Introduction
The Inca were Native South American people who built the largest pre-Columbian empire in the New World lasting just short of 100 years from 1438 CE - 1532 CE (Robert J. Walker, 468). Originally centred around Cuzco Peru, the empire extended across the Andes' mountain tops and down to the Pacific shoreline, incorporating parts of what we know today as Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador and Argentina all connected by a vast network of roads, complexity that is beyond comparison to anything that the Old World produced. The Inca were masters of architecture, sophisticated farmers, hard workers and wealthy with abundances of food, textiles, silver and gold. Unfortunately this wealth is what interested the Spanish conquistadors. In 1532 CE the empire was brought down by the Spanish and a combination of brutal attacks, disease and rebellion wiped out the Inca population. Many aspects of Inca culture were destroyed and replaced with Spanish taste (Mark Cartwright, "Inca Civilization").
This past winter I was lucky enough to experience the remains of this historic empire up close when I traveled to Peru with my family. We flew to Cuzco, spent a few days taking a look at museums around the city, ventured out to the sacred valley touring the historical and cultural sites and eventually made our way to rightfully awarded wonder of the world Machu Picchu. Everywhere you looked it was clear to see how proud the Peruvians are of their ancestors. With my experience I can confidently say that the Inca Empire was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular civilizations to exist and in no way deserving of their unfortunate fate.
This past winter I was lucky enough to experience the remains of this historic empire up close when I traveled to Peru with my family. We flew to Cuzco, spent a few days taking a look at museums around the city, ventured out to the sacred valley touring the historical and cultural sites and eventually made our way to rightfully awarded wonder of the world Machu Picchu. Everywhere you looked it was clear to see how proud the Peruvians are of their ancestors. With my experience I can confidently say that the Inca Empire was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular civilizations to exist and in no way deserving of their unfortunate fate.