Inca Empire (c. 1438 – 1533 CE)

The Inca Empire, though brief, was the largest in pre-Columbian America. From their Andes heartland, they mastered engineering, constructing vast road networks and breathtaking stonework like Machu Picchu without mortar. A highly organized, centralized state governed a diverse population through a complex administrative system. Their innovative terracing and agriculture sustained millions. The empire's sudden collapse following the Spanish conquest ended a unique and powerful civilization whose architectural legacy still stands today.