WHAT WAS THE INCA EMPIRE?
The Inca Empire was a vast kingdom in the Andes Mountains of South America. Inca emperors controlled a huge area and ruled millions of people. It was the largest civilization in South America before the arrival of Europeans. According to Inca legend, the Inca first lived near Lake Titicaca in southeastern Peru. The legend says the first Inca emperor, Manco Capac, led the Inca north to the fertile valley of Cuzco. They arrived in Cuzco (in southern Peru) about ad 1200 and conquered the people there. Cuzco became the Inca’s capital city. Over time, the Inca conquered many neighboring groups. The Inca Empire grew large and rich. Centered in Peru, the empire extended over high mountains, grassy plateaus, fertile valleys, jungles, and coastal land. It covered parts of what are now Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. REMARKABLE BUILDINGS The Inca constructed impressive buildings out of stone. The Inca did not use the wheel. So to move large boulders, they used wooden rollers and ramps ma
