The Defeat of the Inka

The common response to the question as to why the Inka were defeated by the Spanish was comprised of two points: horses and steel. It was a misconception that the Inka didn’t use the iron that was in great supply in the Peruvian empire. While the Europeans created items that optimized the metal’s strength and hardness, the Peruvians preferred a malleable version of the ore created by hammering sheets and molding them into objects of art, gilded with a gold or silver finish. The Inka also used fibers and wood for other objects and needs. The most effective weapon use in the Inka armies was the sling that was made of cloth. To make them more deadly, the Inka sometimes heated up the stones that were launched with the slings. In May 1536, the Inka army used these hot missiles to burn the...