| Mexican United States Estados Unidos Mexicanos Mēxihcatl Tlacetilīlli Tlahtohcāyōtl | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Capital and largest city | Mexico City |
| Recognised national languages | Spanish |
| Dominant mode of production | Capitalism |
| Government | Federal presidential republic |
• President | Andrés Manuel López Obrador |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,972,550 km² |
| Population | |
• 2020 census | 126,014,024 |
Mexico, officially the Mexican United States, is a country in Iberomerica.
History
Pre-Columbian history
The earliest advanced civilization in Mexico was the Olmecs, which lasted from 1500 to 400 BCE.[1] They were succeeded by the Mayans and the Zapotecs. In 1428, the Aztec Empire, also known as the Triple Alliance, was established, which ruled until Mexico was colonized by Spain.[2]
Colonial era
Mexico was colonized by Spain in 1521, killing 200,000 Aztecs,[3] and the Viceroyalty of New Spain was established. The Spanish replaced the indigenous modes of production with feudalism and introduced European-style patriarchal gender roles. The 1527 Narváez expedition to modern-day Florida was a failure and only four men returned to Mexico City alive.
In 1598, Juan de Oñate established the province of Santa Fe, which was inhabited by Pueblo people, and enslaved the native population. The colonizers demanded labor and agricultural goods from the Pueblo and attacked them for practicing their traditional religion. This led to a revolt in 1680 led by a San Juan Pueblo named Popé which gave the Pueblo independence for thirteen years. While independent, they sold guns and horses to the Navajo and Apache, who had previously been their enemies. In the 1690's, the Spanish recolonized the area and defeated a second attempted revolt.
In the 18th century, the Spanish continued colonizing western North America and established settlements in modern-day New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and Arizona. Many expansion efforts were prevented by the nomadic Apache and Comanche peoples. Towards the end of the century, the Spanish began the Franciscan Mission system in California and enslaved natives and forced them to convert to Christianity.[4]
Independence
In the 1810's, Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos started a revolt of the lower classes, including indigenous people and Africans, in southern Mexico. They were defeated in the mid-1810's. In 1821, Mexico won its independence from an urban movement of merchants and landlords. It briefly had an emperor but became a republic a few years after independence. In 1829, chattel slavery was abolished, although it was still practiced by English-speaking settlers in Texas in exchange for protection against the Apache. In the 1830's, the government expropriated much of the church's land and gave it to private owners.[4]
Texas Revolt and Mexican–American War
In 1835, white settlers in Texas began a revolt against Mexico and established their own republic in 1836 with a constitution that allowed slavery. In 1845, the United States admitted Texas as a state even though it was still claimed by Mexico. This led to an attack from Mexico, beginning the Mexican–American War. Mexico City was occupied by the U.S. in 1847 and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, ceding Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah to the U.S.[4]
Diaz presidency
During its first fifty years of independence, Mexico was invaded by England, the United States, Spain, and France. During this time, indigenous president Benito Juarez separated the church and state and redistributed land to peasants. After Juarez died in 1872, General Porfirio Diaz overthrew the new president, Tejada, and took power. Under Diaz, most of Mexico's natural resources were owned by the U.S. and U.K. In 1908, a strike was organized against Diaz by the Mexican Liberal Party. In 1910, Diaz permitted the formation of opposition parties.[5]
Mexican Revolution
Francisco Innocente Madero organized a liberal opposition party against Diaz which supported constitutional government and social reforms. He was arrested and later fled to the United States. In 1910, Emiliano Zapata's group of revolutionaries decided to take part in elections. A rebellion began against Diaz, led by Pancho Villa in the North and Zapata in the South. The northern army supported Madero and wanted to support the Mexican bourgeoisie against foreign capitalists. Zapata's Liberator Army of the South was less organized than the northern forces. Women fought in both armies. Diaz was removed from power and a provisional government was declared until Madero was elected president the next year. Despite his promises, land remained in the hands of landlords and foreign businessmen. 15 months after taking power, Madero was overthrown and murdered by reactionary general Victoriano Huerta.
After Huerta's coup, Zapata began the Plan de Ayala and told peasants to take back their land by force. Within four years, revolutionaries had defeated Huerta's forces and marched to Mexico City. Venustiano Carranza, a northern general, declared himself Supreme Chief and said that the revolution was over. For five years, Zapata and Villa fought against Carranza and his allies. Zapata's forces seized land from landlords in the southern state of Morelos. After Villa was defeated in the north, the government sent General Pablo Gonzalez to kill Zapata. One of Gonzalez's colonels, Jesus Guajardo, said he was going to join forces with Zapata and invited him to a conference. This was a trick and Zapata was killed at the conference.[5]
Mexico Today
As a consequence of the Zapata-led revolution there is a communist autonomous region in Chiapas that still exists today and is expanding.
References
- ↑ Richard A. Diehl (2004). The Olmecs: America's First Civilization (pp. 9–25). London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0500285039
- ↑ Frances Berdan. "El tributo a la Triple Alianza" Arqueología Mexicana. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ↑ Clodfelter (2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts (p. 32). ISBN 9781476625850
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Nodrada (2020-08-03). "The Chicane National Question and the Era of Neocolonialism" Medium. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Edgcumb Pinchon (1944). The Mexican Revolution of 1910. [MIA]