Transcript The History of Mexico Through Murals

The History of Mexico
Through Murals
Murals
Murals are an important part of Mexico,
dating back to 1000 B.C.
Mayan, Aztec, and Toltec told stories of
creation and the gods.
When the Spanish invaded, murals took on a
European and Christian aspect.
Mexican Revolution saw a rebirth of murals
in the political works of Diego and Orozco.
Tenochtitlan Marketplace
By Diego Rivera
Tenochtitlan Marketplace
1345 – The Aztecs (Mexica) founded the
city.
Built on Lake Texcoco. Surrounded by the
lake. Bridges and canals.
Sat in the Mexico Valley, Between Sierra
Madre Oriental and Occidental. Now is
Mexico City.
Conquest
Jose Orozco
Symbols
Fire
Angel
Heads
Machinery
Heart?
Conquest
Hernan Cortez arrived in 1519 with 60o
soldiers. Conquered the Aztec Empire in 2
years with the help of enemy nations.
Cortez resembled the Aztec god and
Montezuma was less wary.
Spanish weapons, horses, armor, and
disease caused the city to fall easily.
Cortez and Malinche
Jose Orozco
Mestizo People
Spanish not only decimated the population,
but changed it forever in another way.
Mestizo – Mix of European and native,
form majority of population.
The mural shows the treatment of the
Mestizo.
Colonial Domination
Diego Rivera
Look for:
Branding Iron
Gold
Plowing
Submission
Fat Mule
Spanish Treatment of Indians
New Spain – Catholic Church allowed justification
of treatment of “heathens”.
Worked on Haciendas (large Spanish-owned farms)
Down from 25 mil to 1 mil by 1700.
In Mural – Indians branded, used to plow while the
mules get fat. Indians forced to mine gold while
Spanish carry bags. Natives submit before the
power of the cross.
Hidalgo
Jose Orozco
Socioeconomic Structure based on heritage.
Led by Peninsulares (Spanish born in Spain),
then Criollos (Spanish born in Mexico), with
Mestizos just above Indians.
Father Hidalgo led an uprising in 1810 and
was killed, but the movement continued.
Independence in 1821.
Road to Democracy
Once independent, Mexico struggled through
many dictatorships.
In 1910, the oppressed Mexicans rebelled
against dictators. New government by 1920.
Led by one party until 2000.
Democracy, led by Pres. And Congress
Social Change
Revolution took haciendas and redistributed
many to the people for subsistence farming.
One-third of farms are latifundios (large
commercial farms)
Cash Crops: Sugar cane, Fruit, Coffee, & corn
3 Questions
1. How has the use of murals changed
over the years?
2. Name 3 reasons Cortez was able to
defeat the Aztecs.
3. Father Hidalgo started a landslide
of change in Mexico. What were
the next two major changes?