Reform and Rebellion: Mexico, 1700-1867

This course focuses on Mexico's difficult transition from colony to nation. We will examine the key political, social, economic, and cultural developments during this period. Major topics will include: the paradoxical eighteenth century, which saw Mexico emerge as the most prosperous region of the Spanish empire, even as social and economic tensions deepened; the outbreak of peasant rebellions in the early nineteenth century; the elite-led movement for independence; the economic decline and political turmoil of the early republic; foreign interventions by the United States and France; and the rise of the Liberals as Mexico's dominant political force. P