Tragedy and triumph: a 500-year history of Mexico

Paul Gillingham chronicles the conflict and crushing poverty – but also the tolerance and optimism – that have shaped Mexico since the early 16th century

Published: January 5, 2026 at 8:00 AM

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The chaos of the Spanish conquest, the humiliation of military defeat to the United States, the disruption of the revolution… Mexican history is often viewed through the lens of trauma and violence. Yet, as Paul Gillingham outlines in a new book, Mexico: A History, this was also one of the earliest democracies in the world – one in which Indigenous peoples enjoyed rights unthinkable in the US at the time. Paul guides Spencer Mizen through one nation's extraordinary history.

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Authors

Spencer MizenSenior production editor

Spencer is senior production editor of HistoryExtra magazine

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