Occupied America was the first textbook to be published for the growing number of Chicano History courses developing across the country and remains the bestseller. The Fourth Edition has been completely updated, containing a significant amount of new material on Mexican American history. In addition, the Fourth Edition contains a new introductory chapter, Not Just pyramids, Explorers, and Heroes, that includes the period before 1821. The Fourth Edition also looks at the question of gender and includes the role of gender throughout. Finally, a vast amount of new and updated sources have been added.

Acuna's reputation as a radical and important voice of Chicano History has only increased since the first edition was published. The changes in the Fourth Edition make this edition of Occupied America the most comprehensive one yet.