Historia Breve de México
A Bief History of Mexico
Mesoamerica
1,200-200 BC
The first major civilization of Mesoamerica, the Olmecs, populated southern Veracruz state and parts of Tabasco on Mexico’s Gulf coast. The Olmecs flourished roughly between 1,200 and 200 BC, and are best known for the giant basaltic sculptures of heads, some of which are more than three meters high. The Olmecs developed forms of writing and a calendar system. They influenced surrounding peoples, probably through trading.
200 BC - 900 AD
Olmec influences, such as working with stone, observation of the stars and the worship of certain gods, were adopted by the Mayas, who dominated a large region including most of southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Honduras and El Salvador.
The Mayas developed a more sophisticated system of writing, astronomy, and a base five numeric system that used the concept of zero. The Mayan civilization suffered some kind of catastrophe at the end of the Classic period (200 BC to 900 AD). After that, a new and brilliant Mayan period developed further north in the Yucatan peninsula.
350 - 650 AD
Just north of modern day Mexico City is Teotihuacan, the most important of the pre-Columbian archaeological sites. The origins of Teotihuacan are uncertain, although it’s inhabitants may have arrived from the Valley of Mexico to the south, refugees from the eruption of the Xitle volcano. Construction of the city started in the first two centuries BC, and the civilization reached its high point between 350 and 650 AD.
The following centuries were marked by invasions from the north. The Purepechas, or Tarascos, settled in the western state of Michoacan, and the Toltecs settled at Tula, north of the Valley of Mexico. Tula, like Teotihuacan, ended up being sacked by invaders, although the influence of the Toltecs extended as far south as Yucatan, more than 1,000 kilometers away.
1300 to 1521 Post-Classic Period
The Aztecs, who are also known as the Mexica (pronounced “meh-SHEE-kah”), were nomadic, warlike people who arrived in central Mexico from the north in the late 13th century AD. They were not well received by the established descendants of the Toltecs, and wandered around the area for decades until 1344, when, according to legend, they received the sign that they should build their city Tenochtitlan. The sign was an eagle devouring a snake on a cactus patch. The eagle and snake remain the national emblem today.
By 1430, the Aztecs dominated the Valley of Mexico, (modern-day Mexico City) and in 70 years they expanded their territory to create the largest empire in the history of Mesoamerica. Only a few peoples were able to resist the Aztec onslaught: the Purepechas of Michoacan, the Tlaxcaltecas to the east, and some Mixteca tribes in the southern state of Oaxaca. The Aztecs used political alliances with neighboring peoples, as well as strict military training among their young men, to extend their empire.
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The Spanish Conquest
1517 - 1521
The Aztec empire reached its height in the early 16th century, under Emperor Moctezuma.
During that time Spanish adventurers were continuing their expeditions to West Indies, following the "discovery" of the Americas in 1492 by Christopher Columbus.
In 1517 explorer Francisco Hernández de Córdoba landed on the Yucatan coast, followed by the expedition by Juan de Grijalva. They encountered a land dominated by a powerful people who were despised by those forced to pay tribute to them.
The Spanish governor of Cuba, Diego Velazquez, then sent a larger force under Hernán Cortés, with instructions to trade with the inhabitants. Cortés had more ambitious plans, however, and after landing on the coast of Veracruz, in 1521, made his way to Tenochtitlán, the center of power of the Aztec empire.
Cortés gained allies by using a mixture of terror and persuasion, during his march toward Tenochtitlán. Moctezuma ,fearing that they may be gods, according to an ancient prophecy, received the Spanish with honors.
Problems began when Cortés had to leave the city to meet a Spanish force sent by Velazquez to arrest him. When he returned, the Aztecs were fighting to expel the Spanish. Cortés made Moctezuma go onto the roof of the palace to tell his people to withdraw, but the Aztec chief was received with a barrage of stones, wounding him. He died several days later, and under the war-like leader Cuitláhuac, the Aztecs continued their fight against the invaders.
The Spanish attempted to escape one night, known as the Noche Triste,
but a fierce battle ensued in which Cortés lost many of his men. Cortés took refuge with his Tlaxcalteca allies and in June 1521, Cortés started the final assault on Tenochtitlán armed with small ships to use on the lake, and with thousands of local Indian allies.Within 3 months they had captured the city, and made a prisoner of the new Aztec leader Cuauhtémoc. Cuitláhuac had died in an outbreak of smallpox which decimated the local population., and
along with other diseases contacted from the Spaniards , contributed to the conquest of the Aztecs.
