Mexico

       1A The first pottery made in Mexico appeared in 2300 BC.

       1B Olmec civilization [1400 BC - 400 BC] emerged in 1300 BC along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. They constructed centers of worship at San Lorenzo and La Benta and Colossal Head statues.

       1C The rulers of San Jose Mogote built a temple on the top of a hill at Monte Alban. By the middle of the Classical era they were using a 260-day calendar.

       1D Two groups sprang up around Lake Texcoco: Cuicuilco with their circular pyramids on the south and the huge city of Teotihuacan to the east. A volcanic eruption decimated Cuicuilco allowing Teotihuacan (city) [300 BC-] to dominate all of Mesoamerica economically and militarily.

       1E/2A The Classical period began between AD 250 and 300. The City of Palengne formed an alliance with Teikaru.

       2B When Teotihuacan was destroyed in the 7th century a group of small cities called Tula held their ground. The powerful cities of Xochicalco and Xicocotitlan took control. They were so influential that Maya dynasties later claimed to be descended from the Toltec empire [700 AD-]. Maya culture prospered at first but then was worn down from war, food shortages, and climate change until it collapsed in the 9th century.

       2C Cities on the Yucatan peninsula prospered from trading.

       2D Driven by an increasingly cold climate, Chichimeca people descended from the highlands and invaded Tula territory. Three of their cities--Tenochititlan [1325, now Mexico City], Texcoco, and Tlacopan--formed an alliance that allowed them to dominate a vast region, except for the territory of Tlaxcala, who they were unable to defeat. After Nezahualcoyotl's death in the first-15th centrury, Aztec tribes formed the Aztec Empire [1428-1521].

Was there any civilization in Mexico before the Spanish arrived?

When and how was Teotihuacan destroyed?

When and where did Maya culture flourish?
Did Mayan culture develop its own calendar?
When and how did Mayan culture collapse?

What was the capital of the Tepaneca Kingdom?

What city-states were built on the northern Yucatan Peninsula?
Why did Cosmel Island prosper?
What did Putwun merchants buy and sell?

Who were the Chichimecans? What did they do?
Who conquered and destroyed the Tula groups?
Where did the Aztec come from?
What kind of a king was Nezahualcoyotl?
Were any of the three cities in the Three City Alliance dominant?

What is the shape of Mexico?
Where is the Yucatan Peninsula?

What use is the concept of zero?

       3A Once Columbus discovered the New World, Europeans started to conquer it. When Cortes landed in Mexico in 1519, Montezuma II welcomed them, because he thought they were Aztec gods. The next year a rebellion among the natives forced the Spanish to retreat temporarily. But they made a counter attack with the help of the Aztec's rivals from Tlaxcala. The natives had no immunity to the measles and small pox, which the Spanish brought with them. Many died. After Montezuma II, the next emporer Cuauhtemoc attempted to flee by boat, but was caught. The empire was defeated on Aug 31, 1521.

       Cortes had her baptized and given the Christian name Marina (Sato-Watanabe, 2009). She seduced Cortes physically and intellectually (Wales et al., 2009). Some people say that she informed Cotes of plans for native uprisings (Sato-Watanabe, 2009). Cortes had two sons by different women named Martin (Wales et al., 2009). The other Martin, the younger son, not hers, became Cortes' heir. It is said that after leaving Cortes she remarried (Sato-Watanabe, 2009).

       3B The Aztec capital Tenochtitlan was destroyed and Mexico City built in its place. Mexico became the center of New Spain, transforming Aztec, Maya, and Caribbean islands into Spanish colonies.

       3C Once Spanish rule began the diseases that they brought with them--measles and small pox--killed off much of the native population, which dropped from 25 million to 1 million. The native Indios intermarried with the Spanish, giving rise to people of mixed blood--Mestizos. Black slaves were brought in from Africa.

       3D A system of Spanish colonial rule called "encomienda" gave land with native slave labor to Spanish colonists. The food distribution did not work well, leaving many people to starve to death. Catholic bishop Bartolome de las Casas campaigned against this abuse of New World natives, culminating in the 1550 Valladolid debate with Juan Gines de Sepulveda. Spain took over direct control of the forced labor with the new repartimiento system.

       4A A silver mine found in Zacatecas in 1546 caused Mexico's first silver boom. This together with silver coming out of the Potosi silver mine in Alto Peru (now called Bolivia) made Spain very rich. Mexico ships traded via the Philippines with Manchu China.

       4B Due to a sharp drop in the Indio population, the repartimiento system was abolished in 1631 and replaced by haciendas, mostly large plantations.

       4C In the mid 18th century Carlos III instigated the Bourbon Reforms. Increased agriculture and manufacturing helped expand the economy. In 1767 the Society of Jesus was expelled from the Spanish colonies. The "intendant" adminstrative system replaced the city level control of "corregidores" with regional level control. Europeans born in Spain (gachupin) dominated over the Mexico born people of European ancestry.

