This innovative text offers a clear & concise introduction to Latin America since independence Thomas C Wright traces continuity & change in five central colonial legacies authoritarian governance; a rigid social hierarchy based on race color & gender; the powerful Roman Catholic Church; economic dependency; & the large landed estate He shows that the outcomes of debate & contestation over these colonial legacies have been crucial in shaping contemporary political systems economies societies & religious institutions in a richly diverse region These unifying themes guide the reader through each period The text's user-friendly illustrations maps chapter summaries & suggestions for further reading enrich student understanding of a major part of the world