History of Mexico: A Treasure Trove of Time and Culture

The history of Mexico and Mexico culture dates back thousands of years before any European adventurer even thought to travel there. Pyramids, great cities, and rich, diverse civilizations, rivaling those of ancient Egypt and Babylon, rose, flourished and vanished long before Columbus and Cortez.
 
It is this history that makes Mexico a treasure trove of times past.

Olmecs, Mayans and Aztecs

Pre-Columbus Mexico history is filled with images of pyramids, huge stone cities, and civilizations long past. The Olmecs were the first culture (though not the first people) to make their mark. This ancient group, like those who would follow, understood astronomy, developed calendars, and were great sculptors.

Following the downfall of the Olmec civilization, the Mayan civilization rose to power. They built great urban centers, large pyramids, and elaborate palaces, all without the use of metal tools. Building on the inherited inventions of the Olmec, the Mayans developed astronomy, a calendar more accurate than the one we use today, and hieroglyphic writing.

Religion played an important role in daily life of the Mayans. Priests held power in Mayan society. The large urban centers were constructed mainly for religious purposes. Mayan eminence lasted until about 900 AD, when a combination of factors such as overpopulation and famine appear to have contributed to the fall of the civilization.

For a long time, the region of present-day Mexico was occupied by various city-states. By the 13th century, the nomadic Aztecs had settled in the area and founded Tenochtitlan. They survived as mercenaries for various tribes in the area, but eventually seized control. The Aztecs continued to wage war against the neighboring tribes for two main reasons: to collect tribute and to capture prisoners to sacrifice to the gods, Huitzilopochtli, Tlaloc, and Quetzalcoatl. The Aztec Empire continued to expand until the arrival of Cortez and the Spanish.

Spain and Mexico

After Cortez invaded Mexico and obliterated the Aztec empire, Mexico became a Spanish territory. Spanish and European culture soon began to influence the diverse cultures of the indigenous people, resulting in unique blends of tradition and lore still evident to this day.

For three centuries, Mexico remained a Spanish territory until a priest, Miguel Hidalgo, initiated a revolt against Spanish rule. On September 16, 1810, a spontaneous revolution led to the expulsion of the Spaniards and is celebrated to this day as Mexican Independence Day.

A series of events (including Texas declaring independence) provoked a war between the Empire of Mexico and the United States. As a result of the war, Mexico lost half of its territory: present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Texas. Periods of instability followed the war until a dictator by the name of Porfirio Diaz seized control and brought Mexico into the industrial age.

The Mexican Revolution

While under Diaz, Mexico experienced relative peace and prosperity, but it all came to an end in 1910 when he staged a fraudulent election. The public couldn't swallow such a lie; riots broke out. A wide spectrum of leaders attempted to create a new government, but constant fighting and a string of assassinations prevented any from succeeding. Ten years later, a political party finally took control and introduced a program of reform.
 
The latter part of the century has seen crime, civil unrest, major recessions, and rumors of corruption in the government, but a bright future lies ahead with reform measures being enacted and a new president in office.