Final answer:
The ancient Inca culture adapted to their mountainous environment through the development of terrace farming, which increased arable land and enabled successful agriculture despite their isolated, technology-limited context. This innovation was key to sustaining a large population and creating a thriving civilization.The correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ancient Inca culture adapted to the physical geography of their region primarily by developing terrace farming on hillsides. This innovation was crucial as the steep Andean mountains offered limited flat land suitable for agriculture. The terraces, often resembling giant steps cut into the mountainside, allowed the Inca to create flat, arable plots, thus enabling them to grow crops such as corn, beans, squash, quinoa, and potatoes. By building these terraces, they not only increased their agricultural space but also improved irrigation, minimized soil erosion, and created micro-climates to cultivate a range of different plants.
Their terrace farming technique also helped connect communities within the Andes to those along the Pacific Ocean, facilitating a diverse diet and trade between different ecological zones. Remarkably, this sophisticated adaptation was developed despite the Inca lacking many of the technologies available to other contemporary civilizations, such as wheeled vehicles, large domesticated draft animals, and a written language. Instead, they relied on manual labor and more rudimentary tools to construct and maintain these agricultural marvels.
Large-scale structures like terraced farms, extensive roads, and monumental buildings all testify to the Inca's ability to harness their environment and sustain a large population, with estimates around 12 million inhabitants at the Empire's peak. The impressive legacy of Incan terrace farming continues to marvel historians and tourists alike, with sites like Machu Picchu showcasing the remnants of these ancient agricultural landscapes.