Inca rope bridge

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/inca-rope-bridge

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the structural type?Natural fiber suspension bridge
2. What is the primary construction material?Ichu grass and other strong plant fibers, braided into ropes
3. What were Inca rope bridges made of?Inca rope bridges were built mainly from ichu grass, a strong, fibrous plant that grows in the Andes. The grass was twisted and braided into thick ropes that could hold a lot of weight.
4. How did the Inca make the ropes?To make the ropes, skilled artisans twisted the ichu grass fibers in opposite directions and braided them together. This made the ropes very strong and less likely to unravel.

Tensile strength: The resistance of a material to breaking under tension or pulling forces.
Andean topography: The varied and often extreme geographical features of the Andes Mountains, including high peaks, deep valleys, and steep slopes.
Pre-Columbian: Referring to the history and cultures of the Americas before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.