▁build ▁their ▁emp ire ▁around ▁ 1 4 th ▁century ▁found ▁their ▁civil ization ▁ab rupt ly ▁ended ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish ▁conquist adors . ▁They ▁lived ▁in ▁Mes o amer ica , ▁and ▁surrounding ▁lands . ▁Their ▁capital ▁city ▁T eno cht it lan ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁cities ▁of ▁all ▁time . ▁ ▁South ▁America ▁ ▁Norte ▁Ch ico ▁The ▁oldest ▁known ▁civil ization ▁of ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁Norte ▁Ch ico ▁region ▁of ▁modern ▁Peru . ▁Complex ▁society ▁emer ged ▁in ▁the ▁group ▁of ▁coast al ▁valle ys , ▁between ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 8 0 0 ▁B CE . ▁The ▁Qu ip u , ▁a ▁distinct ive ▁recording ▁device ▁among ▁And e an ▁civil izations , ▁apparently ▁dates ▁from ▁the ▁era ▁of ▁Norte ▁Ch ico ' s ▁prom in ence . ▁ ▁Ch av ín ▁The ▁Ch av ín ▁established ▁a ▁trade ▁network ▁and ▁developed ▁agricult ure ▁by ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁( or ▁late ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁Old ▁World ) ▁ 9 0 0 ▁B CE ▁according ▁to ▁some ▁estimates ▁and ▁arch ae ological ▁finds . ▁Art ifact s ▁were ▁found ▁at ▁a ▁site ▁called ▁Ch av ín ▁in ▁modern ▁Peru ▁at ▁an ▁elev ation ▁of ▁ 3 , 1 7 7 ▁meters . ▁Ch av ín ▁civil ization ▁sp anned ▁from ▁ 9 0 0 ▁B CE ▁to ▁ 3 0 0 ▁B CE . ▁ ▁In ca ▁Hold ing ▁their ▁capital ▁at ▁the ▁great ▁city ▁of ▁C us co ,