Mexico, REPUBLIC
OF, when first discovered by the Spanish adventurers, was in
the possession of the Aztecs, a semi-civilized race of dark-hued people,
who called their country Mexitli. Older occupants were the Toltecs, who
came to the valley of Mexico, about the sixth century, and were the
first known tribe on this continent who left a written account of their
nationality and polity. Their empire ended in the twelfth century. The
Aztecs appeared at the close of the thirteenth century, coming from
Azatlan, an unknown region in the north. They seem to have first halted
in their migrations southward at the Great Salt Lake in Utah; the next
on the River Gila; and the last on the high plateau in the valley of
Mexico, where they led a nomadic life until early in the fourteenth
century, when they laid the foundation of a city upon an island in Lake
Tezcuco, and called it Tenochtitlan; afterwards Mexitli (Spanish,
Mexico), after their supreme god. od. It was a large and prosperous city
when CORTEZ (q. v.) entered it on Nov. 8, 1519. MONTEZUMA (q. v.) was
then emperor of the extended domain of the Aztecs. He lived in a fine
palace in the city. Another palace was assigned to the use of Cortez as
a guest, large enough to hold his whole army. By treachery and violence
that adventurer took possession of the city and empire, caused the death
of Montezuma and his successor, and annexed Mexico as a province to
Spain.
The Mexicans were then very much
en-lightened. They worked metals, practiced many of the useful arts, had
a system of astronomy, kept their records in hieroglyphics, and
practiced architecture and sculpture in a remarkable degree. They had a
temple, pyramidal in shape, constructed solidly of earth and pebbles,
and coated externally with hewn stones. The base was 300 feetsquare, and
its top was reached by 114 steps spirally constructed. The top was a
large area paved with great flat stones, and on it were two towers or
sanctuaries, and before each an altar on which fire was perpetually
burning. There they made human sacrifices. The conquest by
Cortez was
accomplished by the aid of native allies who had been subjected by the
Aztecs and hated them. He began to rebuild the city of Mexico on its
present plan while he was governor, and it remained in possession of the
Spanish government until 1821, or just 300 years.
After years of revolutionary movements
the Spanish province of Mexico was declared independent, Feb. 24, 1821,
with Don Augustin Iturbide, a native of Mexico, at the head of the
government as a republic. He afterwards became emperor. In 1836 it lost
the fine province of Texas by revolution, and ten years afterwards that
portion of ancient Mexico was annexed to the United States. This led to
the Mexican War. In 1864 Napoleon III. placed
MAXIMILIAN (q. v.), arch. duke of Austria, on a throne in Mexico, with
the title of emperor. Juarez, the deposed President of the republic,
struggled for power with the troops of the usurper, and succeeded. The
Emperor of the French withdrew his troops andabandoned Maximilian, who
was captured early in 1867, and was shot on June 19. The republic was
re-established. |