| Benito Juarez |
March 21 celebrates the birthday of Benito Pablo Juarez (1806-1872), Mexico's first president of Indian descent. Also called the Day of the Indian Chief. A Zapotec, Juarez is the only full-blooded indigenous leader to serve as President of Mexico.
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| Independence Mexico Style |
In Mexico, September is el Mes de las Fiestas Patrias (the month of patriotic holidays). The most important holiday celebrates the fight for Mexican independence from 300 years of Spanish domination that occurred on September 16, 1810. With typical Mexican zeal, the event is celebrated not just for one day, but for 30! |
| Mexican History and Culture |
The culture and history of Mexico is a blending of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilizations and the culture of Spain. Although there are tantalizing fragments of evidence suggesting human habitation of Mexico more than 20,000 years ago , there is no recognized evidence that humans arrived in Mexico earlier than 15,000 BP. One of those asserting a date of 28,000 years is archaeologist Michael D. Coe of Yale University. There is evidence of human existence in Tepéxpan to the north of the Valley of Mexico, the remains of a human corpse was found next to those of a mammoth. |
| Mexican Revolution of 1910 |
Every November 20th, Mexico commemorates one of the defining moments in its history—La Revolución Mexicana (The Mexican Revolution)…a war that resulted in the creation of a constitutional democracy in Mexico, as well as… |
| Our Lady of Guadalupe Mother of Mercy of the Mexicans |
Every year on December 12 Mexico celebrates our Lady of Guadalupe (Virgin of Guadalupe), our adored Merciful Mother who protects all the Mexicans and devoted people through out the world.
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| The Battle of Mezcala Island |
Mezcala Island, a rocky and chayote-covered outcrop near the north shore of Lake Chapala, today bears scant evidence of the long and bloody battle waged there during the Mexican War of Independence from Spain. The little-known battle has considerable historic importance, however, because of the major change it produced in the Spanish attitude toward the treatment of prisoners. |
| The Heroes of Mezcala |
Lake Chapala is the most important and largest lake in Mexico. It is 50 miles long from east to west and 20 miles wide from north to south at the widest point. It is shallow…its maximum depth being only 42 feet, and it has two important islands: Mezcala (or Prison Island) and Maltraña (or, now Scorpion Island) besides several smaller islands. |
| The Iron Lady Pride of Guadalajara |
Beatriz Hernández de Sánchez Olea. She was an illustrious Spaniard who happens to be a pride of Guadalajara, being one of the heroines who helped consolidate the foundation of Guadalajara City in the Valley of Atemajac.
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| The Mexican Evolution |
In the last issue of the newsletter, I very blithely announced “In the next issue, Part II, which we're calling The Mexican Evolution, will start where The Mexican Revolution of 1910 ended, and bring you up to the present social and political climate of Mexico.” Was I out of my mind? I was doing my research, getting what I considered vital information, and was up to 85 pages before I realized what was happening. As fascinating as I found The Mexican Revolution, I could not see me or you sitting through this kind of information. I also could not see myself trying to condense Modern Mexico into an interesting, one-newsletter article.
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| The Mexican National Anthem |
Some national anthems have been created because of actions of national unity or war; others have been composed in order to stimulate love and loyalty for the motherland. During the 19th century, it took more than 30 years of public biddings and contests before the Mexican National Anthem became a reality.
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