5-vol. set spans the centuries from the earliest civilizations of the Olmec, Maya, and Chavin to the present day. The region is broadly defined to include South America, Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the historical Spanish borderlands north of the Rio Grande that are now part of the United States. The set emphasizes political, economic, and social history, yet does not overlook those elements of material and popular culture that have affected the history of Latin America.