When was mexico formed

But the reality is the official name is used only by Mexican officials who deal with diplomatic protocol and official documents pertaining to international relations. For the rest of Mexicans -- and the world -- the country is simply known as Mexico. Mexicans feeling persecuted flee U. That's why outgoing Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday sent to the Mexican Congress a piece of legislation to change the country's name officially to simply Mexico.

Calderon, a conservative president better known for his war on drug cartels and organized crime , is literally in his last days in office. Meanwhile, Napoleon III and the conservatives had chosen as emperor of Mexico the archduke Maximilian of Austria, who arrived in with his wife, the empress Carlota, to assume the throne.

Maximilian was a well-meaning but weak ruler who tried to govern benevolently. His moderate policies and acceptance of the reforms that had deprived the church of much of its land cost him the support of the church hierarchy and conservative political leaders, however. When Napoleon III, under pressure from the United States, withdrew the support of French troops in , Maximilian was left isolated in the nation he supposedly ruled.

In he was captured by republican forces and executed. Most important, he introduced a program of free public education that reached out to the great mass of Indians and mestizos who could neither read nor write. When he died in office in , Mexico had become a nation. Known as Don Porfirio, he ruled Mexico with an iron hand for nearly 35 years. He brought stability to the country, built railroads, improved harbors, and increased agricultural output.

He established the country's oil industry, promoted good relations with other countries, and encouraged foreign investment in Mexico.

The Indians found themselves with less land than ever, city and rural workers were impoverished, and political opposition was suppressed. Pancho Villa, a former bandit and guerrilla fighter, led the uprising in the north. In the south, Emiliano Zapata, a tough peasant leader, took up the cause of the landless Indians. Madero, the liberal son of a wealthy landowner and a champion of political reform, was elected president in In the years that followed, Mexico was torn by almost continuous violence in the struggle among rival revolutionary leaders.

Victoriano Huerta, a general supported by the conservatives, had Madero assassinated in and seized power. Villa and Zapata rebelled against Huerta, as did Venustiano Carranza, the governor of Coahuila state. Huerta was deposed and Carranza became president in By , however, Carranza was at war with both Villa and Zapata, particularly over the slow pace of land reform.

In the victorious Carranza called for a convention to draft a new constitution. It regulated hours and wages for workers and upheld their right to unionize and strike. It also affirmed the government's right to reclaim ownership of all land, as well as the resources beneath the surface, in the name of the nation. Although socially progressive, many provisions of the new constitution were not carried out because of a lack of funds and political will.

He also enforced the constitutional provisions against the church, which led to the bloody but unsuccessful Cristero revolt by militant Catholics. Under Calles' successors, however, the pace of reform slowed down. The three held office between and The drink takes its name from Tequila, Jalisco, where it originated. Another alcoholic drink made from agave is mescal, which is produced primarily in Oaxaca. Though diverse in their styles and subject matter, each drew upon personal and social experiences to create their work, which informed the sensibilities of worldwide audiences and inspired generations of young artists.

Murals, an ancient art form, grace the walls of public and private buildings throughout Mexico. Generations of muralists—influenced by artistic legacies traceable to the Aztecs, Mayans and other pre-Hispanic civilizations—have added their stories to those of their ancestors, captivating passersby with evocative figures and landscapes captured in rich colors and bold strokes.

Music Music, like food, is a mainstay of Mexican social life. The styles are diverse and include both traditional and modern genres. Perhaps the best-known Mexican genre is the ranchero. Popularized after the revolution, the ranchera came to symbolize the new national consciousness and focuses largely on love, patriotism and nature. Because of its familiar themes and rhythms, this song style has become popular among mariachi musicians.

Highly recognizable in their customary silver—studded charro cowboy outfits and wide—brimmed hats, mariachi groups have enjoyed notable commercial success and are often featured at festivals, banquets and wedding. Becoming increasingly popular among Mexican youths are modern genres such as pop, hip—hop and rock—musical forms that gained popularity during the last century in the United States. Some regions feature plays that recount events from local history.

