The words "exploitation," "inequality," and "resistance" bind together attitudes and actions that encapsulate much of Latin America's economic, social, and political history for more than half a millennium. In this compelling text, authors Mark A. Burkholder, Lyman L. Johnson, and Monica A. Rankin tell the story of more than 500 years of Latin American history through the themes of exploitation, inequality, and resistance.

Some examples of exploitation and inequality include slavery and other labor systems, sexual and gender exploitation, an inequitable economic relationship with foreign countries, repressive political systems through dictatorship and military regimes, and an unequal diplomatic relationship with the United States and other powerful nations. Despite deeply entrenched systems of injustice, Latin Americans remain notable for their resilience. Active and passive resistance to oppression and discrimination still persist in the twenty-first century, with native revolts and slave flights, unionization, the emergence of the Latin American women's movement, black-market economies, the emergence of populism, and various forms of revolt and revolution. Exploitation, Inequality, and Resistance: A History of Latin America since Columbus emphasizes these themes and analyzes the ways in which earlier events continue to resonate today.