The History of Mexico Through

Murals

Murals

Murals are an important part of Mexico, dating back to 1000 B.C.

Mayan, Aztec, and Toltec told stories of creation and the gods.

When the Spanish invaded, murals took on a European and Christian aspect.

Mexican Revolution saw a rebirth of murals in the political works of Diego and Orozco.

Tenochtitlan Marketplace

By Diego Rivera

Tenochtitlan Marketplace

1345 – The Aztecs (Mexica) founded the city.

Built on Lake Texcoco. Surrounded by the lake. Bridges and canals.

Sat in the Mexico Valley, Between Sierra Madre Oriental and Occidental. Now is Mexico City.

Conquest

Jose Orozco

SymbolsFire

Angel

Heads

Machinery

Heart?

Conquest

Hernan Cortez arrived in 1519 with 60o soldiers. Conquered the Aztec Empire in 2 years with the help of enemy nations.

Cortez resembled the Aztec god and Montezuma was less wary.

Spanish weapons, horses, armor, and disease caused the city to fall easily.

Cortez and Malinche

Jose Orozco

Mestizo People

Spanish not only decimated the population, but changed it forever in another way.

Mestizo – Mix of European and native, form majority of population.

The mural shows the treatment of the Mestizo.

Colonial Domination

Diego Rivera

Look for:Branding Iron

Gold

Plowing

Submission

Fat Mule

Spanish Treatment of Indians

New Spain – Catholic Church allowed justification of treatment of “heathens”.

Worked on Haciendas (large Spanish-owned farms)

Down from 25 mil to 1 mil by 1700.

In Mural – Indians branded, used to plow while the mules get fat. Indians forced to mine gold while Spanish carry bags. Natives submit before the power of the cross.

Hidalgo

Jose Orozco

Socioeconomic Structure based on heritage.

Led by Peninsulares (Spanish born in Spain), then Criollos (Spanish born in Mexico), with Mestizos just above Indians.

Father Hidalgo led an uprising in 1810 and was killed, but the movement continued.

Independence in 1821.

Road to Democracy

Once independent, Mexico struggled through many dictatorships.

In 1910, the oppressed Mexicans rebelled against dictators. New government by 1920.

Led by one party until 2000.

Democracy, led by Pres. And Congress

Social Change

Revolution took haciendas and redistributed many to the people for subsistence farming.

One-third of farms are latifundios (large commercial farms)

Cash Crops: Sugar cane, Fruit, Coffee, & corn

3 Questions3 Questions

1. How has the use of murals changed over the years?

2. Name 3 reasons Cortez was able to defeat the Aztecs.

3. Father Hidalgo started a landslide of change in Mexico. What were the next two major changes?