Problems in Modern Mexican History

Sources and Interpretations

Edited by William H. Beezley, Monica A. Rankin

Publication date:

20 April 2017

Length of book:

304 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442241213

Mexicans, since national independence, have defined their challenges as problems or dimensions in their lives. They have faced these issues alone or with others through politics, security (the military, police, or even public health squads), religion, family, and popular groups. This unique reader collects documents—texts, visuals, videos, and sounds—from organizational reports, popular expressions, and ephemeral creations to express these concerns, reveal responses, and measure successes. They allow readers to consider and discuss how these documents enabled Mexicans to evaluate their history and culture from 1810 to the present. Offering a wide variety of materials that can be tailored to the needs of individual instructors, these rich sources will stimulate critical thinking and give students new insights and often surprising respect and understanding for the ways Mexicans have managed to find humor, even magic, in their lives.

Introduction
Chapter 1: Independence, 1810–1820
Chapter 2: The Early Republic, 1820–1848
Chapter 3: The Liberal Era 1848–1862
Chapter 4: The French Intervention, 1862–1876
Chapter 5: The Porfirian Years, 1876–1911
Chapter 6: The Revolution
Chapter 7: The Revolution as Lived Experience, 1920–1936
Chapter 8: The Apogee of the Revolution, 1934–1940
Chapter 9: The Second World War, 1940–1945
Chapter 10: The Miracle, 1945–1982
Chapter 11: The Lost Decades, 1982–2010
Chapter 12: Contemporary Issues, 2010–
Appendix: Readings for Armchair Historians

This diverse collection of primary sources offers something for everyone, from the neophyte student to the seasoned expert. Undergraduate students in particular will gain not only a deeper understanding but also a greater appreciation of Mexico’s complex and often surprising history. The documents are curated with sensitivity to the popular voices that are so often silent in the historical narrative. What we hear are past Mexicans—from every social position and walk of life—telling their own story.