Summary

Praise for the previous editions:

"...well researched...concise...interesting..."-American Reference Books Annual

"...places current events in a broad historical context, acquainting the reader with the riveting and sometimes tragic events that have shaped Mexico into what it is today." -Midwest Book Review

From the rise of the first civilizations of North America, continuing through the cataclysm of the Spanish conquest and the explosive revolution of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa to the intensely contested presidential elections of the 21st century, Mexico has had a vibrant and dynamic history.

A Brief History of Mexico, Fifth Edition, brings readers up to date on developments in Mexico, helping them understand the deeper significance of recent events. Since the end of one-party rule in 2000 the country has seen four successive presidencies attempt to address the country's problems in new ways. Reforms have been aimed at reducing poverty, increasing government transparency, restructuring the role of government in private businesses, and integrating the Mexican economy into the global economy. Despite the many obstacles the country faces today-not least among them the war on drug cartels, widespread violence, corruption, and poverty-surveys indicate that Mexicans in general approve of their presidents and the direction the country is going.

Coverage includes:

• Mexico's pre-Columbian civilizations as well as contemporary Indigenous cultures
• The challenge of revitalizing Mexico's people and resources in this new period of multiparty democracy
• The environment
• The impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and regional and global economic integration on the Mexican economy and society
• The testing of the new democratic institutions since the end of one-party rule
• The war on the drug cartels
• Life in Mexico in the 21st century
• Mexican culture

Full-color photographs, illustrations, and maps. Bibliography. Suggested reading. Chronology. Sidebars. Tables.

Specifications

eBook

About the Author(s)

Lynn V. Foster is a freelance writer, former research scholar, and adjunct faculty member in the Hispanic Studies Department of the University of Massachusetts at Boston. She is the author of several books, including A Brief History of Central America and Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World, both for Facts On File.

Alejandro Quintana, Ph.D., is assistant professor of history at Saint John's University in New York City. His research has focused on the cultural legacies of authoritarianism, nationalism, sovereignty, state formation, and democratic processes in 19th and 20th century Latin America, especially Mexico. He is the author of Maximino Avila Camacho and the One-Party State and Pancho Villa: A Biography, as well as numerous articles on Latin American history.