Late Intermediate Period

The Late Intermediate Period in ancient South America, roughly from 1000 CE until the Spanish conquest in the early 16th century, was a time when regional states developed and were eventually absorbed into larger empires, most notably the Inca Empire. This era followed periods of cultural florescence and saw the rise of kingdoms such as the Chimú and Tiwanaku before the Inca expansion.123

The Inca, originating from Cuzco, rapidly expanded their empire, known as Tawantinsuyu, across vast territories in modern-day Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. They established an efficient state-controlled system for food production and distribution, developed a codified legal system, and created monumental architecture. Despite their achievements, the Inca Empire was relatively new when the Spanish arrived, and resentments among recently conquered ethnic groups allowed the Spanish to exploit these divisions. The Spanish conquest led to significant population declines for many Indigenous South American groups, though highland populations in the Andes have since seen a resurgence.2345