The history of Mexico: a journey through eras and events
Mexico's history stretches back several thousand years and still shapes the country today. Archaeological finds indicate that the country has been inhabited since 20,000 BC. The period from the Preclassic to the Postclassic (until 1519) is particularly significant, when cultures such as the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya and Aztecs flourished. Large urban settlements and impressive architecture emerged in Mesoamerica. The strictly hierarchical society was dominated by elites, while the majority of the population worked in agriculture. Trade and markets played a central role.
Pre-Columbian civilizations
Numerous great civilizations developed in Mexico before the arrival of the Europeans. Among the first was the Olmec culture (1500-400 BC), which laid the foundations of Mesoamerican civilization. Impressive urban centers emerged under the Maya (300 BC - 900 AD), who excelled in astronomy, mathematics and architecture. Their cities, such as Chichén Itzá and Tikal, stretched from southern Mexico to Guatemala. The city of Teotihuacán also left its mark on the region with its gigantic pyramids and was a cultural center.
Although Teotihuacán had fallen into ruin long before the time of the Aztecs (1325-1521 AD), the Aztecs saw the city as a sacred place and associated it with their own religious traditions. They regarded Teotihuacán as a "place of the gods" and were inspired by both its monumental architecture and its spiritual significance. This influenced the construction of their own capital, Tenochtitlan, which the Aztecs founded in 1325 on an island in Lake Texcoco.
With over 200,000 inhabitants, the city was one of the largest in the world and was known for its floating gardens (chinampas) and impressive architecture, such as the Templo Mayor. In 1428, the Aztec empire was formed from the triumvirate of the city-states of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan. Tenochtitlan quickly became the dominant power. The empire was based on tribute and military expansion, while the polytheistic religion was centered around the main god Huitzilopochtli. However, everything changed at the beginning of the 16th century with the arrival of European boats and Spanish conquistadors.
Hernán Cortés and Spanish conquistadors
Spanish expansion began with Christopher Columbus' arrival in America in 1492. In the first two decades of the 16th century, the Spanish gradually secured control of the islands of Puerto Rico (1508), Jamaica (1509) and Cuba (1511). It was from Cuba that Hernán Cortés set off on his infamous expedition to the mainland in 1519. The arrival of the Europeans and the exploitation of internal tensions in the Aztec empire marked the beginning of the Aztecs' downfall. After a siege and the destruction of Tenochtitlan in 1521, the empire was shattered. The Spanish established a new era that fundamentally changed the political, cultural and social structure of Mexico and led the country into the colonial era.
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The Viceroyalty of New Spain
A new era in the history of Mexico began after the arrival of the Spanish in 1521. The conquest by Hernán Cortés led to the destruction of the Aztec Empire and the establishment of the Viceroyalty of New Spain in 1535, which would last until the 19th century. Mexico became one of Spain's most important colonies, which brought about significant social and economic changes, including the introduction of Christianity and the systematic exploitation of the indigenous population. This colonial period only ended in 1821 with Mexico's independence.
After the arrival of the Spanish in 1521, a new era in Mexico's history began. The conquest by Hernán Cortés led to the destruction of the Aztec Empire and the founding of the Viceroyalty of New Spain in 1535, which was to exist until the 19th century. In addition to present-day Mexico, it also included parts of Central America, the Caribbean and Asia, including the Philippines. In the 17th and 18th centuries, large parts of western North America were added, including the present-day US states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Colonial rule ended in 1821 with the independence of Mexico.
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Mexico's path to independence
Mexico's independence was initiated on September 16, 1810 by the famous call of Miguel Hidalgo known as the Grito de Dolores. This marked the beginning of an 11-year war against Spanish colonial rule. Various leaders, including José María Morelos and later Agustín de Iturbide, contributed decisively to the success of the movement. On September 27, 1821, Mexico's independence was officially declared, which led to the founding of the first independent Mexican empire and marked the end of Spanish colonial rule.
After the declaration of independence in 1821, a turbulent period followed in Mexico. Agustín de Iturbide initially became emperor, but his empire soon collapsed and Mexico became a republic in 1823. Numerous conflicts followed, including the Texan War of Independence (1836) and the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), in which Mexico lost large parts of its territory to the USA. In the 1850s, Benito Juárez carried out a liberal reform that restricted the influence of the church and the military and was intended to modernize Mexico.
However, these reforms met with fierce resistance and were soon to lead to a civil war that destabilized the country for years.
