Spanish Class, 4th hour
13-XII-1996
The History of Mexico
I. Before European influence
The earliest inhabitants of Mexico hunted Mammoth and grew Corn.
Scholars know little else.
It seems that around 900 AD the Toltec Indians took over Teotihuacan.
By the 1100s, they had conquered most of the central valley of Mexico.
However, they had internal strivings, and in 1300 AD the Aztec
indians had established their own capital, Tenochtitlan, giving
it a population of 100,000.
II. Spanish colonization
Spanish colonization of Mexico began when Cortez looted Tenochtitlan,
which he later named Mexico City. He stole the native gold and made
a nusiance of himself. He also single- handedly spread diseases among
the Aztecs.
Over time, the Spaniards spread monasteries and other instruments
of autocratic rule throughout the country, eventually achieving the goal
of oppressing all the Indians, though the never found any cities actually
made of gold. Their main tool was tribute taxes. They divided
the country up for that purpose.
III. Revolution for independence
In 1807, French forces occupied Spain and imprisoned King Ferdinand
VII. Confusion spread in the colony. Some creoles plotted to seize
the colony's government. One of these men was Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla,
a priest. Late on the night of Sept. 15, 1810, he called Indians
and mestizos to his church in the town of Dolores. He made a speech
known as the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores), in which he called for
a rebellion so that Mexicans could govern Mexico. Today, late on
September 15, Mexico's president rings a bell and repeats the Grito de
Dolores. Mexicans celebrate September 16 as Independence
Day.
Hidalgo's untrained followers armed themselves and attacked Spanish
officials and those who supported the Spaniards. At first, Hidalgo
gained support for his cause. But most of his followers were Indians
and mestizos, and not creoles. Some Indian communities also refused
to support Hidalgo because of the violent ways of the rebels. Hidalgo
was forced to retreat. In 1811, Spanish troops captured and executed
him.
Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, another priest, continued Hidalgo's
struggle. In 1813, Morelos managed to become a martyr, but even then
the cause lived on. By the 1830s, the USA had to fight war
against Mexico, and that was when most of it's current northern border
was settled.
Mexico until the present.
Mexico has become one of the world's most populated countries,
yet it is, in some ways, still third- world. Many people are poor;
so poor that we find it hard to imagine their conditions. However,
it is a growing country, a force to be reckoned with.
Bibliography
1. Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 13th edn.
2. Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 15th edn.
3. World Book Encyclopedia
4. World Book Info Finder
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