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History of Mexico

Maya kings to a modern republic. 7 eras, 250 CE to today.

Classic Maya, 250 CE–900 CE

In the rainforests of the south, Maya city-states built stone pyramids, kept precise calendars and wrote in the only fully developed script of the ancient Americas.

Seat of power: Palenque

Rulers

Aztec Empire, 1428–1521

The Mexica built their capital, Tenochtitlan, on an island in Lake Texcoco. Through the Triple Alliance they collected tribute from much of central Mexico.

Seat of power: Tenochtitlan

Rulers

New Spain, 1521–1821

After the conquest, Mexico became the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Its silver mines enriched Spain, and a new society of Indigenous, Spanish and African origins took shape.

Seat of power: Mexico City

Rulers

Independent Mexico, 1821–1876

Independence from Spain in 1821 opened decades of conflict between liberals and conservatives. Mexico lost half its territory to the United States and fought off a French-backed empire.

Seat of power: Mexico City

Rulers

Porfiriato, 1876–1911

General Porfirio Díaz ruled for over three decades. Railways and foreign investment modernised the economy, but land and wealth were held by very few.

Seat of power: Mexico City

Rulers

Revolution, 1911–1940

A decade of revolution destroyed the old regime. The 1917 constitution promised land reform and workers' rights, and the governments that followed rebuilt the state.

Seat of power: Mexico City

Rulers

Modern Mexico, 1940 to today

Decades of growth under one dominant party, the PRI, ended with the first opposition victory in 2000. Mexico is today a multiparty democracy and a major industrial power.

Seat of power: Mexico City

Rulers