As the capital of Mexico, Mexico City is home to approximately 22 million people, making it the most populated city in North America. Despite a turbulent history, Mexico City is one of the most iconic and vibrant cities in the Americas.
Read on to discover the thrilling history of Mexico City.
The Rise of Tenochtitlan and the Aztecs
From the 8th to the 13th centuries, various city-states occupied modern-day Mexico. However, this equilibrium was disrupted by the arrival of the Mexica people, known more commonly as the Aztecs.
According to an Aztec prophecy, their god, Huitzilopochtli, showed them where to build a great city. The wandering Aztecs reached an island on Lake Texcoco and saw a sign – an eagle perching on a cactus with a snake in its beak, a symbol now carried on the Mexican flag. They founded a city named Tenochtitlan, which historians believe dates from approximately 1325 AD.
Within a century, the Aztecs had established an empire by conquering neighboring city-states by force or by trade. Wealth from these subject city-states flooded into Tenochtitlan, which became the biggest city in pre-Columbian America.
Tenochtitlan was divided into four main areas separated by four canals. These districts surrounded the religious center of the city known as the Templo Mayor. This central district was dominated by the temples of Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, another Aztec god. It was here that the Aztecs carried out ceremonies involving human sacrifice.
Each of the four major zones was further divided into 20 neighborhoods known as calpullis. Each of these neighborhoods had its own temple and marketplace. Tenochtitlan was connected to the mainland by three causeways that were surrounded by floating gardens.
At the height of their power in 1519, the Aztecs ruled a territory covering most of modern Mexico and reaching as far south as Guatemala. However, a century of Aztec dominance quickly came crashing down.
Spanish Conquest and the Fall of Tenochtitlan
In July 1519, the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes landed at Veracruz in eastern Mexico. With approximately 600 soldiers along with horsemen and cannons, Cortes launched an expedition into mainland Mexico. Along the way, he recruited indigenous people who had been subjugated by the Aztecs, including the Tlaxcalteca.
At the time, the Aztec Empire was ruled by Moctezuma II. In November 1519, Moctezuma agreed to meet Cortes just outside of Tenochtitlan. After exchanging gifts, Moctezuma welcomed Cortes into the city. However, within days of his arrival, Cortes placed Moctezuma under house arrest and effectively became a Spanish puppet.
In April 1520, while Cortes was away from Tenochtitlan, his deputy, Pedro de Alvarado, attacked the Aztecs as they celebrated a festival involving human sacrifice. Hundreds of Aztec nobles were murdered in what became known as the Alvarado Massacre.
Enraged by the massacre, the Aztecs rebelled. When Cortes returned, his army was forced out of the capital. During the clashes, Moctezuma was killed, either by the Spaniards or by his own disgruntled people.
After regrouping and recruiting other indigenous people who wanted to overthrow the Aztecs, the Spanish besieged Tenochtitlan in May 1521. The Aztecs had been decimated by smallpox and were further weakened by a lack of supplies. Despite this, the Aztecs continued to sacrifice Spanish prisoners during the siege. However, after 75 days of siege, the Aztecs surrendered in August 1521 and Tenochtitlan was almost completely destroyed.
After capturing Tenochtitlan, Cortes established a new city on top of the ruins, which would become known as Mexico City. The Spaniards kept the old Templo Mayor district as the central plaza of the city and became known as Zocalo.
Many of the old Aztec roads and streets remained, while Catholic churches and cathedrals were built on top of ruined Aztec temples. Throughout the next few centuries, Mexico City developed rapidly. The Alameda Central park opened in 1592, while a mint was established in 1537 and a new cathedral was consecrated in 1656.
However, flooding became a major issue as the Spaniards neglected to maintain the impressive Aztec drainage systems. The floods continued to be an issue until the waters of Lake Texcoco gradually receded in the 18th Century.
Revolution and Mexican Independence
After nearly 300 years of Spanish rule, Mexico and its citizens rebelled in the 19th Century. The Mexican War of Independence raged from 1810 to 1821.
In 1820, a government sympathetic to the revolutionaries took power in Mexico. However, many rich landowners were afraid of losing their positions and appointed Colonel Agustin de Iturbide to protect them. But while leading the Royalist forces against the rebels, Iturbide began to have second thoughts.
In 1821, Iturbide arranged to meet with Vicente Guerrero, one of the major rebel leaders. Together, they created the Plan of Iguala. Their idea was to turn Mexico into a constitutional monarchy independent of Spanish rule while retaining the Catholic church. Having changed sides, Iturbide led his army into Mexico City in September 1821.
