very ornate, yet also very useful. Inca art and architecture is very Spartan; it’s all for functionality. Their sculptures depict religious figures made from gold, which were later melted down by the Spaniards. The alpaca lived among the Incas, so their fur was woven into intricate geometric tapestries. But don’t think that these were just for artistic value; these were used as political contracts as well. Their walls were made of stone, cut so well that the blocks fit like jigsaw pieces. It was said that one couldn’t even fit the blade of their knife in one of the cracks of the wall; it was so well built.
The Incas abundance of gold definitely contributed to their downfall. The conquistadors melted down the Incas amazing sculptures, but their architecture still stands. The walls of the city were so amazingly built, the reason that they’re still standing today. The Incas used durable stones like limestone and granite so that the walls stood for a long time. Machu picchu is a great example of this; it has stood for such a massive period of time because of the great craftsmanship and dedication that went into the citadel. The art and architecture didn’t really contribute to the Incas downfall, mostly the rise of their culture and civilization.
Because of this rise in culture, I believe that the Inca civilization prevailed over others. One in particular is the Kush. Their architecture is very plain, usually resembling Egyptian architecture. Their temples look like pyramids with the tops chopped off, standing like great trapezoids. The Kush didn’t have much art, one of the reasons I believe that the Incas were more developed in that area. The Kush did, however, have a water system, something the Incas did not. This helped them prosper along the Nile. This may or may not be a good choice for the Incas, for they had a great system for their crops already. They used the valleys near the mountains to plant their crops, carving steps into the hillside. Because of this, a water system may not be needed, but it is needed for other civilizations to thrive and prosper. Overall, I think that the Incas were definitely a step ahead of the Kush, both architecturally and artistically.
The Incas had no written language. They also didn’t have a written mathematical language, either. But they did have a great abundance of gold, which was unbelievable to the Spanish conquistadors. The empire stills stands today in Peru; the walls were so sturdy that they lasted all these years. Lasting for three hundred years, from the 13th century to the 16th century, the Inca civilization may be regarded as a success because most of the factors that contributed to the downfall were not the fault of the Incas. Others may think that it was a complete failure; there is no record of a language and most of the priceless artwork was lost. I believe that it was not a failure, for they did the best they could.
From the beautifully constructed walls of the city, to the painstaking geometric patterns on the tapestries, to the gold figurines depicting religious gods, it is obvious that the Incas took pride in their work and knew what they were doing. They were not flashy people; they liked to keep things simple. This is shown in their architecture as well as their art, where there was always a purpose for what they did. We know all of this information because of the artifacts that are still around, a true test of craftsmanship. Weather you think that the Inca civilization was a complete failure or that it stood the test of time, it’s easy to agree that the Incas were immersed in their art and architecture.
[1] "Quotes about Civilization" quotegarden.com. Nov. 4. 2009.
[2] "About Peru History: Inca Civilization" abour-peru-history.com. 2008. 2009.
Bibliography
"About Peru History: Inca Architecture" about-peru-history.com. 2008. 2009.
"About Peru History: Inca Civilization" abour-peru-history.com. 2008. 2009.
"Quotes about Civilization" quotegarden.com. Nov. 4. 2009.
