Delie2



The Incans were native to South America who once ruled one of the largest, richest empires in the Americas. First emerging in the early 1400's, the Incans occupied a vast region that centered around its capital of Cusco, located in Southern Peru. The empire stretched over 2,500 miles about the western coast and mountain ranges of S.A. Beginning in 1532, the Spanish began to take over Incan territory (3). Incan emperors expanded their territory in many different ways. More often than not, they took over areas by military force or the threat of such force. Other times, they created alliances. Local leaders who went along with the Incan ways, were mostly allowed to stay in power (3) "The Incans were skilled engineers and craftworkers." (3) This is evident in their vast network of road. However, because the Incans never used wheeled carts, these roads were really nothing but foot paths (4). However, they were not just foot paths. The Incans created over 15,000 miles of these roads to allow easy travel over their lands. While it is debated if the Incans actually created all these roads or got them from the peoples they conquered, it is fact that the Incans put these roads into a working network and maintained the network (4). Also, their architecture is world- renowned for its scale and construction (3).

Return to Ecuador's History Return To Home Page