For courses in the History of Latin America and Modern Latin America. Organized thematically, this text offers a clear narrative that weaves the story of Latin America together with coverage of broader themes and regional differences. In addition to the great diversity within Latin America, there is also a common theme that encompasses the sweep of history in the region. The original author of the text, E. Bradford Burns, cast the problem as the paradox that poor people inhabit rich lands. The reason for this paradox is that a tiny group of elites confuses their nation's well-being with their own. When this text was first published in 1972, there were very few texts on Latin America, and the ones that existed largely read like catalogs of historical events. Although there are others now, this textbook is still a leader in the field because of its clear thematic organization and a central narrative that tells a cohesive story, albeit with many variations. Co-author Julie A. Charlip is committed to continuing the Burns legacy. Despite changes in research, interpretations, and theories, Burnsrs"s basic premise is still the most accurate and succinct, providing the best framework for approaching the region.

List of Maps
Preface
Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: LAND AND PEOPLE 
The Land 
Latin America’s Environmental Woes 
The Indigenous 
The European 
The African 
Mestizaje and the Creation of  New People
¿Latin? America
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Tables:
Ratio of Population to Agricultural Land in Latin America and Selected European Countries
Labels for Miscegenation in Eighteenth-Century  New Spain 
Labels for Miscegenation in Eighteenth-Century Peru

Chapter 2: FROM CONQUEST TO EMPIRE 
European Exploration 
Patterns of Conquest 
Colonial Economy 
Colonial Administration 
The Catholic Church 
The Virgin de Guadalupe 
The Conquered Peoples 
Colonial Society 
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Table:
Founding of Major New World Cities

Chapter 3: INDEPENDENCE 
A New Sense of Self 
The Bourbon Reforms 
The Temptations of Trade 
The Impact of Ideas
Early Warning Signs 
International Examples 
Impetus from the Outside 
Elitist Revolts 
Popular Revolution in Mexico 
The Brazilian Exception 
Aftermath
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings

Chapter 4: NEW NATIONS 
Monarchy or Republic? 
Liberals or Conservatives?
Masses and Elites
Threats to New Nations 
Economic Instability 
A Clash of Cultures
Control by Caudillos 
Change and Continuity 
Mexico’s Early National Woes
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Table:
Abolition of Slavery 

Chapter 5: THE EMERGENCE OF THE MODERN STATE 
Political Stability 
Positivism and Progress 
Economic Prosperity 
Progress on the Periphery 
Modest Industrialization 
The Growth of Cities 
Superficial Modernization 
The Popular Challenge 
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Tables:
Railways in Latin America, 1913 
Export Commodity Concentration Ratios, 1913 
Direct and Portfolio Investment in Latin America, 1914 

Chapter 6: NEW ACTORS ON AN OLD STAGE 
The Presence of the United States 
The New Middle Class 
The Working Class 
The Middle Class in Politics 
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Tables:
United States Relations with Latin America
Women’s Suffrage in Latin America

Chapter 7: THE MEXICAN EXPLOSION 
Cracks in the Regime 
Effective Suffrage and No Reelection 
Patrias Chicas 
The Maderista Revolt 
Madero in Power 
¡Viva Zapata! 
Huerta and the Counter-Revolution 
A Radical Constitution 
The Radicals Lose 
From Destruction to Construction 
The Apex of the Revolution 
A Revolutionary Balance Sheet 
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Table:
Land Distribution in the Mexican Revolution 

Chapter 8: FROM WORLD WARS TO COLD WAR 
Economic Crises 
Dictators and Populists 
Latin America Turns Inward 
Guatemala: A Flirtation With Democracy 
Table:
Establishment of Depression Dictatorships, 1930s 

Chapter 9: THE REVOLUTIONARY OPTION 
Cuba 
Cuba’s Impact 
Chile 
Nicaragua 
Development or Dependency?
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Tables:
Latin American Military Coups, 1961—1964 
Latin American Guerrilla Groups 

Chapter 10: DEBT AND DICTATORSHIP 
Changing Economic Patterns 
Military Models for Change 
War in Central America 
The Church under Attack 
The New Social Movements 
Do Elections Make Democracies? 
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Table:
Antipolitical Military Regimes, 1964—1990 

Chapter 11: FORWARD INTO THE PAST 
Neoliberalism and Its Discontents 
NAFTA and the Zapatistas 
Latin America Swings Left 
Colombia: The Longest War 
The War on Drugs
Change and Continuity
Honduras: A Coup Rocks the Americas
Questions for Discussion
Recommended Readings
Tables:
Unsatisfied With Privatization of Public Services 
Latin America Elects Leftists
Perceptions of Socialism vs. Capitalism in Latin America

 

Latin America through Art

A Chronology of Significan Dates in Latin American History 
A Glossary of Spanish, Portuguese, and Indigenous Terms 
A Glossary of Concepts and Terms 
Index