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Magical group tours to Mexico
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Mexiko Cities and the Sea
- Aztec ruins of Teotihuacán
- Magical villages of Puebla, Cholula and Atlixco
- Relax on the beaches of Playa del Carmen
Riviera Maya
- Dream beaches of Playa del Carmen
- Mayan ruins of Tulum
- Unique lagoon of Bacalar
Fascinating Riviera Maya and Yucatán
- Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá
- Colonial architecture in Mérida
- Picturesque beaches of Playa del Carmen
Revolution, reforms and international integration
Benito Juárez's victory in the Reform War (1857-1861) was followed by the French intervention. In 1864, the French installed the Austrian Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg as Emperor of Mexico. Juárez and his republican forces resisted, however, and in 1867 Maximilian was overthrown and executed, making Mexico a republic again.
In the years that followed, the country stabilized under Juárez's leadership. Nevertheless, his presidency was followed by the almost 30-year dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz (1876-1911), known as the Porfiriato. Under Díaz, Mexico experienced a phase of economic modernization and industrialization, but this development came at the expense of the rural population and workers, who lived in harsh conditions. Increasing social inequality and political repression led to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution in 1910.
The revolution, which was supported by various leaders such as Francisco Madero, Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, deposed the Díaz regime in 1911. However, it brought with it a period of instability and internal conflict that lasted until 1920. The revolution led to the adoption of the 1917 constitution, which is still in force today. It laid the foundations for land reforms, labor rights and a stronger role for the state in the economy.
In the 20th century, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) dominated Mexican politics for almost 70 years, from 1929 to 2000. Under the PRI, Mexico experienced political stability and some economic growth, but also authoritarian tendencies, corruption and social inequality. It was not until 2000 that the PRI's political hegemony was broken by the election victory of Vicente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN), which led to democratic change.
In recent decades, Mexico has been characterized by major challenges such as the drug war, corruption and social inequality. Nevertheless, Mexico remains one of the largest economies in Latin America and has established itself as an important player on the global stage. Democratization and the strengthening of civil society have put Mexico on the path to a more stable future.
Mexico History: Frequently asked questions and answers
The Maya, Inca and Aztecs were three major civilizations in Central and South America that differed greatly in their religions, political systems and geographical locations.
Maya (ca. 2000 BC - 1500 AD): Located in Mexico and Guatemala, known for their advanced astronomy, mathematics and writing. Cities such as Chichén Itzá shaped their architecture.
Inca (1438-1533 AD): In the Andes of South America, especially Peru, they built the largest empire in the Americas, known for their road network and terraced cultivation. Capital: Cusco.
Aztecs (1325-1521 AD): Central Mexico, with capital at Tenochtitlan, warlike and known for human sacrifice and their chinampa agriculture.
The name "Mexico" is derived from the Aztec word "Mēxihco" in the Nahuatl language. Originally, the name referred to the capital of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan, which was located in what is now the Valley of Mexico. After the Spanish conquest, the Spaniards adopted the name and used it to describe the entire territory, which eventually became the modern state of Mexico.
Mexico became independent from Spain on September 27, 1821 after a long struggle for independence. The War of Independence began in 1810 when the priest Miguel Hidalgo proclaimed the famous Grito de Dolores, marking the uprising against Spanish colonial rule. After more than a decade of fighting and political unrest, the country's independence was finally declared and Mexico became an independent country.
Mexico was discovered and conquered by the Spanish under the leadership of Hernán Cortés in 1519. Cortés came into contact with the Aztec Empire during his expedition to Central America and brought it under Spanish control two years later with the siege of Tenochtitlan. Although Christopher Columbus discovered America for Europe in 1492, it was Cortés who conquered Mexico and initiated its colonization by Spain.
Yes, Mexico was a colony of Spain from 1521 to 1821. After the conquest of the Aztec Empire by Hernán Cortés in 1521, the territory was transformed into the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which encompassed most of present-day Mexico as well as other regions in Central and North America. Mexico remained under Spanish rule for almost 300 years until it gained its independence from Spain in 1821 after a long war of independence.
Mexico City used to be called Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire. Tenochtitlan was founded by the Aztecs in 1325 on an island in Lake Texcoco and developed into one of the largest cities in the world at the time. After the Spanish conquest in 1521, the city was destroyed and the Spanish colonial city was built on its ruins, which later became known as Mexico City (Ciudad de México).
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