Matlatzinca
65-588: The Purépecha Empire , also known by the term Iréchikwa , was a polity in pre-Columbian Mexico . Its territory roughly covered the geographic area of the present-day Mexican state of Michoacán , as well as parts of Guanajuato , Guerrero , and Jalisco . At the time of the Spanish conquest , it was the second-largest state in Mesoamerica . The state is also known as the Tarascan Empire . The empire
130-466: A Purepecha noble Don Pedro Panza Cuinierángari , and the cazonci was executed on February 14, 1530. A period of violence and turbulence began. During the next decades Purepecha puppet rulers were installed by the Spanish government, but when Nuño de Guzman had been disgraced and recalled to Spain, Bishop Vasco de Quiroga was sent to the area to clean up. He rapidly gained the respect and friendship of
195-486: A complex theology using astronomical metaphors would organize the daily lives of millions of people. At some different points in time, three Mexican cities ( Teotihuacan , Tenochtitlan , and Cholula ) were among the largest cities in the world. These cities and several others blossomed as centers of commerce, ideas, ceremonies, and theology. In turn, they radiated influence outward into neighboring cultures in central Mexico. At its height, Aridoamerica covered part of
260-555: A devastating military defeat at the hands of the Purépecha (who possessed state-of-the-art copper-metal weapons). The empire relied upon a system of taxation (of goods and services) which were collected through an elaborate bureaucracy of tax collectors, courts, civil servants, and local officials who were installed as loyalists to the Triple Alliance (led by Tenochtitlan). The empire was primarily economic in nature, and
325-628: A large core of Aztec warriors and officers. In May 2020, discovery of remains of at least sixty mammoths (included male, female, young mammoths) and 15 people were uncovered by the National Institute of Anthropology and History headed by archaeologist Sánchez Nava under the Mexico City Santa-Lucia airport site named Zumpango, in the former Lake Xaltocan. According to the INAH, mammoth skeletons revealed in what used to be
390-412: A marked increase in pottery working by 2300 BC and the beginning of intensive corn farming between 1800 and 1500 BC. Between 1800 and 300 BC, complex cultures began to form. Many matured into advanced Mesoamerican civilizations such as the: Olmec , Izapa , Teotihuacan , Maya , Zapotec , Mixtec , Huastec , Purépecha , Totonac , Toltec , and Aztec , which flourished for nearly 4,000 years before
455-711: A number of small pictorial manuscripts, the best known being the Lienzo de Jucutacuto . In the late classic, at least two non-Purépecha ethnic groups lived around Lake Pátzcuaro: Nahuatl speakers in Jarácuaro, and some Chichimecan cultures on the northern banks, with the Nahua population being the second largest. According to the Relación de Michoacán a visionary leader of the Purépecha named Tariácuri decided to gather
520-608: A prosperous turquoise trade route with the northern civilization of Pueblo Bonito , in modern-day New Mexico . The Mayan city of Chichen Itza was also in contact with the Toltec civilization were powerfully influenced by central Mexicans as noted by the use of the Chac Mool , Atlantean figures , feathered serpents , and skull platforms. The Toltecs were about to melt and work precious metals such as gold and silver, they cultivated maguey and produced both pulque and clothes from
585-581: A series of frontier towns and closed in on the Purepecha heartland, but were eventually defeated. This experience prompted the Purepecha ruler to further fortify the Aztec frontier with military centers along the border, such as at Cutzamala . He also allowed Otomies and Matlatzincas who had been driven out of their homelands by the Aztecs to settle in the border area under the condition that they took part in
650-636: A site connected to the Mogollon culture, there have been found ceremonial structures related to Mesoamerican religion, similar to the juego de pelota . While many city-states, kingdoms, and empires competed with one another for power and prestige, Mexico can be said to have had seven major civilizations: The Olmec , Teotihuacan , the Toltec , the Aztec , Zapotec , Mixtec , and the Maya . These civilizations (with
715-430: A strange arrangement where both Cortés and Tangáxuan considered themselves rulers of Michoacán for the following years: the population of the area paid tribute to them both. When the Spanish found out that Tangáxuan was still de facto ruler of his empire but only supplied the Spanish with a small part of the resources extracted from the population they sent the ruthless conquistador Nuño de Guzmán , who allied himself with
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#1732766260672780-469: A true "rags-to-riches" story: they became the rulers of central Mexico as the leaders of the Triple Alliance . This Alliance was composed of the city-states of Tenochtitlan , Texcoco , and Tlacopan . At their peak, 300,000 Aztecs presided over a wealthy tribute-empire comprising 4 to 7 million people and extended into Central America . The westward expansion of the empire was stopped cold by
