How Spain and Portugal built empires in the Americas

Grade 7 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (1531 to 1533)

   An arrow runs south from Panama along the coast of today's Ecuador, January 1531, labeled "Francisco Pizarro and about 180 men"; a stop at Tumbes, found destroyed and empty; an arrow inland to Cajamarca, labeled "November 16, 1532: Atahualpa taken prisoner"; a later arrow to Cusco, the Inca capital, in 1533. Key: a red arrow is the Spanish route; a crown is an Inca city; a broken line is the route of Spanish allies drawn from Atahualpa's enemies. Below the map: from 1529 to April 1532, the brothers Atahualpa and Huáscar fought a civil war for the throne, which weakened the Inca army. To win his freedom, Atahualpa promised a room filled with gold and twice that in silver. The Spanish executed him anyway, on July 26, 1533.

2. 1.

   Where was Atahualpa taken prisoner, Ari asks?

   • Cajamarca
   • Tumbes
   • Cusco
   • Cusco, the Inca capital
3. 2.

   When was Atahualpa taken prisoner, Bo asks?

   • July 26, 1533
   • January 1531
   • November 16, 1532
   • April 1532, in Cusco
4. 3.

   Which causes together help explain the Spanish conquest of the Inca, Esme asks?

   • The ransom of gold by itself
   • 180 Spaniards with no help
   • A flood in Cusco
   • A civil war, allies and Spanish soldiers
5. 4.

   How did the Inca civil war help the Spanish, Jun asks?

   • It weakened the Inca army
   • It united the Inca
   • It made the army stronger
   • It moved the capital to Spain
6. 5.

   Who joined the Spanish against Atahualpa, by the map, Kira asks?

   • Atahualpa's own army
   • Aztec soldiers from 1521
   • Portuguese sailors
   • Atahualpa's enemies
7. 6.

   How many years did the Inca civil war last, from 1529 to 1532, Luz asks?

   • 30 years
   • 13 years
   • 3 years
   • 3,061 years
8. 7.

   Which came first, Atahualpa's capture or his execution, Milo asks?

   • Neither: both in 1529
   • Both on one day
   • His capture, in 1532
   • His execution, in 1533
9. 8.

   About how long was Atahualpa held prisoner, Noah asks?

   • About 8 days
   • About 8 months
   • About 8 years
   • About 2 years
10. 9.

    Atahualpa paid a huge ransom. Which sentence fits the map's note best, Pia asks?

    • The Spanish freed him as promised
    • The Spanish executed him anyway
    • He paid with Portuguese coins
    • The ransom ended the war at once
11. 10.

    Ren's friend says 180 Spaniards beat the Inca all by themselves. What is the best reply?

    • Agree: the Inca had no army
    • Disagree: allies and a civil war helped
    • Agree: they had no help
    • Disagree: Portugal sent the soldiers