Which explorer conquered the Incan Empire?

Which explorer conquered the Incan Empire?

• A. Pizarro
• B. Cortes
• C. Columbus
• D. Magellan

Answer: (A)

This question tests knowledge of who led the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Francisco Pizarro is the figure associated with conquering the Inca, culminating in the capture of the Incan emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca in 1532 and the swift collapse of Inca power under Spanish control. His small force used a combination of superior weaponry, strategic alliances, and the Inca civil war to weaken the empire, allowing him to establish colonial rule over much of the Andes. By contrast, the other explorers are known for different feats: Cortes toppled the Aztec Empire in Mexico, Columbus opened sustained contact between Europe and the Americas without conquering the Inca, and Magellan began the first circumnavigation but did not conquer the Inca. So Francisco Pizarro is the explorer associated with conquering the Incan Empire.

This question tests knowledge of who led the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Francisco Pizarro is the figure associated with conquering the Inca, culminating in the capture of the Incan emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca in 1532 and the swift collapse of Inca power under Spanish control. His small force used a combination of superior weaponry, strategic alliances, and the Inca civil war to weaken the empire, allowing him to establish colonial rule over much of the Andes. By contrast, the other explorers are known for different feats: Cortes toppled the Aztec Empire in Mexico, Columbus opened sustained contact between Europe and the Americas without conquering the Inca, and Magellan began the first circumnavigation but did not conquer the Inca. So Francisco Pizarro is the explorer associated with conquering the Incan Empire.