The Mexican Revolution, the deadliest social upheaval in Latin American history, erupted in 1910 when political reformers, peasants, and exploited workers overthrew Mexico's longtime dictator, Porfirio Díaz. Although it took just six months for the rebels to defeat Díaz, the revolution would grind on for almost another decade, as a succession of political and military leaders-many of them more interested in securing power for themselves than in helping Mexico's downtrodden masses-vied for control. By the time the revolution petered out in 1920, it had claimed more than a million Mexican lives and left the country's economy in shambles. Yet it had also laid the groundwork for a series of far-reaching social and economic reforms, including the biggest redistribution of land in the history of the Americas.
Illustrated with full-color and black-and-white photographs, and accompanied by a chronology, bibliography, and further resources, The Mexican Revolution, Updated Edition provides aclear and comprehensive account of the social and political upheaval surrounding the revolution, its major players, and its lasting effects. Historical spotlights and excerpts from primary source documents are also included.