Mexico’s Culture and History

Mexico’s Culture and History is filled with romance and drama and it has many historical attractions. There are the ancient ruins of the Olmecs, Maya and Aztec. Also there are the train routes used by the legendary Pancho Villa. These are the main reasons, second only to the beaches of Cancun and Acapulco that people come to Mexico. You may ask “why,” and the reason is because of the tale of Mexico’s past, and also by an overwhelming amount of physical remains, that are as romantic, dramatic, blood-curling and complex as it gets.

Sometime around 1000 BC, Mexico’s fist ancient civilizations, the Olmecs, recognized themselves in what now are the states of Veracruz and Tabasco. They built citys and constructed massive stone head carvings of their jaguar God, which they worshiped. They spread throughout southern and central Mexico until they mysteriously disappeared around 400 B.C. The Olmecs left behind moderately few artifacts yet their influence on later cultures deep. After the Olmecs came the Zapotecs, the Teotihuacan and mixtures of Monte Alban, The Toltecs, Maya of Yucatan, and several other smaller groups. To stabilize the spiritual and earthly dominion and pacify their pantheons of gods, many of these civilizations practiced human sacrifice, which is something that often overshadows their great achievements in astronomy, mathematics, architecture, textile weaving, art and pottery. The latter being a very big part in the reproduction and exporting of Mexican Goods. As you can see, Mexico’s Culture and History still captivates the minds of many

None of Mexico’s pre-Columbian civilizations is more told than that of the Aztecs. There were other civilizations in Mexico that achieved greater artistic teats but non advanced as quickly or ruled as much territory. They were a trivial tribe living on the edge of Lake Texcoco, which is modern day Mexico City. By 1473 they had conquered neighboring tribes. The Aztecs had a highly codified government with an all-powerful emperor.

The Spanish adventurer Hernan Cortez arrived in 1519 landing in the state of Vera Cruz, about 200 miles from the Aztec capital. The only mission for Cortez was to defeat the Aztecs and take their gold. This was a great and tragic time of the history of Mexico. The then emperor of the Aztecs died in a prison in his own palace.

This is a very small part of Mexico’s Culture and History. The beauty of their skills, attractions, romance, beaches and much more are just a part of what Mexico offers visitors and tourists.

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