ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of Peru

Peru is a country in South America that has a very long history! A long, long time ago, there were many different groups of people who lived in Peru. They had different languages and cultures, and they built amazing cities and structures out of stone. One of these groups was the Inca, who built a great empire that lasted for hundreds of years.

In 1532, a man named Francisco Pizarro arrived in Peru from Spain. He and his soldiers were looking for gold and other treasures, and they wanted to conquer the Inca empire. Sadly, the Inca people were not ready for the fighting that came with Pizarro and his soldiers. The Spanish took over the land and forced the Inca to work for them.

For many years, Peru was a colony of Spain. The Spanish built new cities and towns, and they introduced their language and religion to the people of Peru. They also brought many new plants and animals from other parts of the world, which changed the way that people lived and farmed.

In the early 1800s, many people in South America began to want their freedom from Spain. Peru was part of this movement, and in 1821, a man named Jose de San Martin led an army to defeat the Spanish and gain independence for Peru. However, it was not until 1824 that Peru's independence was finally secured.

Since then, Peru has had many different leaders and governments. Some of them have been good and some have been bad, but the people of Peru have always been strong and resilient. Today, Peru is a diverse and beautiful country with a rich cultural heritage, and it continues to grow and develop.