Week 20
Empires of America before colonization: Incas and Tairona

Before European colonization, the Americas were home to advanced civilizations, including the Inca and Tairona empires. The Inca Empire, located in present-day Peru, was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, known for its sophisticated road systems, agricultural terraces, and architectural marvels like Machu Picchu. It was highly organized, with a centralized government that managed vast territories using a network of roads and messengers. On the northern coast of South America, the Tairona civilization flourished in what is now Colombia. Known for their intricate goldwork and well-planned cities, the Tairona built terraces and stone structures in the mountainous Sierra Nevada. Both civilizations were rich in culture, engineering, and social organization, and their legacies remain influential in the regions they once dominated.