the maya and the aztecs mayas –society formed around 100b.c. –settled the yucatan peninsula and...
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The Maya and the Aztecs
• Mayas– Society formed around 100B.C.– Settled the Yucatan Peninsula and Central
America– Recorded history with hieroglyphics – Declined around A.D. 900
Maya and the Aztecs
• Aztecs– Settled Mexico City around A.D.1325
– Tenochtitlan was built on islands
– Constructed chinampas or floating gardens for growing food
– Warriors conquered neighbors, caused them to be hated
– Practiced slavery
– Declined in1500’s
What did they have in common?
• Create complex calendars
• Formed highly developed civilizations
• Large cities and strong religious beliefs
The Conquistadors
• Hernan Cortes and 500 Spanish explorers arrive in Mexico in 1518 to search for land and Aztec wealth
• Cortes saw that the Aztecs were hated by other native groups
• Aztec ruler Montezuma welcomes Cortes, believes he is a god
Conquistadors
• Motivated by Aztec wealth, the conquistadors waged war, killing Montezuma and defeating the Aztecs
• The Spaniards were victorious across central America building a vast empire
• Mexico and parts of United States were under Spanish rule for 100’s of years
Mexican Independence
• Class Structure – Peninsulares- born in Spain, held highest
church and government offices– Criollos- people of Spanish background born in
Mexico– Mestizos- people of mixed Spanish and native
heritage– Native Americans and slaves
Revolutionaries
• Miguel Hidalgo– Catholic priest– Led an army of 100,000 men– Spanish resisted , defeated and executed
Hidalgo in 1811
Jose Morelos
• Declared independence from Spain
• Wanted social equality
• Drafted a constitution
• Spain refused to accept, Spanish troops defeat him in 1821, he is executed
Augustin de Iturbide
• Three guarantees – Mexico would be independent from Spain– Peninsulares and Criollos would be equals– Religion would be Roman Catholic
– His army defeats Spain, made himself emperor
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
• Rebelled against Iturbide
• Forces him into exile
• Makes Mexico a republic
Mexican American War
• 1830- Mexico passes a law blocking American settlement in Mexico
• 1836- Texans rebel at the Alamo and the battle of San Jacinto
• 1845- Texas joins the United States
• 1846- U.S. declares war on Mexico
• 1848- Mexico signs Treaty of Guadaloupe Hidalgo
Mexican American War
• 1853- The Gadsden Purchase adds land to U.S. border
• 1858- Benito Juarez becomes president of Mexico, promotes equality
Mexican Revolution
• Juarez dies and so does equality
• Porfirio Dias becomes dictator and favors the rich
• Common people want land reform- break up large estates and give them to the poor
• Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa lead the rebels and Mexican Civil War lasts from 1910-1920