The History of Mexico Through Murals

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The History of Mexico Through Murals
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Murals

• Murals are an important part of Mexico, dating
  back to 1000 B.C.
• Mayan, Aztec, and Toltec told stories of creation
  and the gods.
• When the Spanish invaded, murals took on a
  European and Christian aspect.
• Mexican Revolution saw a rebirth of murals in the
  political works of Diego and Orozco.

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Tenochtitlan Marketplace

• By Diego Rivera

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Tenochtitlan Marketplace

• 1345 The Aztecs (Mexica) founded the city.
• Built on Lake Texcoco. Surrounded by the lake.
  Bridges and canals.
• Sat in the Mexico Valley, Between Sierra Madre
  Oriental and Occidental. Now is Mexico City.

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Conquest

• Jose Orozco

• Symbols
• Fire
• Angel
• Heads
• Machinery
• Heart?

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Conquest

• Hernan Cortez arrived in 1519 with 60o soldiers.
  Conquered the Aztec Empire in 2 years with the
  help of enemy nations.
• Cortez resembled the Aztec god and Montezuma was
  less wary.
• Spanish weapons, horses, armor, and disease
  caused the city to fall easily.

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Cortez and Malinche

• Jose Orozco

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Mestizo People

• Spanish not only decimated the population, but
  changed it forever in another way.
• Mestizo Mix of European and native, form
  majority of population.
• The mural shows the treatment of the Mestizo.

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Colonial Domination

• Diego Rivera

• Look for
• Branding Iron
• Gold
• Plowing
• Submission
• Fat Mule

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Spanish Treatment of Indians

• New Spain Catholic Church allowed justification
  of treatment of heathens.
• Worked on Haciendas (large Spanish-owned farms)
• Down from 25 mil to 1 mil by 1700.
• In Mural Indians branded, used to plow while
  the mules get fat. Indians forced to mine gold
  while Spanish carry bags. Natives submit before
  the power of the cross.

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Hidalgo

• Jose Orozco

• Socioeconomic Structure based on heritage.
• Led by Peninsulares (Spanish born in Spain), then
  Criollos (Spanish born in Mexico), with Mestizos
  just above Indians.
• Father Hidalgo led an uprising in 1810 and was
  killed, but the movement continued.
• Independence in 1821.

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Road to Democracy

• Once independent, Mexico struggled through many
  dictatorships.
• In 1910, the oppressed Mexicans rebelled against
  dictators. New government by 1920.
• Led by one party until 2000.
• Democracy, led by Pres. And Congress

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Social Change

• Revolution took haciendas and redistributed many
  to the people for subsistence farming.
• One-third of farms are latifundios (large
  commercial farms)
• Cash Crops Sugar cane, Fruit, Coffee, corn

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3 Questions

1. How has the use of murals changed over the years?
2. Name 3 reasons Cortez was able to defeat the
   Aztecs.
3. Father Hidalgo started a landslide of change in
   Mexico. What were the next two major changes?