In terms of relevance to our class themes, Machu Picchu can be closely tied to the Inca Empire we have learned so much about. As previously mentioned, Machu Picchu was constructed by two main leaders of the Inca Empire, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (1438-72) and Tupac Inca Yupanqui (1472-93). These two men were critical in the expansion of the empire, as they extended its rule into the highlands of Peru. Machu Picchu can also be tied back to the results Spanish conquest, as it is said that the Spanish crushed the Inca empire, and many Incas died off as a result, and those who were left feared for their lives. It was also likely abandoned because of the thought that this was a religious site and the Incans were being persecuted for their religious beliefs as a result of the imposition of Catholicism.