Initially decimated by disease and later faced with the loss of their lands and their political autonomy, Latin American Indians have displayed remarkable resilience. They have resisted cultural hegemony with rebellions and have initiated petitions to demand remedies to injustices, while consciously selecting certain aspects of the West to incorporate into their cultures. Leading historians, anthropologists and sociologists examine Indian-Western relationships from the Spaniards' initial contact with the Incas to the cultural interplay of today's Latin America. This revised edition contains four brand new chapters and a revised introduction. The list of suggested readings and films has also been updated.

Initially decimated by disease and later faced with the loss of their lands and their political autonomy, Latin American Indians have displayed remarkable resilience. They have resisted cultural hegemony with rebellions and have initiated petitions to demand remedies to injustices, while consciously selecting certain aspects of the West to incorporate into their cultures. Leading historians, anthropologists and sociologists examine Indian-Western relationships from the Spaniards' initial contact with the Incas to the cultural interplay of today's Latin America. This revised edition contains four brand new chapters and a revised introduction. The list of suggested readings and films has also been updated.

"Provides a comparative perspective on the impact of early European colonization on the native peoples of the Americas." "Resilient Cultures" examines the character of the indigenous cultures of the Americas before European contact and then considers the impact of colonization by the Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, and English as well as the creative ways in which indigenous cultures adapted to colonization. The text explores such issues as environmental change, the nature of military conflicts, the cultural and material contributions of each side to the other, the importance of economic exchanges, and demographic transformations. Learning GoalsUpon completing this book readers will be able to:

• Understand the impact of European colonization on the native societies of the Americas
• Explain how native cultures were transformed by the unprecedented pressures placed on them by the European settlements
• Discuss the ways local indigenous people influenced the course of colonial history, affecting the economies, cultures, and social patterns of the European settlers