Which civilization is famed for an extensive road network across the Andes?

• A. Aztec
• B. Inca
• C. Moche
• D. Chavin

Answer: (B)

This question tests how ancient peoples used infrastructure to connect vast territories and govern large empires. The Inca built an expansive road system, the Qhapaq Ñan, that stretched across the western Andes and linked major cities, administrative centers, and distant regions through rugged mountains. These roads, with their stone-paved paths, stairways, and rope bridges, enabled fast communication via messengers, efficient movement of troops, and smooth flow of goods, helping the central authorities coordinate resources and control diverse ecological zones from high plateaus to coastal valleys. The scale and purpose of this network—connecting far-flung communities under centralized leadership—are distinctive hallmarks of the Inca civilization. In contrast, the Aztec civilization, while known for causeways around Lake Texcoco, did not build an extensive Andean road system; Moche and Chavin achieved important regional centers and innovations but not a continent-spanning road network across the Andes.