Mexico: A History

Mexico: A History, Volume 1, provides a sweeping examination of five hundred years of dramatic transformation. Paul Gillingham traces the nation's trajectory from the 1511 shipwreck in Yucatán to the fall of Tenochtitlán. This history explores the collision of Spanish and indigenous worlds, detailing how the exchange of goods like chocolate and tomatoes met the devastation of new diseases. The narrative examines the profound cultural recombination that followed this initial encounter, shaping a unique national identity.

This history volume also analyzes the economic and political shifts that positioned Mexico as a central player in the first global economy through silver mining. The text covers the struggle for independence, subsequent conflicts with France and the United States, and the social revolutions that redefined the country. From the rise of a one-party state to the modern challenges of the drug wars, Mexico: A History, Volume 1, serves as a comprehensive history of a vital global innovator.