Exploring Latin America

Latin America's population is estimated to be well over half a billion people-almost one-tenth of the world's population-living in thirty-three different countries and territories. This engrossing title explores the people of South America, Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies and provides extensive detail on their diverse cultures. An authoritative overview of the varied and rich traditions of each of these regions is presented, as well as a thorough discussion of the religions, languages, and ethnicities of Latin Americans.

The modern period of history is often considered to have begun with the Renaissance, one of the rare periods of genius in the world's history. This volume traces the Renaissance from its beginnings in Italy in the fourteenth century to its spread across the rest of Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Along with the rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman writing, the Renaissance represented a new age in the fields of science, literature, religion, politics, and many others. Readers will learn about the great thinkers of their era and how their beliefs radically changed the landscape of Europe.

This title covers the major drivers of the Latin American region's economy, including exports of agricultural products, petroleum and minerals, and manufactured goods, along with the service and tourism industries. Despite recent improvements, the Latin American economy remains dependent on commodity exports to the West, presenting a challenge to the region's long-term future. When used in the classroom, this resource provides readers with the tools they need to analyze concepts in economics and how they affect the countries of Latin America.

This title authoritatively recounts the main events in the history of Latin America and highlights the men and women who played key roles in the establishment and growth of the region. Though long inhabited only by various Amerindian tribes, Latin America was transformed by the arrival of Europeans, who built colonial empires across the region beginning in the sixteenth century. Much of Latin America secured its independence in the early nineteenth century, but the new countries were plagued by political and economic instability, some of which continues today. Readers will get a full picture of Latin America's complex history and an understanding of how it affects the present-day region.