The country of Mexico officially gained its independence from Spain in 1821. To understand this specific juncture in the country’s history we must understand the political environment that came before it. Long before Cortes landed on the coast in 1521 in search of gold and silver, the political system of Mexico was organized by Mesoamerican civilizations like the Aztecs, Toltecs, Olmecs, and Mayans. By the time the Spanish arrived the Aztecs had a firm political grasp on most of the region. The Aztecs did not enforce absolute rule over their territories, nor were all the territories linked by common borders, the Aztecs simply expected the territories to pay tributes to the principal city state of Tenochtitlan. There was a relatively complex
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Once they gained their independence from Spain they became El Imperio Mexicano. With the passing of the federal constitution They became Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, and the 1836 constitutional laws use the name La Republica Mexicana. The territory of New Spain spanned from what we now know as Mexico all the way to the Pacific coast of the present United States. However political conflict both internal and external would cause the shape of this land to undergo major transitions. Over a period of about 300 years it would shrink to half its original …show more content…
Marks asks us to consider contingency, and that the European takeover of the west was not inevitable, but the result of many small events coming together. Mexico is a perfect example of the development of a post colonial nation state. There was a native group that was colonized by Europeans, oppression leads to revolution, independence is gained, there is a period of turmoil and civil war, which is followed by political reform. If it weren’t for the exposure of the natives to smallpox would they have had the man power to fight off the Spanish? If the Europeans hadn’t discovered gold and silver would they have cared about Mexico? If the Europeans never came would the Aztecs have expanded? Would Spanish not be spoken in Mexico? It could all be possible if not for certain events, happening at certain times, the political environment of Mexico is the result of years of random political evolution much like the rest of the Western
Once they gained their independence from Spain they became El Imperio Mexicano. With the passing of the federal constitution They became Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, and the 1836 constitutional laws use the name La Republica Mexicana. The territory of New Spain spanned from what we now know as Mexico all the way to the Pacific coast of the present United States. However political conflict both internal and external would cause the shape of this land to undergo major transitions. Over a period of about 300 years it would shrink to half its original …show more content…
Marks asks us to consider contingency, and that the European takeover of the west was not inevitable, but the result of many small events coming together. Mexico is a perfect example of the development of a post colonial nation state. There was a native group that was colonized by Europeans, oppression leads to revolution, independence is gained, there is a period of turmoil and civil war, which is followed by political reform. If it weren’t for the exposure of the natives to smallpox would they have had the man power to fight off the Spanish? If the Europeans hadn’t discovered gold and silver would they have cared about Mexico? If the Europeans never came would the Aztecs have expanded? Would Spanish not be spoken in Mexico? It could all be possible if not for certain events, happening at certain times, the political environment of Mexico is the result of years of random political evolution much like the rest of the Western