Explore the empires of South America,one step at a time.
The Incan Empire
The Inca Empire, led by Pachacuti, grew from the kingdom of Cuzco into a large, powerful empire. They used a labor tax system, the Mit'a, to build impressive structures like Machu Picchu. However, the empire fell to Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro after only 100 years.
Era: 13th century Location: Columbia to Chile Capital: Cusco Demise: 1532
The Mayan Empire
The Maya civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization that existed from antiquity to the early modern period. It is known by its ancient temples and glyphs (script). The Maya script is the most sophisticated and highly developed writing system in the pre-Columbian Americas.
Era: 250 - 697 CE Location: Mesoamerica Capital: Tikal Demise: 900 AD
The Aztec Empire
The Aztec empire, which at its height comprised roughly five to six million people spread over some 80,000 sq mi (200,000 sq km), was made possible by their successful agricultural methods, including intensive cultivation, irrigation, and reclamation of wetlands.
Era: 12th - 14th century Location: Central Mexico Capital: Tenochtitlan Demise: 1521