845-728: Is mainly pine, pine-oak and fir. Human occupation has focused on the lake basins, which are abundant in resources. In the north, near the Lerma river, there are obsidian resources and thermal springs . The Iréchikwa was centered around the Lake Pátzcuaro basin. The Purepecha area has been inhabited at least since the early Pre-classic period . Early lithic evidence from before 2500 BC, like fluted points and stone utensils are found at some megafauna kill sites. The earliest radio-carbon dates of archeological sites fall around 1200 BC. The best known early Pre-classic culture of Michoacán
910-504: The Franciscan priest Fray Jeronimo de Acalá, containing translated and transcribed narratives from Purepecha noblemen. This Relación contains parts of the "official Tarascan history" as carried down through oral tradition: one part focuses on Purepecha state religion, the second on Purepecha society, and the last on Purepecha history and the Spanish conquest. Unfortunately the first part is only partly preserved. Other sources include
975-594: The La Huacana area provided copper. Copper-silver alloy artefacts found in the palaces and graves of Tzintzuntzan include rodelas , armlets, bracelets and cups. Copper bells made from lost-wax casting were used in religious ceremonies from 650 AD to at least 1200. This was followed by copper-gold and copper-silver items such as discs, bracelets, diadems and masks . Other items were made from bronze , including needles, fishhooks, tweezers, axeheads, and awls . The religious national treasures were looted by
1040-1394: The USDA soil taxonomy , Acrisols correspond to the Humult, Udult and Ustult suborders of the Ultisols and also to Oxisols with a kandic horizon and to some Alfisols . The Acrisols low fertility and toxic amounts of aluminium pose limitations to its agricultural use, favouring in many places its use for silviculture , low intensity pasture and protected areas. Crops that can be successfully cultivated, if climate allows, include tea , rubber tree , oil palm , coffee and sugar cane . See also [ edit ] Soil horizon Soil type References [ edit ] ^ IUSS Working Group WRB (2022). "World Reference Base for Soil Resources, fourth edition" (PDF) . International Union of Soil Sciences, Vienna. ^ T. R. Yu (1997). Chemistry of Variable Charge Soils . Oxford University Press. p. 36. ISBN 0-19-509745-9 . ^ Soil Survey Staff (2014). "Keys to Soil Taxonomy, twelfth edition" . United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. ^ CHESWORTH, WARD. Encyclopedia of Soil Science. 2001. pp. 22-24 Further reading [ edit ] W. Zech, P. Schad, G. Hintermaier-Erhard: Soils of
1105-576: The Valley of Mexico , and into this new game of political contenders for the Toltec throne stepped outsiders: the Aztec . Newcomers to the Valley of Mexico, they were seen as crude and unrefined in the eyes of the existing Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the fallen Toltec empire. Latecomers to Mexico's central plateau, the Aztecs thought of themselves as heirs to the prestigious civilizations that had preceded them, much as Charlemagne did with respect to
1170-417: The Aztecs established several ally states. Among them were Cholula , Texcoco , Tlacopan , and Matatlan . Also, many of the kingdoms conquered by the Aztecs provided soldiers for further imperial campaigns such as: Culhuacan , Xochimilco , Tepeacac , Amecameca , Coaixtlahuacan , Cuetlachtlan , Ahuilizipan . The Aztec war machine would become multi-ethnic, comprising soldiers from conquered areas, led by
1235-482: The Iréchikwa was awakened. In 1522 a Spanish force under the leadership of Cristóbal de Olid was sent into Purepecha territory and arrived at Tzintzuntzan within days. The Purepecha army numbered many thousands, perhaps as many as 100,000, but at the crucial moment they chose not to fight. Tangáxuan submitted to the Spanish administration, but for his cooperation was allowed a large degree of autonomy. This resulted in
1300-501: The Maya civilization cannot be overstated; it transformed political power, artistic depictions, and the nature of economics. Within the city of Teotihuacan was a diverse and cosmopolitan population. Most of the regional ethnicities of Mexico were represented in the city. They lived in rural apartment communities where they worked their trades and contributed to the city's economic and cultural prowess. By AD 500, Teotihuacan had become one of
1365-544: The Mesoamerican cultural group. It is particularly noteworthy for being among the few Mesoamerican civilizations to use metal for tools, and even weapons. The word "Purépecha" in modern usage is the Hispanicized form of the then and still used term " P'orhépicha ", meaning "commoner/s" in the Purépecha language . The term is derived from the root " P'orhe -", meaning "to visit" or "to go", alluding to strolling of
