Aztec & Inca Empires
Aligned to C3.D2.His.12 — C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Before European contact, the Aztec of central Mexico and the Inca of the Andes built powerful empires with cities, roads, and complex governments. Both fell in the early 1500s to small groups of Spanish conquistadors who exploited local rivalries, superior weapons, and the spread of European diseases.
Worked example
The Inca capital Cusco was linked by a 25,000-mile road network with relay runners, yet the empire fell after Francisco Pizarro captured the emperor Atahualpa in 1532.
Practice questions
- Name the two American empires and the regions where each was located.
- Explain two achievements of the Aztec or Inca, such as their cities, roads, or record-keeping.
- Analyze how small Spanish forces were able to conquer such large and organized empires.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Los imperios azteca e inca
Antes del contacto europeo, los aztecas del centro de México y los incas de los Andes construyeron imperios poderosos con ciudades, caminos y gobiernos complejos. Ambos cayeron a principios del siglo XVI ante pequeños grupos de conquistadores españoles que aprovecharon las rivalidades locales, las armas superiores y la propagación de enfermedades europeas.
Ejemplo: La capital inca, Cusco, estaba unida por una red de caminos de 40,000 kilómetros con mensajeros de relevo, pero el imperio cayó tras la captura del emperador Atahualpa por Francisco Pizarro en 1532.
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