This comprehensive history of the discovery and conquest of the New World features three separate accounts by some of the most renowned writers of the time. Washington Irving's biography of Christopher Columbus is a fascinating retelling of the explorer's life, while W. W. Robertson's account of the conquest of Mexico and Peru offers valuable insights into the culture and history of ancient civilizations. Finally, Benjamin Rush Davenport's history of the United States provides an extensive overview of the country's development and growth. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.