Transcript Brief Outline of Mexican History

BRIEF OUTLINE OF
MEXICAN HISTORY
European Conquest
Pre-Columbian civilizations include the Olmec,
Teotuhuacan, Mayan, Zapotec, Toltec, Aztec
 1519: Conquest of Mexico by Cortes
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 Aztec
Emperor Moctezuma
 Prophecies of Quetzlcoatl
 La Malinche -- mestizaje
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1521-1810 New Spain – included Central
America, southwestern North America, the
Caribbean, the Phillipines
New Spain 1521-1810
Feudal social system
 Conservative Roman Catholicism throughout
the Empire
 Class divisions
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Spaniards – in charge of government
 Criollos (Creoles) – Spanish descent born in New
Spain – major land holders
 Mestizos – mixed Spanish and Indian descent
 Indians – peasants, agricultural workers, often tied
to landholdings as serfs had been in Europe
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19th Century Mexico
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1807: Napoleon invaded Spain
1810: Declaration of Mexican Independence
1810-1821: War of Independence
1821: 1st Empire of Mexico > Republic
1836: Republic of Texas declares independence
1845: Texas is annexed to the United States
1832-1855: Dominance of General Antonio Lopez de
Santa Anna in Mexican government
1846-1848: War with U.S. led to annexation of
territory that became CA, NV, UT, AZ, NM and CO
1855: Santa Anna overthrown
19th Century Mexico
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1857: new Constitution that did not mandate Roman
Catholicism as state religion
1857-1861: War of Reform – civil war
1860s: military occupation by France
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2nd Mexican Empire: installation of Emperor Maximilian and
Empress Carlota – favored limited monarchy
Emperor overthrown and executed by Benito Juarez’s forces
1867: Restoration of Republic
1876-1911: Dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz
20th Century Mexico
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1910-1921: Mexican Revolution
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Leaders with conflicting aims included Francisco Madero,
Emiliano Zapata, Pancho Villa, Pascual Orozco, Venustiano
Carranza – most assassinated during revolution
1917: Mexican Constitution of 1917
1920: Alvaro Obregon elected President – instituted
many reforms in social liberalizalition, curbed the
power of the Roman Catholic church, improved
education, granted women’s civil rights
1926-1929: Cristero War
1929: Formation of National Mexican Party (PNM) >
Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) – dominant
throughout 20th c.