In preparing the manual, the authors sought to show the peculiarities of the development of Latin American countries from the 16th century (the beginning of European colonization) until the end of the First World War. The authors set themselves the task: to give a brief outline of the prerequisites and the course of the war for independence of the first quarter of the XIX century. throughout Latin America, then succinctly outline the subsequent history of the largest states - Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, as well as the history of Cuba, which is distinguished by its great originality - in the corresponding chronological framework.