Which civilization was located in the Andes with a road system and centralized administration?

• A. Maya in Mesoamerica with calendar and writing
• B. Aztec in central Mexico with tribute empire
• C. Inca in the Andes with road system and centralized administration
• D. Olmec in the Gulf Coast with colossal head monuments

Answer: (C)

Road networks and centralized administration point to an empire built to govern and move across difficult terrain, which is a hallmark of the Inca. In the Andes, the Inca constructed the vast Qhapaq Ñan road system that tied together distant valleys and regions under a single imperial framework, enabling rapid troop movement, administrative control, and integrated trade. Their government was highly centralized, with the Sapa Inca at the top and provincial governors operating under a coherent bureaucratic system, complemented by the mita labor tribute and a recording method called quipu. This combination of an expansive road network and centralized governance is distinctive of the Inca. By contrast, the Maya thrived in Mesoamerica and are renowned for calendars and writing; the Aztec ruled a centralized empire in central Mexico but not in the Andes; and the Olmec, in the Gulf Coast, are known for colossal heads rather than an extensive road system or centralized imperial administration.