In other cases, plays drawn from universal themes or celebrate such common concerns of daily life as love, marriage, joy, betrayal and hope. During Semana Santa the holy week from Easter until Palm Sunday , many communities enact a full passion play that depicts the events surrounding the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Many of these performances are impressively staged and draw large crowds. Based on her theatrical portrayal of the internationally recognized Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Salma Hayek became the first Mexican actress to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Literature Mexican writers have gained reputations by dealing with questions of universal significance. One of the best known is Samuel Ramos, whose philosophical speculations on humanity and culture in Mexico influenced post— writers in several genres. Unlike other Mexican sports, soccer can emotionally divide the country, especially when Mexican rivals meet each other. People from all over the country attend matches, which are usually held on Sundays.

Winning the coveted Copa Libertadores, the Latin American equivalent of the European Cup, is an honor that motivates both players and fans alike. This event was one of the most memorable in sports history as Pele and his Brazilian team won for the third time, making them the first country ever to win the tournament more than twice.

Mexico hosted the event again in CharreadaA charreada is a Mexican—style rodeo. Unlike American rodeo in which participants are awarded prizes according to how quickly they perform, charreada focuses primarily on style and skill. In a circular arena approximately 40 meters 44 yards in diameter, Mexican cowboys and cowgirls wearing traditional charro cowboy clothing participate in a series of events involving bulls and horses.

Baseball Along the Gulf of Mexico and in the northern Mexican states, baseball is very popular. Bullfighting Also known as fiesta brava, bullfighting has been popular in Mexico for the last years. Like Spanish bullfighters, Mexican matadores perform specific moves, occasionally using a piece of red cloth to attract a bull in a graceful manner. Bullfights are often preceded by festivities such as rodeos, pig chases and dances. Lucha Libre Mexican style professional wrestling, called Lucha Libre free fight embraces all styles of wrestling: submission, high flying comedy and brawling.

The sport achieves an extraordinary level of artistic expression through costuming and bravado performance. El Santo, possibly the most famous Lucha Libre wrestler, often starred in films, wore his silver mask throughout his life and was eventually buried in it.

But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. From the stone cities of the Maya to the might of the Aztecs, from its conquest by Spain to its rise as a modern nation, Mexico boasts a rich history and cultural heritage spanning more than 10, years. The Aztec civilization is also highly developed socially, intellectually and artistically. Their language, Nahuatl, is the dominant language in central Mexico by mids, although numerous other languages are spoken.

Distinctive examples of the Aztec artistic style include exquisitely feathered tapestries, headdresses and other attire; finely worked ceramics; gold, silver and copperware; and precious stones, particularly jade and turquoise.

Members of the local native population clash with the Spanish explorers, killing some 50 of them and capturing several more. His victory marks the fall of the once-mighty Aztec empire. The ensuing Peninsular War between Spain backed by Britain and France will lead almost directly to the Mexican war for independence, as the colonial government in New Spain falls into disarray and its opponents begin to gain momentum. September 16, In the midst of factional struggles within the colonial government, Father Manuel Hidalgo , a priest in the small village of Dolores, issues his famous call for Mexican independence.

El grito de Dolores set off a flurry of revolutionary action by thousands of natives and mestizos, who banded together to capture Guanajuato and other major cities west of Mexico City. Despite its initial success, the Hidalgo rebellion loses steam and is defeated quickly, and the priest is captured and killed at Chihuahua in On their behalf, Iturbide meets with Guerrero and issues the Plan of Iguala, by which Mexico would become an independent country ruled as a limited monarchy, with the Roman Catholic Church as the official state church and equal rights and upper-class status for the Spanish and mestizo populations, as opposed to the majority of the population, which was of Native American or African descent, or mulato mixed.

His strong Centralist policies encourage the increasing ire of residents of Texas , then still part of Mexico, who declare their independence in Humbled, he is forced to resign power by May 12, As a result of the continuing dispute over Texas, frictions between the U. The U. Despite a series of U. Other reforms focus on curtailing the power and wealth of the Catholic Church.

Conservative groups bitterly oppose the new constitution, and in a three-year-long civil war begins that will devastate an already weakened Mexico. By , most of the largest businesses in Mexico are owned by foreign nationals, mostly American or British. Popular leaders like Emiliano Zapata in southern Mexico and Pancho Villa in the north emerge as the champions of the peasant and working class, refusing to submit to presidential authority.

Carranza takes power, and Zapata and Villa continue waging war against him.