Imperialism In Mexico

Background:

"The Castle" of Chichn-Itz, one of the New Seven Wonders.

Human presence in Mexico has been shown to date back 40,000 years based upon ancient
human footprints discovered in the Valley of Mexico (previous evidence substantiated
indigenous inhabitants at 12,500 years ago). For thousands of years, Mexico was a land of
hunter-gatherers. Around 9,000 years ago, ancient Mexicans domesticated corn and initiated
an agricultural revolution, leading to the formation of many complex civilizations.
These civilizations revolved around cities with writing, monumental architecture, astronomical
studies, mathematics, and militaries. For almost three thousand years, Aridoamerica
(northern Mexico) and Mesoamerica (central and southern Mexico) were the site of several
advanced Amerindian civilizations, among them the Olmecs, the Mayas and the Aztecs.
Motivations for Imperialism:
In 1519, the native civilizations of what is now Mexico were invaded by Spain; this was one of
the most important conquest campaigns in America. Two years later, in 1521, the Aztec
capital and metropolis of Tenochtitlan was conquered by an alliance between Spanish and
Tlaxcaltecs, the main enemies of the Aztecs, setting up a three-century colonial rule in
Mexico. The vice-royalty of New Spain became the first and largest provider of resources for
the Spanish Empire, and the most populated of all Spanish colonies. The Spanish Empire
expanded to include nearly all of South and Central America, Mexico, southern and western
portions of today's United States, the Philippines, Guam and the Mariana Islands in Eastern
Asia, the Iberian peninsula (including the Portuguese empire (from 1580)) , southern Italy,
Sicily, cities in Northern Africa, as well as parts of modern Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg,
and the Netherlands. It was the first empire about which it was said that the sun did not set.
This was an age of discovery, with daring explorations by sea and by land, the opening up of
new trade routes across oceans, conquests and the beginning of European colonial
exploitation. Along with the arrival of precious metals, spices, luxuries, and new agricultural
plants, Spanish explorers and others brought back knowledge, playing a leading part in
transforming the European understanding of the world.
After the independence of the vice-royalty of New Spain, it was decided to name the country
after its capital, Mexico City. The city's original name was Mexico-Tenochtitlan, in reference to
the name of the Nahua Aztec tribe, the Mexica.

Colonial Era and Independence

In the case of Mexico, the Mexican independence movement was initiated by criollos
(referring to a person born in the Spanish colonies deemed to have limpieza de sangre
(literally meaning cleanliness of blood) in respect to an individual's purity of European
ancestry) who wanted to seize the power from the Spanish settlers. Miguel Hidalgo used
banners with the slogans which included "Long live Fernando VII!, Long live the Americas
and death to the corrupt government!".
Thus, the independence movement was not so much aimed at breaking off Mexico's ties to
Spain as it was to seize power from a corrupt elite to claim it for a new elite in Mexico. On
September 16, 1810, independence from Spain was declared by Priest Miguel Hidalgo in the
small town of Dolores, Guanajuato state. This was the catalyst for a long war that eventually
led to recognized independence in 1821 and the creation of an ephemeral (short-lived) First
Mexican Empire. Agustn de Iturbide was the first and only emperor. Two years later, the
republican forces deposed him. In 1824, a republican constitution was drafted creating the
United Mexican States with Guadalupe Victoria as its first President.
The first four decades of independent Mexico were marked by a constant strife between
liberals (those who supported the federal form of government stipulated in the 1824
constitution) and conservadores (who proposed a hierarchical form of government in which
all local authorities were appointed and subject to a central authority). General Antonio Lpez
de Santa Anna was a strong influence in Mexican politics, a centralist and a two-time dictator.
In 1836, he approved a radical amendment to the constitution that institutionalized the
centralized form of government, after which Texas declared independence from Mexico,
obtained in 1836. The annexation of Texas by the United States created a border dispute that
would cause the Mexican-American War. Santa Anna played a big role in trying to muster
Mexican forces but this war resulted in the resolute defeat of Mexico and as a result of the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), Mexico lost one third of its surface area to the United
States.
Long Term Effects:
Throughout the 19 and into the 20th Century, Mexico has struggled with territorial
integrity, seccesation of states, and internal struggles (political corruption, social unrest, threat
of civil war, etc.) that have threatened to tear apart this once great land. Today, The United
Mexican States are a federation whose government is representative, democratic and
republican based on a congressional system according to the 1917 Constitution. The
constitution establishes three levels of government: the federal Union, the state governments
and the municipal governments. All officials at the three levels are elected by voters through
first-past-the-post plurality, proportional representation or are appointed by other elected
officials.