ABSTRACT
UNDERSTANDING HOW LATIN American history is viewed and used by contemporary political forces is part of understanding Latin American politics. History provides raw material for advancing and retarding struggles for democracy in the region today. Like other peoples, Latin Americans often romanticize their heroes and vilify those “on the wrong side of history.” For this reason, I present you not merely a chronological description of Latin American history, but also a broad, interpretative account of Latin America’s history leavened with commentary about the relevance of this account to the present.
