HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHICS

Peru is the Land of the Incas             
-Inca Garcilaso de la Vega

The history of Peru dates back to the powerful and complex Inca civilization. The Inca Empire was the largest civilization in the Western Hemisphere, with over 10 million subjects and covering 900,000 square kilometers. Considered the most powerful ancient civilization in Latin America, it spanned much of western South America, including modern-day Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and parts of Chile. According to legend, the Inca Empire was formed by the first emperor Ayar Manco, along with his four brothers and four sisters. He held a golden staff that when pierced into the ground was going to be his kingdom. After many tries, the first emperor Ayar Manco and his 8 siblings, established Cuzco in 1200 CE. ife continued as each emperor passed away, and a new one ascended to the throne. Suddenly, in 1438, a neighboring tribe called the Chanka nearly overthrew the Inca kingdom. The current king, Viracocha, and his designated heir fled in fear, but one son remained, Pachacuti. Pachacuti not only defeated the Chanka, but also expanded the kingdom vastly, into an entire civilization. After the Chanka’s defeat, due to his military skill, Pachacuti became the 9th Inca ruler. Under Pachacuti's reign, spanning from the Andes and introducing agricultural innovations, Machu Picchu was built, and the empire was divided into four quarters, each managed by a governor. The complex quipu system was implemented for taxation and order within the empire. The Inca continued to thrive until Huayna Capac's reign, which faced challenges from Spanish conquistadors and devastating diseases. Following, a civil war between Huayna Capac's sons, Atahualpa and Huáscar, the empire suffered a dramatic decline after Francisco Pizarro’s conquest in 1532. Despite the resistance in Vilcabamba for 40 years, Peru was ultimately destroyed by the Spanish by 1572. 3 centuries later, José De San Martin liberated Peru and Chile from Spain on July 28th, 1821. Today, 60% of Peru's population is a mix of Indigenous and White descendants, with smaller percentages of African descent. Since independence, Peru has evolved economically and financially. It is one of the only Latin American countries with a prime minister. Though Peru still has challenges, it is a democracy. There has been an elected president that is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system.