History of Mexico

The Maya and the Aztecs

• Native Americans came to México thousands of years ago.
• These people built a series of brilliant, highly advanced civilizations, or societies with a highly developed culture, politics, and technology.

The Olmec

• The Olmec built the first civilization in the Americas, around 1200 B.C.
• It lasted longer (800 years) than any other Native American civilization.

The Olmec, cont.

• The Olmec carved large stone statues and made jewelry out of jade, a local shiny stone. They carved these items with obsidian, a hard, black glass created by volcanoes.
• The Olmec were the first to grow maize, or corn.

The Olmecs, cont.

The Mayans

• Around 100 B.C., the Mayans began to develop a new civilization.
• They built huge stone temples on the Yucatan Peninsula, in the shape of pyramids with steps.

The Mayans, cont.

• The Maya developed hieroglyphics, �a form of writing that uses signs and symbols, and a calendar of 365 days.

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• They were very good at autonomy, or self-government.

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• They were also the first to introduce the concept of zero.

The Mayans, cont.

• Artists decorated temples and tombs with elaborate murals, or wall paintings.

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• No one is sure why the Mayan civilization declined.

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• Possibilities include warfare, disease, and over-farming.

The Mayans, cont.

Visit Chichen Itza! (3:30)

The Mayans Today

The Mayan People (2:54)

The Aztecs

• Around A.D. 1200, a people called the Aztecs (Mexica) moved into central México from the north.

• The Aztec built their capital at Tenochtitlán (present–day México City).

The Aztecs

• They also constructed human-made islands called chinampas, or floating gardens, on the lake to grow more food
• Tenochtitlan: The Impossible City (5:21)

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• The Aztecs build a broad empire – an extensive group of people governed by one ruler – through military conquest.

The Aztecs, cont.

• They collected tribute, or fees, from the people they rule.

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• Some tribute was paid in the form of human sacrifices to satisfy their gods.
• Aztec Sacrifices: A Coroner's Report (3:42)

Teotihuacan: Influence on the Aztecs

Sun Pyramid: 3rd largest in the world!

(233 feet high, base is 1466 sq.feet!)

Pyramid of the Moon

The Aztecs, cont.

• Many of their traditions survive today in México, including food, crafts, and language.

The Conquistadors

• In 1519, a conquistador, or Spanish soldier-explorer, named Hernán Cortez landed in México.
• The Aztec ruler, Montezuma II, welcomed him because they thought he was a god.
• Within 3 years, Cortez captured the city, burned it down, and built Mexico City on top of the ruins. Montezuma II was killed.

The Conquistadors

• Some of the early Spanish settlers raised cattle on large ranches called haciendas.

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• Others started gold and silver mines.

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• During this time, thousands of Native Americans died from mistreatment and disease while forced to work on ranches and in mines.

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• Illnesses like measles and smallpox became epidemics, or disease outbreaks.

The Conquistadors

• Spanish priests came to México to convert Native Americans to Christianity.

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• Today about 90 percent of Mexicans are Roman Catholic.

The Cathedrals of Mexico

Mexican Independence

• In 1810, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez (wife of a Spanish magistrate in Querétaro) and Ignacio Allende (a Spanish captain who became a supporter of Mexican independence) along with other leaders began meeting to discuss revolution. Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez was imprisoned in her room by her husband to prevent further action.
• Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rebelled against Spain. He rang the bell of his church at midnight on September 16 and issued the cry of “Viva México!” He was captured and executed in 1811.

Mexican Independence

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• Other leaders such as Juan Aldama, a Spanish soldier, and Mariano Matamoros, a Mexican priest, joined the fight for independence. Both were executed for treason.
• In 1813, José Morelos declared independence and formed a republic, or a government of elected officials.
• Mexicans won their independence from Spain in 1821, under the leadership of Colonel Augustín de Iturbide who became the first emperor of México.
• Vicente Guerrero advocated for freedom of all Mexican people. He became president in 1829. He abolished slavery in México.
• México had a hard time establishing leadership for a while and leaders bounced around frequently.

Vicente Guerrero

José Morelos

The U.S.-Mexican War

• In 1836, Texas declared itself independent from México.
• “Remember the Alamo”!
• In 1845, Texas joined the United States through annexation, or adding territory
• In 1846, the U.S. went to war with México over border disputes about Texas’s southern boundary.
• In 1847, 6 students at a military school tried to defend the Castillo de Chapultepec in México City. One student wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and jumped from the top of the castle to avoid being captured by the Americans. These students are known as the “Niños Héroes.”

The U.S.-Mexican War

• In 1847, 6 students at a military school tried to defend the Castillo de Chapultepec in México City. One student wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and jumped from the top of the castle to avoid being captured by the Americans. These students are known as the “Niños Héroes.”

The U.S.-Mexican War

• By 1848, American soldiers occupied México City.

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• Eventually the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo gave the U.S. the territories of California, Utah, Nevada, and the Rio Grande as the southern boundary for Texas.

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• In Mexico, many people opposed, or objected to, this decision.

La Reforma – The Reform

• In 1857, Benito Juárez, the first Native American president of Mexico, promoted social equality.

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• El 5 de Mayo, 1862, was a battle in Puebla against the French under Napoleon III. Ignacio Zaragoza was the general that defeated the French.

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• Juárez spent his life fighting for democracy, and also expelling France from México when they took over in 1864.

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• He is remembered as a great leader every year on Benito Juárez day, the third Monday of each March.

The Porfiriato

• In the 1870s, Porfirio Díaz became president of México and remained as a dictator until the revolution in 1910.

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• There was a period of great economic development and investment in México under Díaz.

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• However, Mexican landlords had giant haciendas that controlled all the land and exports leaving the peasants with nothing.

The Mexican Revolution

• In 1910, Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa led a revolution with the goals of giving the poor “the lands, woods, and water that the landlords or bosses have taken from us.”

• Zapata’s forces swooped down and seized many large haciendas from the rich

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• One of their goals was land reform, or dividing the land among the poor

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• Francisco I. Madero became the president after the revolution in 1911, but was assassinated in 1913.

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• The Constitution of México was reformed and adopted on February 5, 1917.

Mexican Governance

• Beginning in 1928 with Emilio Portes Gil, there was a long reign of leaders from the political party known as the PRI (National Revolutionary Party)

• In 1926, the presidential term was extended to 6 years with Lázaro Cárdenas del Río as the first president in 1934.

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• In the year 2000, Vicente Fox Quesada became the first president for the PAN party (National Action Party) breaking the 70 year reign of the PRI. The PRI came back in power in 2012 with Enrique Peña Nieto.

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• In 2018, Andrés Manuel López (AMLO) was the first president elected from the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA).

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• In 2024, México made history by electing its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. She was formerly the mayor of México City.

Mexican Tragedies

• In 1985, on September 19, a major 8.0 earthquake struck México City. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed and over 10,000 people died. It caused around $4 billion USD in damage.

• In 1992, a series of 10 explosions took place on April 22 that rocked Guadalajara. It was caused by gasoline explosions in the sewer system probably due to corroded pipes. It is unclear how many people died, but reports of are at least 252-1,000.