12. The Inca - Cities in the Cloud (Part 1 of 2)

The Discovery of Machu Picchu00:00:26

Hiram Bingham's 1911 expedition leads to the rediscovery of the abandoned royal estate of Machu Picchu, a sophisticated Inca settlement hidden in the Peruvian Andes.

The Geography and Early Civilizations of the Andes00:06:53

An overview of the Andes mountains' impact on the environment, creating extreme landscapes that fostered early civilizations like the Moche and Nazca, who mastered water control and social organization.

Inca Foundations: Tiwanaku and Wari00:22:41

The Inca drew cultural and political inspiration from predecessors like Tiwanaku and the Wari, adopting their terrace farming techniques, administrative systems, and architectural styles.

The Rise of the Inca and Pachacuti00:45:00

Originating from Cusco around 1200, the Inca expanded into an empire, most notably under the reign of the poet-king Pachacuti, who transformed the capital and oversaw rapid territorial growth.

Imperial Administration and Infrastructure01:07:44

The Inca Empire, or Tahuantinsuyu, maintained control through an extensive road network, centralized planning, and a state-run labor system where citizens contributed service rather than taxes.

Signs of Decline and Contact01:24:52

As Huayna Capac leads wars in the north, the empire is struck by a devastating, mysterious plague. A brutal civil war between his sons, Huascar and Atahualpa, leaves the empire vulnerable as European powers arrive in the region.