The New Childrens Encyclopedia

AZTECS AND INCAS

 LLAMAS were valued

for their wool, their meat,

and for carrying goods

along the roads.

Cortés arrives

WHO’S WHO?

O

Acamapichtli (reign 1376-96) A member of the ruling

family of a neighboring state who became the first king of

the Aztecs.

O

Montezuma I (reign 1440-69) This ambitious king greatly

expanded the Aztec Empire through trade and conquest.

O

Montezuma II (reign 1502-20) The Aztec Empire reached

its largest size during his reign and then the Spanish

conquest began.

O

Hernán Cortés (1485-1547) Spanish adventurer who

overthrew the Aztec Empire in 1521 and claimed Mexico as

land belonging to the Spanish crown.

1400s 1500s

TELL ME MORE...

Despite having only a small army,

Pizarro was able to seize the Inca

ruler Atahuallpa after he refused

to accept Christianity and the rule

of Spain on November 16, 1532.

Pizarro meets Atahuallpa

Montezuma I

 MACHU PICCHU

Mountain city built by

Capac Yupanqui.

 MASK OF A GOD

Mosaic made from

turquoise gems

Empire building The Aztecs

became rich and powerful

because they were extremely

successful at growing crops.

They became a nation of

feared warriors since their

large, conquering army

could be fed. Merchants

could trade goods with

distant lands, creating

wealth for the Aztecs.

Spanish conquest

Hernán Cortés was

welcomed as an

honored guest by

Montezuma II to

Tenochtitlán in 1519

as was the custom of

the Aztecs. However,

Cortés arrested the

king and two years

later destroyed the city

and the Aztec Empire.

Francisco Pizarro

In search of gold

and other precious

metals in South

America, the Spanish

adventurer Pizarro

met the Incas. In

1533, he took control

of Cuzco and claimed

the land for Spain.

Inca conquests

Capac Yupanqui

(reign 1438-71)

began the expansion

of the Inca Empire.

A vast network of

roads were built to

link their territory.

 SACRIFICIAL KNIFE

Aztec priests cut out the still-

beating hearts from prisoners

as a sacrifice to their gods.

EMPIRES EXPANDED

The Aztecs and Incas extend their control

over other tribes and gain more land.

CIVILIZATIONS CONQUERED

The Aztec and Inca empires are destroyed

by the arrival of Spanish adventurers.

HISTORY AND POLITICS