machu+picchu+stuff

Machu picchu
by:zayra delgado
 * Location:** Peru, 50 miles NE of Cuzco[[image:Machu_Picchu_Locn.png width="140" height="139"]]
 * Geograpihcal features:** Perched high upon a rock in a narrow saddle between two sharp mountain peaks and overlooks the Urubamba River 2,000 ft (600 m) below.


 * History:** Consturted around 1450, at the height of the Inca Empire. It was abandoned less than 100 years later, during the Spanish conquest.Another theory maintains that Machu Picchu was an Inca "llacta": a settlement built to control the economy of the conquered regions. It may also have been built with the purpose of protecting the most select of the Inca aristocracy, in the event of an attack. Also, this was supposely a temple for the inca godsResearch conducted by scholars has convinced most archaeologists that rather than a defensive retreat, Machu Picchu was an estate of the Inca emperor, Pachacuti. In addition, Johan Reinhard presented evidence that the site was selected based on its position relative to sacred landscape features. One such example is its mountains, which are purported to be in alignment with key astronomical events.Although the site is located only about 50 miles from Cusco, the Inca capital, it was never found and consequently destroyed by the Spanish, as was the case with many other Inca sites. Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle grew to enshroud the site, and few knew of its existence.There are only theoris on what happend to the people because no one really knows. One of those therios is that the spanish came and wiped them out w/ disseases. Another is that Spanish took everyone as slaves.

The theories may not be true......i got them from several websites about what the legends are.


 * Impact:**

Today it is Peru's most visited tourist attraction and a major money maker.

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