       4D Mexico supplied more than half of the world's silver in the beginning of the 19th century. But Mestizo, Indio, and blacks suffered under extreme poverty.

Where did Columbus land in 1492?
Why did he make the voyage?
What do you suppose he did after returning to Europe with news of his discovery?

Was Hernan Cortes the first European to land in Mexico?
What do you suppose he did before going to Mexico?

Why did Montezuma welcome Cortes?
How did Cortes defeat the Aztec?

When were black slaves introduced into Mexico?
What caused the native Mexican population to decrease?

Were any precious metals discovered in Mexico?

What was the debate at Valladolid about?

Was the Society of Jesus banished from Mexico?

Who were the Gachupin? the Criollo?

       4E Spanish rule lasted for 300 years. During the latter half of the 18th century, after the Bourbon Reforms, Mexico enjoyed a period of great enlightenment. The American and French Revolutions kindled among the Criollo a desire for independence from Spain. But their attempts in 1794 and 1799 to gain it were suppressed.

       4F France attacked Spain in 1808. That was the start of the Peninsula War. Napoleon's brother Josef assumed the throne of Spain as Jose I. The Spanish colonies in South America refused to acknowledge him. Criollo recognized Fernando VII and demanded that the Viceroy grant them self-rule. Native born Spanish, however, retook control.

       4G/5A On September 16, 1810 Miguel Hidalgo published "The Cry of Dolores" and the Mexican Revolution began. The revolt spread from the Criollo to the Indio and Mestizo. The Criollo deserted Hidalgo, causing his attack on Mexico City to fail. He was captured and executed.

       5B Hidalgo's underling Jose Maria Morelos and the masses continued the fight. After taking major cities like Acapulco and Oaxaca, he declared the Republic of Mexico's independence. He created a constitution, but it failed to get the support of the Criollo class. When the Napoleon Wars ended, Agustin de Iturbide led a Spanish army against the rebel army, crushed them, and executed Morelos and most of the other leaders. Guadalupe Victoria and Vincente Guerrero continued a guerilla war from the mountains.

       5C Liberators Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin freed colonies in Central and South America from Spain.The Riego Revolution broke out in Spain. Iturbide joined with Mestizo, Indio, and finally Criollo forces. The Viceroy's forces surrendered, bringing New Spain to an end. Mexico achieved independence.

Where

       5D/E Agustine de Iturbide became Emperor and annexed Central America. But two years later General Antonio de Santa Anna rebelled. Mexico became a federal republic headed by a president, Guadalupe Victoria. Central America was given its independence. Caudillo (local warlords) resisted government control, causing great confusion.

       6A/B Mexico's economy went into a depression after Spanish people were banished from the country. Liberal Vincente Guerrero took control in a coup d'etat, became President, expelled the remaining Spanish, supported Cuban independence, and abolished slavery. Spain invaded to get control of its former colony. Santa Anna and Mexican forces repelled them. Vice-president, Anastasio Bustamante, rebelled, took over, and expelled Guerrero. His economic policies were successful, but opposition from rural Mexico drove him out of office. Santa Ana became President in 1833.

       6C American settled in northern Mexico and brought their slaves with them. A rebellion broke out. The Anglos proclaimed their independence. President Santa Ana killed everyone defending the Alamo, but lost to Sam Houston and was captured.

       6D Mexico put down rebellions in the Yucatan and Rio Grande Republics. The French invaded Mexico, but withdrew a year later. Santa Ana lost his leg in "Candy" War, and became a popular hero.

       6E America annexed Texas and the Mexican-American War broke out. Mexico lost the war and about half its territory to the United States. America took California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah in addition to Texas.

       6F/7A Mayans rebelled. American pirate William Walker briefly set up a republic in Baja (lower) California before moving on to Nicaragua, where he briefly became President.

       7B

       7C/D President Ignacio Comonfort, a moderate and liberal, was deposed by Gen. Felix Zuloaga. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Benito Juarez, calling for an end to the military government, went into exile in the United States. He returned to Veracruz, set up a provisional government and civil war (the Reform War) broke out.

6D From 1821 on Anglos from America settled in Northern Mexico and brought their slaves with them.
    A rebellion broke out in 1835.
    Texans proclaimed their independence in 1836.
    Santa Anna and his men killed every last Anglo rebel at the Alamo, but lost to Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto.

6E Mexico fell into great confusion.
    Yucatan and Rio Grande Republics declared independence, but Mexico put down those rebellions.
    The French army invaded Mexico in 1838, but withdrew in 1839.
    Santa Ana lost his left leg, but became such a popular hero that he ruled with absolute power.

6F When America annexed Texas in 1845, the Mexican-American War broke out.
7A The Guadalupe-Hidalgo Peace Treaty was signed in 1848.
    Mexico lost half of its territory--California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah--to the United States.