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#17327662606721430-579: The Mexican Mesa Central , in between two large rivers: the Lerma and Balsas Rivers . Including temperate, subtropical and tropical climate zones, it is dominated by Cenozoic volcanic mountains and lake basins above 2000 meters (6500 feet) altitude, but also includes lower land in the southwestern coastal regions. Most common soil types in the central plateau are young volcanic andosols , luvisols and less fertile acrisols . The vegetation
1495-600: The Mexican region was once thought to date back 40,000 years based upon what were believed to be ancient human footprints discovered in the Valley of Mexico, but after further investigation using radioactive dating , it appears this is untrue. It is currently unclear whether 21,000-year-old campfire remains found in the Valley of Mexico are the earliest human remains in Mexico. Indigenous peoples of Mexico began to selectively breed maize plants around 8000 BC. Evidence shows
1560-591: The Nahuatl language have been borrowed both by standard Spanish and Mexican Spanish. Today, approximately 1.5 million indigenous Nahua people continue to speak the Nahuatl language. Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in learning Nahuatl by Spanish-speaking and English-speaking Mexicans at-large. English and other languages have borrowed a number of words indirectly from Nahuatl through Spanish such as "avocado", "chili", "tomato", "chocolate", and "coyote". While different standards and flags were used during
1625-535: The Olmec resulted in a power vacuum in Mexico. Emerging from that vacuum was Teotihuacan , first settled in 300 BC. By AD 150, it had grown to become the first true metropolis of what is now called North America . Teotihuacan established a new economic and political order never before seen in Mexico. Its influence stretched across Mexico into Central America , such as Monte Albán , Cerro de las Mesas , Matacapan , Tikal , and Kaminaljuyú . Teotihuacan's influence over
1690-535: The Spaniards two years into the rule of the last cazonci of an independent Iréchikwa, Tangáxuan II . Between 1480 and 1510, the Iréchikwa occupied parts of present day Colima and Jalisco in order to secure Nitratine (Chile saltpeter) mines in the region. Throughout the occupation, the people's of Colima , Sayula , Zapotlán , Tapalpa , and Autlán resisted Purepecha rule in the Saltpeter War . By
1755-589: The Spanish during the Conquest from Lake Patzcuaro graves and storerooms. It has been speculated that Purepecha metallurgy was developed due to contact with South American cultures. After hearing about the fall of the Aztec Empire, cazonci Tangáxuan II sent emissaries to the Spanish victors. A few Spaniards went with them to Tzintzuntzan where they were presented to the ruler and gifts were exchanged. They returned with samples of gold and Cortés' interest in
1820-407: The Spanish in the conquest of much of what would become New Spain. As a result, Nahuatl names were used as geographic identifiers as far away as Guatemala and Sonora (e.g. "Utatlán" was Q’umarka’aj, becoming modern Santa Cruz de Quiché; "Guatemala" comes from Iximché, the capital of the kaqchiles ) and Suchitlán in the northern state of Coahuila on the southern Texas border. Numerous words from
1885-598: The Triple Alliance grew very rich: libraries were built, monumental architecture was constructed, and a highly prestigious artistic and priestly class was cultivated. All of this created a "First World" aura of invincibility around the island-city of Tenochtitlan. Unlike the later Spanish, the Aztecs did not seek to "convert" or destroy the cultures they conquered. Quite the opposite: the engines of warfare and empire in Central Mexico required that all participants understand and accept common cultural "rules" in order to make
1950-478: The area surrounding Lake Cuitzeo . Hiripan and later his brother Tangáxuan I began to institutionalize the tributary system and consolidate the political unity of the empire. They created an administrative bureaucracy and divided responsibilities of and tributes from the conquered territories between lords and nobles. In the following years, first the sierra and then the Balsas River was incorporated into
2015-470: The blood of the fighters). There is a coat of arms in the center. The coat of arms represents the legendary founding of the city of Tenochtitlan . According to legend, the gods had advised the Aztecs that they should establish their city when they saw an eagle, perched on a prickly pear tree, devouring a serpent; after years of wandering, they found such an eagle on an island in Lake Texcoco , in what
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2080-562: The capital of the modern nation of Mexico. Mexico City is the largest metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere (and fifth-largest in the world with 21.2 million inhabitants). The Spanish retained the original layout of the city of Tenochtitlan, reflected today in the various city districts ( barrios ) and in the central precinct of the Zócalo (formerly the ceremonial center of Tenochtitlan). Many streets and boulevards lay along
