Incas Farm the Mountains
Incas Farm the Mountains is a Grade 7 history skill from California myWorld Interactive, Chapter 6: Civilizations of the Americas. Students discover how the Inca Empire overcame the steep Andes Mountains through terrace farming, carving flat steps into mountainsides to grow crops like corn and potatoes.
Key Concepts
The Incan Empire developed high in the Andes Mountains , a challenging environment with steep slopes and thin soil. This geography made it very difficult to grow enough food for a large population.
To overcome this challenge, the Incas engineered a special method called terrace farming . They carved wide steps into the sides of mountains to create flat land for planting crops like corn and potatoes. This clever adaptation allowed the Incas to produce a food surplus, which supported their growing empire.
Common Questions
How did the Incas farm in the mountains?
The Incas used terrace farming, carving wide flat steps into steep mountain slopes to create level land for planting. This allowed them to grow crops like corn and potatoes in the challenging Andean environment.
What is terrace farming and why did the Incas use it?
Terrace farming involves cutting flat platforms into hillsides to create farmable land on steep terrain. The Incas developed this technique to grow food in the Andes Mountains where flat land was scarce.
What crops did the Incas grow in the Andes?
The Incas grew corn and potatoes on their mountain terraces. The terrace farming system produced food surpluses that supported their large population and empire.
What chapter in myWorld Interactive Grade 7 covers Incan farming?
Chapter 6: Civilizations of the Americas in California myWorld Interactive Grade 7 covers how the Incas farmed the mountains using terrace farming.
How did Inca engineering help them adapt to the Andes Mountains?
The Incas were expert engineers who developed terrace farming to create farmland on steep slopes, allowing them to produce food surpluses and support a large empire in a challenging mountain environment.