Mexico

History

• First people came thousands of years ago– 5,000 BC – cultivated maize• Added beans, squash, and chili peppers = population

growth (why?)

• Olmecs – 1,500 BC– Developed:• Poltical system• Religion• System of writing• calender

History

• Mayan Civilization• Pyramid shapedTemples• Recorded their History• Excelled at astronomy

– Mayan calendar» Used for farming and religious ceremonies

• Decline around 900AD

History

History

• Aztecs 1200 – 1521 AD– Settled the Valley of Mexico

Tenochtitlanand its chinampas

History

• Aztecs cont’d– Capital was largest city builtBy Native Americans– Skilled farmers– Excellent aquatic engineers– Strong army that conquered many people• Montezuma 1440-1468AD

– Built an aqueduct– expanded the empire and trade

History – Spanish Rule to Independence

• Hernan Cortes, 1519AD– Conquistadors and Cortes defeat Aztecs• Why?• Result?

• The Church arrives– Wanted to convert nativesto Roman Catholicism• Results?

History

• Spain’s Empire weakened– Make changes in Mexico to increase trade– Enlightenment sweeps across Europe changing

political scene there and in North America– Emperor Napoleon invaded Spain

• Mexican Revolution (1810-1821)

• Mexico struggled with new independence– Benito Juarez promised to break up large estates

• French overthrow him and set up Maximilian, only to be overthrown by Juarez

History• Porfirio Diaz (1870s-1911)– Tried to enact Juarez’s reforms– Invites foreign countries in for RRs etc.

• Failed attempts at reforms = poverty for Majority

– 1910, Mexican Revolution• After failed election and jailing of opponent (who won)

– 1917, Mexican Constitution• Declared giving land to poor farmers and more worker’s right• Venustiano Carranza became prez and promised much but

did not deliver• Result??