In the 2000 U.S. Census, 12.5% of Americans (more than 22 million people) identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino, with the vast majority of Mexican descent. (As a matter of fact, by 2006 Hispanics are expected to overtake blacks as the largest ethnic group in the country, with their culture expected to greatly influence the greater U.S. culture.) The fascination with things Latino--from margaritas and Cinco de Mayo to salsa music, the poems of Pablo Neruda, and the mambo and tango--continues unabated. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Latino History and Culture brings the Latino universe to life, in a grand exploration of 400 years of Hispanic influence in the New World.