One of a series which describes the cultural history of continents or regions through several centuries, this book decribes the periods of Latin America's great civilizations from the time of exploration by European adventurers and traders, and explains the significance of the colonization that followed. It describes the geography of Latin America, the mountains and tropical rainforests, the remains of the Inca, Aztec and Mayan peoples, the explorers from the 15th to the 20th centuries including the European scientists and artists of the 19th century in the land of El Dorado. Specially commissioned maps show the region before and after exploration.