2145-477: The carvings described a figure with horns and claws wearing a loincloth. The Aztecs left a durable stamp upon modern Mexican culture . Much of what is considered modern Mexican culture derives from the Aztec civilization: place-names, words, food, art, dress, symbols, and even the name "Mexican". ( See also Origin and history of the name "Mexico-Tenochtitlan" ). Today, the Aztec's capital city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan survives in modern times as Mexico City ,
2210-638: The celebrated flower district of Xochimilco . Today, Mexico City incorporates almost 9 million people, whereas, in 1519, that number was 300,000. Mexico is a Megadiverse country . As such, many ingredients commonly consumed by today's people worldwide originate from Mexico. The names of the various foods are originally from Nahuatl . Examples of such ingredients are: Chocolate , Tomato , Maize , Vanilla , Avocado , Guava , Chayote , Epazote , Camote , Jícama , Tejocote , Nopal , Sapote , Chipotle , many varieties of modern Beans . The majority of Mexico's cuisine are of indigenous origins and are based on
2275-403: The communities around Lake Pátzcuaro into one strong state. Around 1300 he undertook the first conquests and installed his sons Hiripan and Tangáxuan as lords of Ihuatzio and Tzintzuntzan respectively, himself ruling from Pátzcuari city. By the death of Taríacuri (around 1350), his lineage was in control of all the major centers around Lake Pátzcuaro. His son Hiripan continued the expansion into
2340-567: The control of the ruler of the empire called the Irecha or Cazonci . The Purépecha capital was located at Tzintzuntzan on the banks of Lake Pátzcuaro and, according to Purépecha oral tradition, was founded by the first Cazonci Tariácuri and dominated by his lineage, the " Uakúsïcha " ("Eagles" in the Purépecha language ). The largest city before the inception of the empire may have been Angamuco , extensive ruins of which were discovered in 2012 using LiDAR technology. The Purépecha Empire
2405-402: The defense of the Purepecha lands. From 1480 the Aztec ruler Ahuitzotl intensified the conflict with the Iréchikwa. He supported attacks on Purepecha lands by other ethnic groups allied with or subjugated to the Aztecs such as Matlatzincas, Chontales, and Cuitlatecs . The Purepecha, led by the cazonci Zuangua, repelled the attacks but further Purepecha expansion was halted until the arrival of
2470-578: The east, Chichimecs such as Otomíes and Tecuexes in the Bajio , Cocas around Lake Chapala , Chontales de Guerrero/Tuxtecos around the Balsas River valley, Chumbios around Zacatula , and Nahuas both on the Pacific coast and in the heartland. The territory that would eventually form the setting of the Purepecha Empire is the high volcanic region constituting the western extension of
2535-531: The end of the 30 year long occupation, the Iréchikwa was forced out of the area permanently. Like most Mesoamerican cultures, the Purépecha were polytheists who worshipped a large array of deities. Chiefly was Curicaveri/Kurikaweri, the god of the sun. Historian Robert West states, "The Tarascans and their neighbors near the Pacific coast were the foremost metallurgists of pre-Conquest Mexico." This included copper , silver and gold , where Michoacán and Colima provided placer gold , Tamazula provided silver, and
2600-511: The exception of the politically fragmented Maya) extended their reach across Mexico, and beyond, like no others. They consolidated power and distributed influence in matters of trade, art, politics, technology, and theology. Other regional power players made economic and political alliances with these seven civilizations over the span of 3,000 years. Many made war with them. But almost all found themselves within these seven spheres of influence. The Olmec were an ancient Pre-Columbian people living in
2665-413: The fallen Roman Empire . What the Aztecs lacked in political power, they made up for with ambition and military skill. In 1428, the Aztecs led a war of liberation against their rulers from the city of Azcapotzalco , which had subjugated most of the Valley of Mexico's peoples. The revolt was successful, and the Aztecs, through cunning political maneuvers and ferocious fighting skills, managed to pull off
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2730-454: The first contact with Europeans. These civilizations are credited with many inventions and advancements including pyramid-temples, mathematics (such as the development of the concept of zero as early as 36 BC and working with sums of hundreds of millions), astronomy (measuring the length of the solar year to a high degree of accuracy), medicine, and theology. Archaic inscriptions on rocks and rock walls all over northern Mexico (especially in
