History of Mexico: Ch 6 Lesson 2
(OL KEY)
Native American Civilization
1. Olmecs: 1 civilization in Americas
2. 1200BC-600BC
2. Mexico’s Founding Culture
2. Artists: Sculpture, jewelry, murals
3. Jade = green stone
3. Obsidian = black glass from volcanoes
2. Farming
3. Maize = Spanish word for corn
3. Developed drainage system
2. Disappeared around 400 BC
2. Longest of any other NA civilization
1. Mayas
2. 400BC-900AD
Lived in rainforest – Yucatan Peninsula
2. Religion held civilization together
3. Time important, had to measure of religious
ceremonies
3. Developed calendars = 365 days
3. Pyramid temples with steps
2. Writing
3. Hieroglyphic = signs & symbols
3. Number system
3. Murals = wall paintings
2. DECLINE
3. Overused land, soil erosion, disease, and warfare
1. Aztec: The Mexica
2. 1300-1500AD
2. Conquered large empire in central Mexico
2. Major cities; Tenochtitlan=capital
3. Stepped pyramids for religious ceremonies
3. Human sacrifices
3. Market places
4. Trades silver, gold & pottery
2. Spanish renamed Aztec
2. Aztec history part of Mexican culture today
st
Term
Staple
Surplus
Chinampas
Definition
Spanish Mexico
1. 1519- Spanish Come to Mexico
2. Hernan Cortez led conquistadors looking for gold
2. 2 years to defeat the Aztec Empire
1. Conquered
2. 550 Spaniards vs. 21 million Aztecs
2. Spanish had guns and armor, horses and the wheel
2. Diseases like smallpox killed “thousands” [really millions]
2. Indigenous groups angry with the Aztecs
3. Treaties afforded Spaniards 1,000s of warriors
3. Needed supplies
4. Thought Cortez was a god
4. Aztecs thought horse = part of Cortez
2. After conquest:
3. Gained gold and silver mines
3. Converted to Catholicism
3. Natives worked on farms or in mines
2. Spain made Mexico colony, “New Spain”
3. Many Spanish settlers arrived = Peninsulares
4. Held important government posts
4. Owned the haciendas
3. Native Americans= Mestizo
4. poor and uneducated
Term
Conquistador
Colonialism
Peninsulares
Mestizo
Hacienda
Definition
Modern Mexico
1. Independence and Conflict
2. After 300 years of Spanish rule, Mexico wanted independence
2. 1821- Sept. 16 Won independence from Spain
2. Political conflict after; rival fought, military dictators
2. 1836- Texas declares independence
2. 1846- Border dispute leads to the Mexican-American War
3. US wins large part of south-west USA
2. 1850’s- Benito Juarez elected first indigenous President.
3. Separated church and government
3. limits power of the military
3. provides land to the poor
2. 1863-Mexico cannot pay debts, France invades
1. Revolution and Stability
Early 1900’s people dissatisfied with Diaz
2. 1910- Mexican Revolution, overthrows old gov
3. give land to the poor
3. National schools
3. New Constitution in 1917
2. 1930’s Oil is discovered in Mexico, leads to a 40 year economic
boom, standard of living across the country is raised, but there
is still a large gap between rich and poor.
3. Rich are mostly European decent
3. Poor are mostly of Native decent.