The full text of The History of Mexico: From Pre-Conquest to Present traces the last 500 years of Mexican history, from the indigenous empires devastated by the Spanish conquest through the 21st-century, including the election of 2012. Written in a clear and accessible manner, the book offers a straightforward chronological survey of Mexican history from pre-colonial times to the present, and includes a glossary as well as numerous images and tables for comprehensive study.

This version, The Essential History of Mexico, streamlines and updates the text of the full first edition to make it easier for classroom use. Helpful pedagogy has been added for contextualization and support, including:

• Side-by-side world and Mexican timelines at the beginning of each chapter that place the national events from each chapter in broader global context
• Bolded keywords that draw attention to important terms
• Cultural and biography boxes in each chapter that help highlight aspects of social history
• Primary documents in each chapter that allow historical actors to speak directly to students
• Annotated suggestions for further reading

In addition, the companion website provides many valuable tools for students and instructors, including links to online resources and videos, discussion questions, and images and figures from the book.

Phillip Russell is an independent historian from Austin, Texas, and the author of Mexico under Salinas.