2795-417: The flow of imperial wealth as smooth as possible. The rules of empire in Mexico were old rules, understood by all the power players and "contenders to the throne," as had been shown many times before (the kingdom of Tlaxcala would attempt its own power grab in 1519 by using the Spanish as mercenary-allies). Founded around 1325, the Aztec capital, Mexico-Tenochtitlan , was by 1519 among the largest cities in
2860-681: The 💕 Acrisol [REDACTED] A Stagnic Acrisol profile from Malaysia Used in WRB WRB code AC Profile AEBtC Parent material various Climate tropical , humid subtropical An Acrisol is a Reference Soil Group of the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB). It has a clay-rich subsoil and is associated with humid, tropical climates, such as those found in Brazil , and often supports forested areas. In
2925-505: The increasingly centralized state. Under the rule of cazonci Tzitzipandáquare a number of regions were conquered, only to be lost again by rebellions or strategic retreats when confronted with Aztec expansion. In 1460 the Iréchikwa reached the Pacific coast at Zacatula, advanced into the Toluca Valley , and also, on the northern rim, reached into the present day state of Guanajuato . In the 1470s, Aztecs under Axayacatl captured
2990-452: The ingredients listed above: These foods continue to make up the core of Mexican cuisine today. Because the Mexica spoke Nahuatl (the most common language at the time of Spanish arrival) their terms and names were widespread as descriptors of cities, regions, valleys, rivers, mountains, and many cultural objects. The Tlaxcala allies of the Spanish also spoke Nahuatl and they accompanied
3055-404: The largest cities in the world with a population of 100,000 people. Teotihuacan's economic pull impacted areas in northern Mexico as well. It was a city whose monumental architecture reflected a new era in Mexican civilization, declining in political power about AD 650, but lasting in cultural influence for the better part of a millennium, to around AD 950. Contemporary with Teotihuacan's greatness
3120-437: The natives who ceased hostilities towards the Spanish hegemony. Pre-Columbian Mexico The pre-Columbian (or prehispanic) history of the territory now making up the country of Mexico is known through the work of archaeologists and epigraphers , and through the accounts of Spanish conquistadores , settlers and clergymen as well as the indigenous chroniclers of the immediate post-conquest period. Human presence in
3185-522: The notion of human observation of celestial events would become central factors in the development of religious systems, writing systems, fine arts, and architecture. Prehistoric Mexican astronomers began a tradition of precise observing, recording, and commemorating astronomical events that later become a hallmark of Mexican civilized achievements. Cities would be founded and built on astronomical principles, leaders would be appointed on celestial events, wars would be fought according to solar-calendars, and
3250-434: The people to and from their daily duties. Another word by which the Purépecha people have been called is " Tarascan ", from Spanish " Tarasco " derived from the Purépecha word " Tarhaskwa ", meaning "parent-in-law/child-in-law". This term is pejorative to the Purépecha when not used in its correct definition. The empire included different groups, primarily Purépecha people and additionally Matlazincas and Mazahuas in
3315-536: The pinnacle of Mexico's scientific achievements. Just as Teotihuacan had emerged from a power vacuum, so too did the Toltec civilization, which took the reins of cultural and political power in Mexico from about 700. The Toltec empire established contact as far south as Central America , and as far north as the Anasazi corn culture in the Southwestern United States . The Toltec established
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#17327662606723380-449: The plant, and they were the employed cocoa beans in trade. The Toltec political system was so influential, that many future Mesoamerican dynasties would later claim to be of Toltec descent. Désiré Charnay theorized Toltec migrations originated from Asia due to similarities to Japanese architecture, Chinese decoration, Malaysian language, and Cambodian dress. With the decline of the Toltec civilization came political fragmentation in
3445-711: The pre-Hispanic period, the viceroyalty, and the Mexican War of Independence , the modern flag has its origins in the flag of the Army of the Three Guarantees in 1821. Today it consists of a rectangle with a green stripe on the left (signifying the Independence Movement), a white stripe in the middle (originally signifying the purity of the Catholic faith), and a red stripe on the right (signifying
3510-846: The present-day Mexican states of Chihuahua, Sonora, and Baja California, while Oasisamerica as the U.S. states of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, and parts of California. Cultural groups that flourished in Aridoamerica, mostly within the borders of modern-day Mexico include the Mogollon , Patayan , and Hohokam . These two cultural regions maintained long-distance trade networks with Mesoamerica, evidenced by cacao, macaws, and other Mesoamerican goods found in Ancestral Pueblo sites, and turquoise from Oasisamerica found in precontact Mesoamerican artwork. For example, in Paquimé ,
