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200
A.D. Mayan civilization appears in Yucatan Peninsula
The Mayans were known for their stunning architecture and art. They had advanced systems of mathematics and used calendars much like we do. They had a sophisticated knowledge on astronomy and carved their temples with glyphs, murals, and numbers. -
200
B.C. Teotihuacan civilization appears in central Mexico
Teotihuacan was an ancient metropolis with an advanced urban society. Like most Mesoamerican cultures, the Teotihuacanos were very religous. They had numerous temples dedicated to their deities. Trading was an important factor of society, and helped the city flourish. However, this would not last. Around 750 A.D. the city burned to the ground. Teotihuacan lay in ruins for nearly six centuries before the Aztecs found it and named it 'Teotihuacan", which translates to "Place of The Gods". -
300
B.C. Monte Alban civilization appears in southern Mexico.
The Zapotecs built the city of Monte Alban, one of the first urban centers of Mesoamerica and also one of the largest. The Zapotecs had calendars and a written language. They had marketplaces where goods were traded. They used agriculture and they had great influence on later civilizations. -
Jan 1, 1520
Hernan Cortes and 500 of his men conquer the Aztec empire
In 1519 Hernan Cortes left Spain to seek riches for his country. Soon after arriving in the Yucatan Peninsula, Cortes found himself two translators. Cortes defeated the Aztec warriors with weapons they had never seen before, like guns and horses. The seige ended in 1521 after Cortes had conquered and pillaged the city of Tenochtitlan. -
Mexican independence from Spain declared
The struggle for Mexican independence began in 1810, when an uprising was led by a priest against the governing Spaniards. The fighting continued until 1821, ending 300 years of colonial rule by the Spaniards. Mexican independence was officially declared in 1821. Mexicans celebrate September 16th, the day the rebellion started, as Independence Day. -
President Santa Ana sells additional territory to the U.S. in The Gadsden Purchase
James Gadsden was U.S. Minister to Mexico and president of the South Carolina Railroad Company. The treaty is named after Gadsden. Gadsden was interested in making a Southern transcontinental railroad to the Pacific in order to make the West commercially dependent on the South instead of the North. The most direct route for the railroad would be south of the U.S. boundary. In 1853 Gadsden bought a strip of 29,670 acre territory for 10 million dollars on behalf of the U.S. government. -
Rebellion against Porfirio Diaz's rule
What started out as political unrest quickly turned into a bloody fight for the presidency, and for the people freedom. The Mexican Revolution lasted from 1910-1920. There were three main groups fighting throughout the revolution. They were lead by Emiliano Zapata, Francisco "Pancho" Villa, and Pascual Orozco. Dictator Porfirio Diaz resigned from the presidency, but the fighting didn't stop there. A succession of presidents overtook the nation. Eventually, Alvaro Obregon was elected peacefully. -
-1976 Oil boom
Throughout the 1970's Mexico experienced an oil boom. In 1976, the Cantarell oil field was discovered. This is the largest oil field in Mexico, and one of the biggest in the world. Mexico's economy benefited enormously from this discovery. Profitable offshore oil reserves were discovered elsewhere, too. -
NAFTA is signed between Mexico, Canada, and the U.S.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a trade pact to reduce trading costs between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In 1992 NAFTA was signed by all three countries. NAFTA went into effect in 1994 and has allowed goods to move freely among the three countries. -
Vicente Fox elected President
Vicente Fox of PAN is elected President in 2000, the first presidential candidate not of the PRI party, breaking 71 years of PRI rule. -
Sources
Reilly, Mary Jo and Jermyn, Leslie. Cultures of the World: Mexico 2nd ed. Tarrytown: Marshall Cavendish Corp. 2002. Print.
PBS. "The Fall of the Aztec." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. PBS. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. http://www.pbs.org/conquistadors/cortes/cortes_a00.html.
History.com. "The Struggle for Mexican Independence — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.history.com/top -
Sources
"Milestones: 1830-1860." U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian. U.S. Department of State. Web. 20 Jan. 2012.
Davies, Lynn. "History of the Mexican Revolution." Www.ic.arizona.edu. Web. 21 Jan. 2012. http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/mcbride/ws200/mex-davi.htm.
Picture URLS:
http://www.advantagemexico.com/sites/default/files/repository/monte_alban_600.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xvULrrDtAUo/TbRU6InD4kI/AAAAAAAAhfE/z0yaRm3HjwU/s1600/teotihuacan1.jpg -
Sources - Picture URLS
http://lh3.ggpht.com/post1gallery/R6BuCz_rkII/AAAAAAAAAGQ/MP3nQOE3TI0/s288/20080130-mexico-cantarell-oil-field-325x275.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/North_American_Agreement_(orthographic_projection).svg/200px-North_American_Agreement_(orthographic_projection).svg.png http://www.harrywalker.com/images/photos/large/Fox_Vicente.jpg -
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Sources
"Gadsden Purchase James Gadsden." The Progress Report -- Independent Daily News. The Progress Report. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. http://www.progress.org/gads.htm.
"The Ancient World: Prehistory-476 C.E." Great Events From History. Ed. Mark W. Chavalas. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/academic/zapotecs.pdf"NAFTA Signed into Law — 12/8/1993." History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. History.com — This Day in History. Web. 22 Jan. 2012. <http://www.history -
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