Latin America: History and Culture

More than 500 years have passed since the moment of the meeting of two cultures - European and American. The empires of the Aztecs and Incas fell under the pressure of the conquistadors, who perceived the inhabitants of America only as pagans who make bloody sacrifices to idols. It is impossible to return the destroyed cities, burned books and melted jewelry, and, most importantly, centuries -old traditions. Nevertheless, the legacy of the ancient cultures of Latin America was not completely lost. Archaeological excavations do not stop, the number of new finds is growing that change our ideas about the indigenous inhabitants of the American continent. The reader will be able to learn more about the history and culture of both Americas in the History of the pre -Columbian civilizations" Manuel Galich. The author pays particular attention to the peoples of Mesoamerics: Mayan civilizations, the take -off and collapse of the Aztec empire. A separate chapter is devoted to the culture and social structure of the Inca state. Encyclopedic in terms of material and characterized by the availability of presentation, the book of M. Galich is an invaluable source for everyone who first gets acquainted with the history of Latin America. The publication includes the books of V. I. Gulyaev "Dokolumbovs of swimming in America: myths and reality" and "in the wake of the conquistadors". The texts are complemented by a wide illustrative series, slide shows and video materials, maps