Revolution
The Colonial Period
1519 - 1821
The next 300 years mark the Colonial Era. The territories of New Spain were extended through most of Central America and much of the south and west of the what is now the United States.
The Spanish embarked on establishing military, economic, and religious control, converting the local population to the Roman Catholic religion.
Between 1521 and 1650 the Spanish population grew, while the indigenous population was heavily reduced, as a result of fighting, diseases brought by the Spaniards, and the destructive effects of colonization on their way of life. Spain's experiments in enslaving Indians were failing. To meet the mounting demand for labor in mining and agriculture, the Spanish imported a new work force. During the period 1519-1650 the area received at least 120,000 slaves from Western Africa.
By 1810, there were an estimated six million inhabitants in New Spain, of which 60,000 were Spanish born in Spain, 940,000 were Spanish born in the territories, 3.5 million were indigenous Mexicans, and 1.5 million were Mestizos—of mixed Spanish and Indian or African blood.
Although mining (in particular silver) was the most sought after source of wealth, most of the inhabitants made their living from agriculture and raising livestock. The Spanish farmed large properties called haciendas, while the Indian population worked small plots, or as serfs on the lands owned by their Spanish lords.
The Spanish also controlled commerce. The main products were silver, sugar, cacao, hides and fine woods. The only manufacturing really developed during the period was the textile industry.
Mexican Independence
1810 - 1821
Mexico was harshly ruled by Spain for over 300 years. The native population was oppressed, farmland and personal wealth were confiscated and only Spaniards were allowed to hold political posts. The oppression became too much and a Catholic priest in the town of Dolores named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla had enough.
On September 16, 1810, he rang his church’s bell and delivered a speech now known as the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores), demanding the end of Spanish rule. This started the brutal Mexican War of Independence, which lasted over a decade. On August 24, 1821, Spain withdrew and officially recognized Mexico as an independent country. Today, Father Hidalgo is known as the Father of Mexican Independence. Mexican Independence Day has been celebrated every year since that momentous day on September 16, 1810.
Mexican Independence Day has developed into a huge nationwide celebration over the past 200 years. Fireworks fill the skies at night and the day is filled with patriotic speeches, flag-waving, parades, live music, and home-cooked feasts. Red, white and green — the colors of the Mexican flag — are seen everywhere across Mexico and even cities in the U.S. with large Mexican populations.
On the evening of September 15 the President of Mexico rings in this time honored tradition with the original 200-year-old bell Father Hidalgo used in 1810 and recites the same Grito de Dolores speech in front of 500,000 people. This event is broadcast live to millions via Mexican TV and radio around the world.
Mexican Revolution
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The Mexican Revolution was a complex and bloody conflict which arguably spanned two decades, and in which 900,000 people lost their lives. What was the cause of such a persistent uprising and ultimately did the end justify the means?
The Revolution began with a call to arms on 20th November 1910 to overthrow the current ruler and dictator Porfirio Díaz Mori.
Díaz was an ambitious president, keen to develop Mexico into an industrial and modernised country. While he worked on implementing a capitalist society building factories, dams, and roads the rural workers and peasants suffered greatly.
Díaz reigned using a campaign of bullying, intimidating citizens into supporting him. While civil liberties such as the freedom of press suffered under his rule, the greatest injustice came in the form of new land laws.
In an attempt to strengthen ties with the United States and other influential foreign interests, Díaz allocated land, once belonging to the people of Mexico, to wealthy non-nationals. In addition to this, no Mexican was able to own land unless they had a formal legal title. Small farmers were rendered utterly helpless, there was no other option but an uprising.
The path of the Revolution certainly didn’t run smoothly and the country saw a string of unreliable presidents.
Francisco Madero, who was responsible for removing Díaz from power, was a weak leader and failed to implement the land reforms he had promised.
He was quickly replaced by General Victoriano Huerta who had him executed within a week of coming to power. Huerta himself was a dictator and was overthrown by Venustianio Carranza in 1914.
While many accused Carranza of being power hungry he also lusted after peace. In the pursuit of civil rest he formed the Constitutional Army and a new constitution into which he accepted many of the rebel demands.
The official end of the Mexican Revolution is often taken to be the creation of the Constitution of Mexico in 1917, however the fighting continued long into the following decade.
Ultimately while the Mexican Revolution was aimed at ensuring a fairer way of life for the farming classes, many argue it achieved little more than the frequent change of leadership in the country.
It was only in 1942 when the Mexican ex-presidents stood on the stage of the Mexico City Zocalo to show their support to Britain and America in the Second World War, that the citizens of Mexico saw their first glimmer of political solidarity and a country finally united.
Article copied from Arizona PBS.
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