Final answer:
The roads and bridges played a crucial role in the Incan Empire for military travel, facilitating trade and transportation of goods, and connecting different regions of the empire. They were essential for maintaining control over the vast territory and ensuring effective communication.
Step-by-step explanation:
The roads and bridges were extremely important to the Incan Empire for several reasons. Firstly, the empire covered a vast and diverse landscape, including mountains, canyons, deserts, and coastal valleys, making travel and communication difficult. The Inca built a sophisticated road and bridge system to connect their expansive territory, which included as many as twenty-five thousand miles of roads. These roads allowed the Inca military to travel quickly and efficiently, ensuring their control over the empire and the ability to respond to any threats.
Secondly, the road and bridge system facilitated trade and transportation of goods throughout the empire. Provinces produced goods that would be transported to the imperial storehouses, contributing to the centralized economy. Additionally, the roads had relay stations where travelers could rest, exchange information, and engage in trade, further connecting different regions of the empire.
Lastly, while gold was certainly a valuable resource for the Incan Empire, it was not the sole reason for the construction of roads and bridges. The primary motivations were to maintain control over a vast territory, facilitate communication and trade, and ensure the efficient movement of the military and goods.