Episode number 16 of Series “The World: A Television History”.
AD 300 - 1500. Unlike other places, ancient America was illiterate, so all that was left of these civilisations were the majestic ruins of their cities and places of worship. By the 9th century this society had collapsed and everything had been abandoned - perhaps it was an epidemic or an invasion. By between the 7th and 10th centuries Barbarian tribes invaded Mexico. Today there are still Indians - the people still eat and dress like their ancestors did, but the political destiny of Latin America lay in the hands of the Europeans. Based on The Times atlas of world history.