Francisco Pizarro and the Conquest of the Inca Empire
This paper examines Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire along the western coast of South America. It traces the key stages of the conquest, beginning with Pizarro's early explorations and his authorization by the Spanish crown, through his military encounters with Atahualpa and the capture of Cuzco, to the execution of Incan general Chalcuchimac. The paper also analyzes the major obstacles Pizarro faced: hostile native populations, harsh Andean terrain and climate, and internal rivalry with fellow conquistador Diego de Almagro, whose jealousy over the spoils of war ultimately led to his own execution. Together, these elements reveal the conquest as a prolonged, complex campaign of military strategy, political cunning, and fragile alliances.
- Introduction: Overview of Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire
- The Conquest of Peru and the Fall of Atahualpa: Military campaign, Atahualpa's capture, and Chalcuchimac's execution
- Roads, Strongholds, and the Path to Cuzco: Andean roads used to advance toward the Incan capital
- The Rivalry Between Pizarro and Almagro: Alliance breakdown and Almagro's execution by Pizarro
- Challenges Faced During the Conquest: Military, environmental, and internal obstacles Pizarro overcame
- Conclusion: Full arc of the conquest summarized and assessed
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper provides a clear chronological narrative of the conquest, making it accessible while covering key events, figures, and turning points in logical sequence.
- It incorporates multiple primary and secondary sources—including Hemming, Prescott, and Quintana—to substantiate specific claims about individual figures such as Chalcuchimac and Almagro.
- The paper identifies distinct categories of challenge (military, environmental, and internal) in a structured analytical passage, demonstrating the ability to synthesize events into thematic observations.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper effectively uses cited evidence to support specific narrative claims. For example, Quintana is cited when describing Chalcuchimac's refusal to convert, and Prescott is used to characterize Pizarro's reaction to Almagro's plea for mercy. This technique—anchoring character detail in primary or near-primary sources—demonstrates source-driven historical argumentation at an introductory undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with an introduction establishing the scope and significance of the Inca Empire and Pizarro's role. The body is divided into narrative sections covering the conquest itself, the role of Andean roads, and the breakdown of the Pizarro–Almagro alliance. A dedicated paragraph synthesizes the difficulties Pizarro faced. The conclusion recapitulates the full arc of the conquest and reinforces the theme that it was a sustained, disciplined campaign rather than a single decisive event. A Works Cited list follows MLA format.
Introduction
Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in South America. The Inca Empire was an amalgamation of territories along the western seaboard of South America, stretching from what is modern-day Colombia to the southern tip of modern-day Chile. The Incan Empire consisted of several cultures with several different languages and was similar in its expansion to what the Roman Empire had been in its glory days. However, with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors led by Pizarro, many natives were willing to cooperate with the Spaniards in the overthrow of Incan rule. This paper describes the conquest, its process, the difficulties encountered, the persons involved, and what ultimately became of them.
Works Cited
Hemming, J. The Conquest of the Incas. NY: Harcourt Brace, 1970. Print.
Leon, P. The Discovery and Conquest of Peru. Durham: Duke University, 1998. Print.
Prescott, William H. The History of the Conquest of Peru. NY: Dover Publications, 2005. Print.
Quintana, Manuel Jose. Lives of Vasco Nunez de Balboa and Francisco Pizarro. Trans. Margaret Hodson. Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1832. Print.
Somervill, Barbara. Francisco Pizarro: Conqueror of the Incas. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2005. Print.
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