A Brief History Of Mexico
This is the
image: www.pegaso-express.com.mx/ yucatan.jpg
“The history of Mexico begins perhaps as much as 30,000 years
ago. Sometime during the last ice age nomadic tribes of hunter-gatherers from
Asia first crossed the Bering Strait and entered the Western Hemisphere. (There
is is now an alternative theory that peoples also landed in the South Americas
from both Africa and the Pacific Islands and gradually moved north into the
North American continent). Following the seasonal supply of wild grains and
game, they eventually migrated into the region separating North and South
America dubbed by archaeologists as Mesoamerica. With its diverse geography and
extraordinary natural abundance, this land gave rise to the development of
early civilizations unique in the world.
Pre-Hispanic Mexico
The earliest phase of Mexico's colorful history is generally broken
down into four
periods:
www.umich.edu/~proflame/images/
mirror/yucatan.gif
ARCHAIC,
up to 1500 BC
PRE-CLASSIC
or FORMATIVE, 1500 BC-300 AD
CLASSIC,
300-900 AD
POST-CLASSIC,
900-1521 AD
The
first traces of human life found in Mexico date back to about 20,000 BC. Social
organization and rudimentary agriculture developed gradually, with the
cultivation of squashes, chili peppers, beans and maize beginning perhaps as
early as 6500 BC. As the food supply stabilized, the early hunter-gatherers grew
more sedentary. Permanent settlements seem to have first appeared in coastal
areas around 1500 BC, marking the beginning of a succession of highly developed
and eventually interdependent cultures that would continue to 1500 AD.
The
various civilizations of Mesoamerica are distinguished from others elsewhere in
the New World by a variety of common cultural developments including
hieroglyphic writing, commerce and trade, an extensive knowledge of astronomy,
a highly accurate calendar system, and fascinating religious beliefs featuring
a complex pantheon, a ritualistic ball game, and human and animal
sacrifices.” (ref.4*)
Back to Timeline
To learn more about the History of Mexico (timeline overview) click here. http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/history.html (*4)
www.partirpascher.com/.../im_mexique/
pays10/yucatan.jpg