Pre-Inca Empire

 

2500 BC - People in the region began farming potatoes, corn, cotton, and other crops. 

 

900 BC - The Chavin civilization begins in the northern Andes highlands.

 

700 BC - The Paracas civilization begins to form.

 

200 BC - The Chavin civilization collapses.

 

100 AD - The Nazca civilization, known for the Nazca Lines, begin. These lines form the shapes of large animals when viewed from the air.

 

800 AD - The Nazca and Moche civilizations come to an end.

 

1200 AD - The Chimu build their capital city Chan Chan.

 

Inca Empire

 

1200 AD - The Inca tribe, led by Manco Capac, founded the city of Cuzco in the Cuzco Valley.

 

1438 AD - Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui becomes the leader of the Inca. He begins to conquer nearby tribes and expand the control of the Inca Empire. 

 

1471 AD - Tupac Inca Yupanqui, Pachacuti's son, becomes emperor. 

 

1493 AD - Huayna Capac, Tupac's son, becomes emperor. The Inca Empire reaches its peak.

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Decline and Fall of the Inca Empire

 

1525 AD - Emperor Huayna Capac dies from smallpox brought by the Spanish conquistadors. A large portion of the Inca also dies from smallpox.

 

1525 AD - The sons of Emperor Huayna, Atahualpa and Huascar, fight over the crown. The Inca Empire fights a civil war for the next five years.

 

1532 AD - Atahualpa becomes the emperor. At the same time, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro arrives in Peru. Pizarro captures Atahualpa and holds him for ransom.

 

1533 AD - The Spanish execute Atahualpa and install their own Emperor.

 

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