The document discusses the historical and cultural development of Mexico, highlighting its indigenous roots, the impact of the Spanish conquest, and the Mexican Revolution. It details the diverse makeup of Mexico's population, including the significance of indigenous languages and the origins of its peoples. Additionally, it explores traditional narratives such as the Popol Vuh and the migration of early Mexicans, culminating in the founding of Tenochtitlan and the evolution of Mexican society.

1. Primary Source 9:15 - 10:45 am, March 15, 2013
Guest Speaker, Chris Rodriguez
How has Mexico’s history and diversity shaped its
traditions?
1. Mexico’s Geography and Indigenous Roots - Many Mexicos
Mayan Popul Vuh
2. Spanish Conquest and Cultural mestizaje - Many Mexicos
Dias de los muertos
Indigenous, European, and African mestizaje
Virgin Mary of Guadalupe
3. Mexican Revolution and “Racial Homage”
Celebrating Many Mexicos

2. Many Mexicos

3. Mexico: 3 times the size of Texas

4. Mexico City population, 20 million

5. Working class neighborhood, Mexico City

6. Mexico City high rises

7. Mexico City middle class family

8. Market in southern Mexico

9. 1. Mexico’s Population, including Indigenous speakers
Mexico’s population density, 2010

10. 2. Indigenous
Peoples, 2000
speak at least 1
indigenous language
7.7 million
speak no Spanish
1.3 million
Spanish and 1
indigenous language
5 million
Indigenous languages:
88

11. Ethnolinguistic Map of Mexico

12. Where do Mexicans come from?

13. Scientific Story: first American migrants
10,000-40,000 years ago

14. By 1492
approximately
25 million
First Mexicans X
Earth: 500 Million
Americas: 60 Million

15. Maya Pyramid, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, 600 AD

16. 3. Creation Story from Popul Vuh of Quiché Maya
“Book of the Community”
“Discovered” 1702
Middle Americans (Maya, Aztec, etc.) had 10,000s books

17. Why did
Christian
Priests burn
most books
in early 1500s?
“Burning the books
of the gods.”
Codex Tlaxcala.

18. Tepeu, the Maker
Gucumatz, Feathered Spirit
Perfect Beings must
Worship properly,
Keep days/calendar,
Give gods offerings,
Walk upright,
Reproduce,
Care for each other,
Work, Speak properly
Devine-Social Contract
1. Mud/clay
2. animals
3. wood
4…

19. 4th try, creatures
helped, used white and
yellow corn
Kept calendar,
Gave gods offerings,
Walked upright,
Reproduced,
Cared for each other,
Worked,
Spoke properly,
Worshiped properly
leader sacrificed own blood
Too perfect:
“Breadth on a mirror”

20. When Popol Vuh performed - mirror wiped clean
Maya priests performing
Popul Vuh,
2001 and 1930s

21. Section of oldest Maya mural yet found, 100 BC.
What
strikes
you
about
the
Popul
Vuh
story?

22. 1490s
Christian Europeans
Arrive to
Colonize and Convert
Native Americans

23. Maya Sacred World Tree connected
Spirit and Human worlds
Christian Europeans
told story of the sacrifice
of their God’s son on cross
Maya and others,
“we can relate.”

24. Origin Story
of the Aztecs
(people from Aztlan)
Emerged from
Chicomoztoc
“Place of Seven caves”

25. Chichimecs
Groups of
northern
Mexican peoples
begin migrating
south in
1000s.
Deer skin drawing, ca 1530s

26. Historical Migration to Valley of Mexico: 1000-1300
Aztlan
Tenochtitlan

27. 1324 founded
Tenochtitlan
“place of the
cactus”
Image: The Founding
of Tenochtitlan,
Codex Mendoza,
1530s.

28. Mexican Flag

30. 1491: Aztec capital of empire, Tenochichtlan
250,000 in Tenochichtlan
1 Million in surrounding basin

31. Extreme makeover: nomads to city dwellers

32. 100 miles of artificial lakes Miles of aqueducts

33. Aztec Market: jade, Queztal feathers
Section of
Diego
Rivera
mural, Palac
io
Nacional, M
exico
City, 1930s