Resistance to the Expansion of Pachakutiq's Inca Empire and its Effects on the Spanish Conquest

This endeavor focuses on the formation and expansion of the Inca Empire and its effects on western South American societies in the fifteenth century. The research examines the Incan cultural, economic, and administrative methods of expansion under Pachakutiq, the founder of the empire, and its impact on the empire’s demise in the sixteenth century. Mainstream historical literature attributes the fall of the Incas to immediate causes such as superior Spanish technology, the Inca civil war, and a devastating smallpox epidemic; however, little is mentioned about the causes within the society itself. An increased focus on the social reactions towards Inca imperialism not only expands current information on Andean civilization, but also enhances scholarly understanding for the abrupt end of the Inca Empire. This study on the Inca Empire will improve the historical analysis on the rise and fall of the largest empire in pre-Columbian America