This narrative history of Mexico through 1998 will help students and interested readers to understand the long, distinguished, and sometimes turbulent history of our neighbor to the south. Every American should be familiar with the history of Mexico, which in many ways parallels that of the United States. Surveying Mexico from the arrival of the first humans in the Western Hemisphere to current issues at the turn of the new century, this work dispels many of the stereotypes about Mexico, its history, and its people. The sweep of the narrative transports the reader from Mexico's great cultural past to current issues such as the war on drugs, participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the search for political stability as Mexico enters the 21st century.