Problems in Modern Mexican History

William H. Beezley is professor of history at the University of Arizona. Monica A. Rankin is associate professor of history and director of the Center for U.S.–Latin American Initiatives at the University of Texas at Dallas.

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.

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