3575-406: The same paths as the previous water canals of Tenochtitlan. Several pyramids and ruins have even remain unearthed within the urban sprawl of the city. Following independence and after a number of floods, the lakes of the valley were drained, drastically changing the landscape. The former island city now was able to spread over a dry plain. Only small remnants of the old canal city remain, such as in
3640-640: The shallow part of the lake were better anatomically preserved than those found in the deeper parts of the former lake. Mammoths probably got stuck in the lake and died. In July 2020, archaeologists unearthed two pre-Hispanic stone monuments believed to have been built by the Zapotecs 1500 years ago on top of the Cerro de Peña mountain in Puebla state. National Institute of Anthropology and History also revealed two stelae, small carved animals and figures. One of
3705-466: The state of Nuevo León ) demonstrate an early propensity for counting in Mexico. These very early and ancient count-markings were associated with astronomical events and underscore the influence that astronomical activities had upon Mexican natives, even before they possessed urbanization . In fact, many of the later Mexican-based civilizations would carefully build their cities and ceremonial centers according to specific astronomical events. Astronomy and
3770-587: The theological notion of The Four Directions (found among indigenous cultures across the Western Hemisphere). In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the ceremonies and art of the Day of the Dead . The art, architecture, and symbols of the Mexica civilization exert such a unique identity that they are commonly used in advertisements for tourism to Mexico . Acrisol From Misplaced Pages,
3835-554: The tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, roughly in what are the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec . Their immediate cultural influence, however, extends far beyond this region. The Olmec flourished during the Formative (or Preclassic) period, dating from 1400 BC to about 400 BC, and are believed to have been the progenitor civilization of later Mesoamerican civilizations. The decline of
3900-460: The world with a population of around 300,000 (although some estimates range as high as 500,000). Beijing at the same time had a population variously estimated to be 670,000 up to one million people. By comparison, the population of Venice, the largest city in Europe in 1519, was 100,000 people. Tenochtitlan is the site of modern-day Mexico City . In the formation of the Triple Alliance empire,
3965-605: Was contemporary with and an enemy of the Aztec Empire , against which it fought many wars. The Purépecha Empire blocked Aztec expansion to the northwest, fortifying and patrolling their frontiers with the Aztecs, possibly developing the first truly territorial state of Mesoamerica. Due to its relative isolation within Mesoamerica, the Purépecha Empire had many cultural traits completely distinct from those of
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#17327662606724030-497: Was founded in the early 14th century and lost its independence to the Spanish in 1530. In 1543 it officially became the governorship of Michoacán, from the Nahuatl exonym for the Purépecha Empire, Michhuahcān from michin ("fish"), - huah ("possessor of"), and - cān ("place of") and means "place of fishers." The Purépecha Empire was constituted of a network of tributary systems and gradually became increasingly centralized, under
4095-522: Was the Chupícuaro culture . Most Chupícuaro sites are found on lake islands which can be seen as a sign of it having traits relating it to the later Purepecha cultural patterns. In the early Classic period, ballcourts and other artifacts demonstrate a Teotihuacan influence in the Michoacán region. The most useful ethnohistorical source has been the Relación de Michoacán , written around 1540 by
4160-513: Was the greatness of the Mayan civilization . The period between AD 250 and AD 650 saw an intense flourishing of Maya civilized accomplishments. While the many Maya city-states never achieved political unity on the order of the central Mexican civilizations, they exerted a tremendous intellectual influence upon Mexico. The Maya built some of the most elaborate cities on the continent, and made innovations in mathematics, astronomy , and writing that became
4225-427: Was to become the main plaza of Mexico City. The flag has undergone several changes since 1821; the last was in 1968 . Mexican art has inspired generations of Mexican-descent artists, both inside and outside of Mexico's modern borders. Images of pyramids, the " Aztec calendar ", and armed indigenous warriors have been popular themes. Also popular have been zigzag motifs (found on indigenous buildings and pottery) and
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