Major Highlights: Nahuatl became the major language Original Location: Southcentral region of pre-Columbian Mexico This led to a significant rise in the power of the Incas who went on to become great builders, constructing fortresses and sites like Machu Picchu and the city of Cusco that still stand to this day. When the king died, his son would get all the power, but his wealth would be distributed among his other relatives, who in return would preserve his mummy and maintain his political influence. He continued to expand the tradition of ancestor worship. The first Incan emperor, Pachacuti, transformed the capital from a modest village into a great city laid out in the shape of a puma. The Incas were devout followers of the sun god Inti, and their king was referred to as “Sapa Inca” meaning the child of the sun. The Incan civilization was a well-established and flourishing society. This civilization flourished in the areas of present-day Ecuador, Peru, and Chile and had its administrative, military, and political center at Cusco which lies in modern-day Peru. The Incan Empire was the largest empire in South America in the pre-Columbian era. Major Highlights: Largest empire in South America in the pre-Columbian era Current Location: Ecuador, Peru, and Chile