On the 27th of September, 1821, Mexico declared its independence after the Spanish viceroy capitulated. Iturbide announced that he was now the first emperor of the Mexican Empire. However, he abdicated two years later and Mexico became a republic with Mexico City named as its capital in 1824.
Mexican-American War
But the new republic quickly faced new challenges. The Mexican-American War was fought from 1846 to 1848 after America annexed Texas in 1845. Mexico City was the focal point of two major battles during the conflict.
In August 1847, the Americans pushed towards Mexico City itself. During the Battle of Contreras, the Americans took the Mexicans by surprise and won an easy victory. Then, in September, the two sides clashed again in the Battle of Mexico City.
On September 12th, the Americans bombarded the city with artillery before sending in their infantry. A day later, they captured Chapultepec Castle and forced the Mexicans back. After several hard-fought battles, the Mexican army left the city under the cover of nightfall, offering no more resistance.
On September 15th, the Americans occupied Mexico City. Many Mexican citizens who remained conducted guerrilla attacks against the occupying Americans, who responded harshly. The war ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in Mexico City in February 1848 as the Mexicans ceded Texas and other southwestern states to the Americans.
Civil War and the Second French Intervention
In 1858, Mexico was plunged into a civil war between Conservatives and Liberals known as the Reform War. The conflict was sparked by a disagreement over the Constitution of 1857, which aimed to reduce the power of both the military and the Catholic church. The Conservatives opposed these restrictions, while the Liberals resented the loss of territory during the Mexican-American War.
During the conflict, Mexico City was held by the Conservative faction, while the Liberals held power in nearby Veracruz. Eventually, the Liberals won and their president, Benito Juarez, took power in Mexico City.
Unfortunately, Juarez refused to pay back foreign loans from foreign powers that had been taken out by the Conservatives. This started the Second Franco-Mexican War, which raged from 1861 to 1867. Backed by Mexican conservatives and monarchists seeking to reclaim their position, the French invaded Mexico in 1862 and occupied Mexico City in 1863.
The French succeeded in overthrowing Juarez and installed Archduke Maximilian of Austria as the leader of the Second Mexican Empire. Maximilian began major urban renovations in Mexico City and tried to solve the problem of flooding.
However, the Second Mexican Empire collapsed once French troops withdrew. Juarez returned to power and restored the Republic. Despite Maximilian's attempts to improve the city, he was executed in June 1867.
From the Mexican Revolution to the Present Day
By 1900, Mexico City's population had reached approximately 500,000. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, President Porfirio Diaz continued to develop the city. However, this favored a small number of elites while the majority of Mexico's population struggled in poverty, especially in rural areas.
From 1910 to 1920, the Mexican Revolution wracked much of the country. Diaz was overthrown and Francisco I. Madero was elected as president. However, a Federal army general, Victoriano Huerta, staged a coup. Violence erupted in the city streets in February 1913, known as the Ten Tragic Days.
Many rebels supporting the old regime stoked chaos and violence in the streets. Huerta's forces clashed with soldiers protecting Madero for ten days. Huerta was victorious, and Madero was assassinated. Up to 5,500 people died during the fighting.
Although Huerta became president, the civil war continued as many revolutionaries were opposed to his rule. Eventually, the revolutionaries were victorious after being united by Madero's martyrdom. Mexico's current constitution was signed in 1917.
After the Revolution, Mexico City began to grow and expand once again. New neighborhoods were built along with colonias – slum neighborhoods without any jurisdictional representation. In 1950, Mexico City's population surpassed 2.2 million.
Museums and art galleries were established across the city, including the Palacio de Bellas Artes in 1934, the Frida Kahlo Museum in 1957, and the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in 1964. The city hosted the Summer Olympics in 1968, announcing Mexico City's place on the world stage.
Modern-day Mexico City is one of the world's largest cities and a cultural hub in Central America. Up to 40 million tourists visit the city each year, marveling at the history and culture of this fascinating city.
Famous Landmarks
- Zocalo – Opened in 1524
- Alameda Central – Created in 1592
- Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral – Consecrated in 1656
- Chapultepec Castle – Completed in 1864
- Palacio de Bellas Artes – Inaugurated in 1934
- Monument to the Revolution – Completed in 1938
- Frida Kahlo Museum – Established in 1957
- Museo Nacional de Antropologia – Established in 1964
- Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Consecrated in 1976