P416 416 TELEINF 09:48:21 THE FIRST AMERICANS (continued) THE INCAS. The Inca empire thrived in the 1400s and 1500s. It was ruled by a god-like emperror, the Lord Inca. His capital was Cuzco, high in the Andes Mountains. A superb system of roads linked the empire, allowing the Incas to control more than 10 million people, mostly conquered neighboring tribes. In 1531 Francisco Pizarro first landed on the coast of what is now Ecuador. He entered the Inca empire which extended nearly 3 thousand miles along the western coast of South America. The empire was well- governed, every citizen was employed, no one was hungry. Life was so completely controlled, all the people were so obidient, that this may have helped lead to the downfall of the empire. When Pizarro entered the see next page >>>