The Pageant of Ibero-American Civilization is an introduction to the cultural history of the hybrid civilization that developed in those areas of the Americas that were conquered and settled by Europeans from the Iberian peninsula, under the Crown of Portugal and the Crown of Castile, five hundred years ago. Tarrago emphasizes the ideas and some of the individuals influential in the formation of that civilization. This book stands out in comparison to others of its kind because it chronicles events in Ibero-America taking into account the standards at the time that they took place and their relation to contemporary happenings in other areas of the world. Most importantly, this book does justice to the past of the region without justifying it, and it avoids subjecting its complex and undisciplined reality to a single "big idea." Written with an English speaking readership in mind, it includes a select thematic bibliography of titles in English.