Written in an accessible style and assuming no prior knowledge, the books in this series address the specific needs of students on language courses. Approaching the study of history from an interest in contemporary politics and society, each book offers a clear historical narrative and sets its country into the context of the wider world. Although largely sharing a common past and language, the countries in Latin America remain distinct entities with their own identities. 'Latin America 1800 - 2000' provides a continental-based historical narrative which stresses the common themes between countires from Central America to the Southern Cone, while at the same time highlighting their specific national contexts. This book focuses on key events such as the Mexican-American War, the Cuban Revolution, and the overthrow of Salvador Allende's government, as well as providing short inserts on the main political protaganists such as Simon Bolivar, Getulio Vargas and the Subcomandante Marcos. At the same time, the book discusses Latin America's cultural diversity, paying particular attention to the response of writers and film makers to the historical contexts covered in the book. A range of pedagogical devices and a lively prose style ensure that the book is tailor-made to the requirements of undergraduates in Hispanic Studies. The book also includes: * a chronology of main events * glossary-style inserts * topics for discussion * a selection of original documents