Mexico History

Mexico history flashes at you through the visible remains just about in every town that you visit in Mexico. The evolution of Mexico has taken through a series of events which are very broad and large. We hope the small effort that QuicBooker.com has tried in making the visitors understand the evolutionary and revolutionary processes that have made Mexico what it is today will prove beneficial to them on their trip to Mexico which was the site of some of the earliest and most advanced civilizations in the western hemisphere.

Early History

The history of Mexico began perhaps somewhere about 20,000 years ago. It was somewhere around the last ice age that nomadic tribes from Asia first crossed the Bering into the Western Hemisphere. Some historians feel that people landed in the South Americas from both Africa and the Pacific Islands and subsequently moved north into the North American continent. It was eventually the availability of a seasonal supply of wild grains and game that made them migrate into the area called by archaeologists as Mesoamerica. This land gave rise to early civilizations unique in the world which was aided by the diverse geography and amazing natural abundance.

Pre-Hispanic Mexico

It is estimated that about 20,000 B.C. the first traces of human life were found. Gradually social organization and rudimentary agriculture developed. Initially squashes, chili peppers, beans and maize were cultivated somewhere around 6500 B.C. with the stabilization of food supplies, the early hunter-gatherers grew more sedentary. The permanent settlements which appeared around 1500 B.C. marked the beginning of a succession of cultures that would continue to 1500 A.D.

The Aztec Empire

The 12th century saw the Toltec vanquished and dispersed by the Chichimeca, who took over the Toltec civilization. The Nahuatlan tribes entered the valley a century later. A settlement named Tenochtitlan was founded by the Aztec or Mexica (a leading tribe) in an area surrounded by marshes in Texcoco. The Aztec economy was dependent on agriculture especially the cultivation of corn. With the passage of time, the Aztec grew wealthy and powerful and built great cities and developed an elaborate social, political and religious organization.

The Colonial Period

After the fall of the Aztec capital it was in 1535 a basic form of colonial government was instituted in Mexico and Antonio de Mendoza appointed as the first Spanish Viceroy. From 1535 to 1821 during the Spanish colonial period, a total of 61 viceroys ruled Mexico. Mendoza and the others gave direction to a series of military and exploratory expeditions which laid the foundation for the present day Texas, New Mexico, and California part of New Spain. A notable feature of colonial Mexico was the exploration of the Indians. In spite of many Indians being killed during the Spanish conquest they still remained the majority of the inhabitants of New Spain speaking a language of their own and cultivating their own culture. Later on they became the laboring class. The Mexican government took serious concern regarding the condition of the Indians when the colonial administration was later overthrown. It was during this same time that the power of the Roman Catholic Church gained prominence. The Mexican church in due course became enormously wealthy through gifts and bequests which could be held in eternity. It was after the occupation of Spain by Napoleon that the Mexican War for Independence eventually took place. In the midst of factional struggles a political rebellion was begun by the Mexican people.