Which empire in the Americas, conquered by Pizarro, was described as the largest by the end of the 1400s?

Which empire in the Americas, conquered by Pizarro, was described as the largest by the end of the 1400s?

• A. Incan Empire
• B. Aztec Empire
• C. Maya Empire
• D. Olmec Empire

Answer: (A)

The ability to recognize the size and scope of empires helps explain why this empire fits both conditions: it was the one conquered by Pizarro, and it was the largest in the Americas by the end of the 1400s. Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca in the 1530s, in present-day Peru. The Inca built a vast and highly organized state along the western edge of South America, stretching from modern Colombia down to Chile. They had a centralized administration, an extensive road network, and a large population living under a relatively cohesive imperial system, which together made it the largest empire in the Americas by the late 1400s. The Aztec, while powerful, ruled from central Mexico and fell to Cortés; the Maya and Olmec were earlier civilizations with different political structures and extensive territorial reach by that time. Therefore, the Incan Empire is the one that matches both clues.

The ability to recognize the size and scope of empires helps explain why this empire fits both conditions: it was the one conquered by Pizarro, and it was the largest in the Americas by the end of the 1400s. Francisco Pizarro defeated the Inca in the 1530s, in present-day Peru. The Inca built a vast and highly organized state along the western edge of South America, stretching from modern Colombia down to Chile. They had a centralized administration, an extensive road network, and a large population living under a relatively cohesive imperial system, which together made it the largest empire in the Americas by the late 1400s. The Aztec, while powerful, ruled from central Mexico and fell to Cortés; the Maya and Olmec were earlier civilizations with different political structures and extensive territorial reach by that time. Therefore, the Incan Empire is the one that matches both clues.