This highly-praised book provides a concise yet comprehensive study of the Iberian colonies in the New World from the pre-conquest background through European exploration, conquest, and colonization, to the wars of independence in the early nineteenth century. Burkholder and Johnson's blend of historical narrative and social and economic developments in the New World reflect their own research as well as a broad range of contemporary sources, creating a text that is extrmemly well-balanced. Because each chapter is subdiveded into several units, this text is ideal for courses on colonial Latin America, offering students core reading that is both stimulating and informative. This third edition includes a new section on the Mayas and expanded material on other pre-conquest native peoples, as well as additional material on popular culture and a greater discussion of ethnohistory. Suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter include books published since the second edition. Numerous illustrations and maps lend immediacy to the narrative, and biographical examples of both conqueror and conquered illustrate colonial life. Clear and engaging, this new edition of Colonial Latin America is invaluable for students interested in learning more about Latin America's colonial legacy and its difficult transition into the modern era.