The Spanish Conquest of South America in the sixteenth century presented a new and alien world to the Western societies. The various civilizations from the earliest Chavin culture to the latest Inca empire were generally misunderstood by the Spanish conquistadores. This introductory course will present a review of the nature of the sociopolitical, economic, and ideological aspects of the various Latin-American cultures of South America in light of the archaeological sites, artifacts, art and earliest historical texts. Format: lectures/films/class debates. Requirements: midterm, final exam, and 10-page research paper. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 40.