Latin American History Before Columbus

1. Precolombian Books and Codices (10)
2. The Inca (8)
3. The Maya (22)
4. The Olmec (2)

Biography of Atahualpa, Last King of the Inca
In 1532, Spanish conquistadors discovered the wealthy Inca Empire, high in the South American Andes. The only thing standing between these greedy men and the gold they dreamed of was young Emperor Atahualpa, fresh off a victory in a civil war.

Huáscar and Atahualpa: An Inca Civil War
From 1527 to 1532, brothers Huáscar and Atahualpa were locked in a brutal civil war over who would lead the mighty Inca Empire, high in the South American mountains. Atahualpa had only a short time to savor his victory, however, as Spanish conquistadors under Francisco Pizarro arrived with their own notions of who should rule the Andes.

Olmec Religion
The ancient Olmec civilization of Mexico had disappeared by 400 B.C., but their religion and culture were hugely influential in later cultures such as the Maya.