Description

The historical record of the Rio Grande valley through much of the nineteenth century reveals welldocumented violence fueled by racial hatred national rivalries lack of governmental authority competition for resources and an international border that offered refuge to lawless men Less noted is the regions other everyday reality one based on coexistence and cooperation among Mexicans AngloAmericans and the Native Americans African Americans and Europeans who also inhabited the borderlands War and Peace on the Rio Grande Frontier 18301880 is a history of these parallel worlds focusing on a border that gave rise not only to violent conflict but also cooperation and economic and social advancement

Historian Miguel ngel GonzlezQuiroga draws on national archives letters consular records periodicals and a host of other sources to give voice to borderlanders perspectives as he weaves their many varied stories into one sweeping narrative The tale he tells is one of economic connections and territorial disputes of refugees and bounty hunters speculation and stake holding smuggling and theft and other activities in which economic considerations often carried more weight than racial prejudice

This is a magisterial work that forever alters complicates and enriches borderlands history