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In 1540, Mexico was declared to be New Spain. With a
diverse culture and great natural resources, it should have
prospered like its northern neighbor. But Mexico's history includes
political corruption, war, revolution and grinding poverty.
Why has the fate of Mexico been so different than that of The
United States?
- 1492-Columbus
discovers the Americas.
1519--Hernan Cortes arrives in Central
America with 500 men. Montezuma arrested;
battle ("The Sad Night") kills Montezuma, many Aztecs
and Spaniards.
- Late
16th Cent.-- Mexico is hub of "New Spain'; capital at
Mexico City. Catholic
friars try to exterminate paganism; Office of the Inquisition
arrives (1569).
- 1789--Spain
proclaims free trade in New Spain.
- 1808--Napoleon
deposes Ferdinand VII, King of Spain; civil war erupts
in Spain.
- 1810--Spanish
Cortes (Parliament) established; colonies declared to be integral
part of Spanish nation. Mexican Indians rebel, defeated in
1811. Further rebellion in 1812-1813 also fails.
- 1821--Treaty
of Cordoba provides for independent Mexican Empire; rejected
by the Cortes. Mexico revolts under Agustin de Iturbide.
- 1829--Santa
Anna defeats Spanish expedition against Mexican independence;
becomes president, 1833.
- 1836--Texas
declares independence; admitted to the United States, 1845.
- 1838
--French troops invade Mexico over dept dispute ("The Pastry
War").
- 1846-1847--Mexican-American
War: Mexico cedes 1 million square miles to
victorious U.S.
- 1847
--Mayans revolt against creole masters; after the war, Mexican
soldiers slaughter half of Mayan population.
- 1855
--Fueros (unique rights of Roman Catholic Church) abolished.
- 1857--
Liberals proclaim new Constitution; civil war lasts until
1861. Liberal victors suspend foreign payments; France (with
Spain and Britain) invades Mexico (withdraws 1867).
- 1883-1889--
Indian lands seized and redistributed under President Diaz.
- 1910-1917--
Mexican Revolution. New constitution adopted (1917).
- 1927--
Mexico nationalizes all property of Roman Catholic
Church.
- 1934-1940--
Agrarian policies redistribute almost 50 million acres
to peasants.
- 1936
-- Expropriation law permits seizure of any property that
has "public utility" Mexico gradually becomes a corporatist
state.
- Late
1970s-- Banks are nationalized by President
Jose Lopez de Portillo.
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