section_path: History
section_name: History
paragraph_text: History
  
  The Andes Mountains, initially inhabited by hunter-gatherers, experienced the development of agriculture and the rise of politically centralized civilizations, which culminated in the establishment of the century-long Inca Empire. This all changed in the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistadors colonized the mountains in advance of the mining economy.
  
  In the tide of anti-imperialist nationalism, the Andes became the scene of a series of independence wars in the 19th century, when rebel forces swept through the region to overthrow Spanish colonial rule. Since then, many former Spanish territories have become five independent Andean states.