A. The Incas were the native peoples of South America. Their empire extended from Ecuador to Chile.
B. Around 1200 B.C., they founded Cuzco as the capital.
C. They were great builders:
1. Paved roads through the Andes
2. Tunnels
3. Suspension bridges
4. Distance markers along the roads
5. Rest stations
D. There were four classes (levels) in the Incan society.
1. Rulers
2. Nobles - The rulers and nobles lived in palaces.
3. Common people - This was the largest group. Most of the people were farmers. There were strict rules governing their lives.
4. Slaves - This group was made up of criminals or people captured from other tribes.
E. The farmers grew grain, beans, and other vegetables. They also raised llamas, ducks, and guinea pigs for meat.
F. Both boys and girls were educated. Children had to pass a test to see if they …show more content…
In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan sailed along the coast of Argentina and discovered the strait that now bears his name. He was the first European to sail from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
E. In 1532, the Spanish discovered the Inca empire. Francisco Pizarro, a Spanish conquistador, found them while searching for gold. They kidnapped the Inca ruler Atahualpa and held him for ransom. The Incas gave him gold and silver to fill a room in the palace up to the height of a man. However, the Spanish executed him.
F. In 1569, the Spanish utterly defeated the Inca empire. Many Peruvians still speak Quechua the language of the Incas.
G. Simon Bolivar is known as the “George Washington of South America.” He was born in Venezuela, but he was educated in Europe. He led the settlers of South America in a revolt against Spain. He helped to free Columbia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and parts of Peru. The part of Peru he freed later separated to become Bolivia (named in honour of him).
H. By 1830, all of South America except Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana was free from European rule.
THE NORTHERN COUNTRIES OF SOUTH AMERICA