Building upon contemporary texts and modern histories of both famous and ordinary people, this course examines the indigenous empires known as the Aztecs and the Incas. It also examines the encounter of Europeans and native people, following the history of exploration and conquest from the time of Columbus to about 1550. Equal consideration is given to the course's three components: Aztec, Inca and the Spanish conquest. Recommended prereqs., HIST 1018 or 3020.