The Mexican National Flag and Emblem
The Mexican National Flag and its crest are symbols that represent the nation. Its origination can be traced back to the period of independence, when Mexico broke free from European foreign rule. The history of the crest or emblem of the flag is based on the representation of the founding of the land were Tenochtitlan was built. According to legend the Aztec God of War had given them a sign in which they were to build their Empire. The sign was an eagle perched on a cactus that would be tearing apart a serpent. After a long journey traveling from Aztlan, which is currently Nayarit, the Aztecs found what they had been searching for in the valley of Mexico, the eagle on the cactus on the shores of Lake Anahuac, on a small island.
The sign given by Huitzilopochtli (the Aztec God of War) is reproduced in the emblem of the National Flag. The renovation of life to the indigenous people is depicted in the eagle, in left profile, standing up and perched on a nopal cactus. The eagle is resting on its left claw while holding a rattlesnake with its right claw and griping the other portion of the snake with its beak as if ready to tear it apart. The nopal cactus on which the eagle stands is emerging from an islet, which is a small island. The cactus contains red cactus fruit (tunas), which represents the human heart to the Aztecs. The national emblem also contains a symbol of a republic along with the pre-Hispanic codices (manuscripts such as symbols). The republic is symbolized in the lower part of the emblem containing two garlands joined by a three colored ribbon, on its left is oak and on its right is laurel. The use of the banners and ribbons can be dated back to ancient Mexican hist...
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...ion it would be surrounded by the symbols of the republic, the oak and laurel braches tied together with a three-color ribbon.
Since then the elements of the flag have been conserved, although the emblem and the eagle has change from time to time in the forms of profile view to frontal view and also three fourths position. In 1865 the emblem changed when the emperor Maximilian be shown in frontal view with a crown shown over the eagle. Later, Porfirio Diaz ordered the eagle to be facing forward with its wings outspread. Venustiano Carranza also changed it when he decided that the eagle should be in left profile and bear the characteristics noted by the Mexican government when they discovered Tenochtitlan. Till now, presidents have modified the emblem however; the emblem as designed by the administration of Carranza's administration has been kept and respected.
The Aztecs were a large group of Indian tribes.They were originally migratory and as they migrated they assimilatated other tribes. Through this process they joined together and became rich in civilization. The tribes the comprised the Aztecs were the Toltect whom the Chichimec [Aztecs] conquered in the early 1300's A.D. The Toltect embarked on conquests, which resulted in the Aztecs becoming a dominate civilization of their time.(1) Their migratory pattern stopped on the southwestern border of Lake Texcoco as they discovered an eagle sitting on the stem of a cactus, holding a serpent in his talons with his wings open to the sun. This as an omen from the gods.(4) The Aztecs finally settled in central Mexico, where Mexico City is now located, and began building Tenochtitlan in 1325. Over time the civilization's control spanned from Tenochtitlan east to the Gulf of Mexico and south to Guatemala.(1)
The history of the Western hemisphere is full of war and conquest. One of the most significant and defining of those conquests is the downfall of the Mexica/Aztec Empire. While there are many other events to choose from, this one stands out since it was one over one of the largest empires in Central America. It is also important to look at because of the immense cultural impact it had. The story of this takeover reads like a movie script, a small band of Spaniards single handedly takes down the most powerful empire in Central America. It was an epic battle, which unfortunately led to the destruction of a magnificent culture. As in any major historical event there are many underlying themes and storylines that come together to make the event happen. The Spanish conquest of the Aztec is no different. Three major themes are seen in this struggle. One of them is the incredible advantage that the Spaniards technology gave them over the Aztecs. A second major theme is the greed that fueled the conquests in the New World. The last major theme was the effect of the political divisions and rivalries within Montezuma’s Central American Kingdom. As this historical event progressed each one of these themes began to intertwine until they became an almost unstoppable force.
In the 16th century, iridescent green feathers, gold, and gemstones were gathered to create a symbolic gesture, a headdress, which would help transform the Aztec ruler into the incarnation of the God Quetzalcoatl. The headdress is believed to once belong to Moctezuma II. He was the Aztec emperor when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés took siege of Tenochtitlan in 1521, and effectively destroyed the once great empire of Mesoamerica. Moctezuma’s unquestioning spiritual beliefs allowed for this easy invasion, and the once symbol of godliness, fertility, and freedom, became a trophy and one of the countless artifacts sent to Europe. Today, this spiritual piece is once again at the center of a controversy between two countries.
The Aztec Civilization covered most of present day Mexico. It was made up of marauding bands of warriors who migrated from the north. The God of Sun and War for the Aztecs was Huitzilpochtli.
The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican people that lived in the area of central Mexico in the 14th, 15th and 16th century. It is said that Aztecs came from a place called Aztlan. Aztlan was the Aztec's homeland, nobody knows exactly where it was, but it is believed that Aztlan lies somewhere to the north of Mexico. Some experts claim that Aztlan is a mythical place. According to Aztec legends Huitzilopochtli, their god of war and of the sun, told them to leave Aztlan and to wander until they saw an eagle on a cactus budding out of a rock and eating a snake. The Aztecs traveled many years to find the legend that Huitzilopochtli had told. They left Aztlan in the 12th century. They built their settlements in the Valley of Mexico by Lake Texcoco. There were other Indian tribes living in the area when the Aztecs arrived. The Aztecs called their settlement Tenochtitlan. By the time they settled after two centuries of voyage they called themselves by a different name, the Mexica, but the term Aztec has been used as a ...
The purpose of this poster is to visually represent how the Aztecs used power to
Mexico which was the colony of New Spain was put in existence for the advantage of their mother country. After the tumble of the Aztec Empire, Spain retitled the captured lands as the “viceroyalty” of New Spain and governed Mexico for three hundred years. Tenochtitlan was the prior capital of the territory and turned into what is known as Mexico City. After studying and obtaining power over some of the lands in Central Mexico, the Spanish government established a colonial mining technique wherein gold, silver, and additional metals were obtained and taken to Spain. Shadowing the techniques that was started in Spain, the colonial authorities granted the new arrivals and warriors the power to make haciendas near the country. The laborers most times were native people that were paid poorly which made them rely on the hacienda proprietor to maintain a living. Some of the workers
...the new artistic currents having been developed. Although the source lacks authenticity as it was not created by or in Mexican awareness it did provide recognition of national identity through an unbiased perspective. For example it state that mural paintings defined the nation’s uniqueness and recognized Mexico’s indigenous origin and the suffering of the natives in the hands of the Spanish conquerors while still recognizing Mexico’s collective history and culture.
The beginning of an identity that one day would be consider the Mexican American identity began with the conquest of the Americas and the Mexica. A violent geocide of the Mexica and their culture began with landing of Hernan Cortez and the Spaniards. Hernan Cortez and his people were confused by Montezuma and the Mexica to be gods or
In conclusion, flags are the most important symbols that nations have. The flag’s meaning is in the mind of those who look at it. People love it or hate it, fight for it or tear it to shreds.
During 1325 a newly homeless Aztec tribe who were chased away by the angry ruler/father of a princess they sacrificed to the sun god, were traveling through swamps . they saw a small island with an eagle perched on a cactus eating a snake. This was told to be a sign of where the tribe was to create their new home. This new city was named Tenochtitlan. Soon this will become the capital of the Aztec empire. Tenochtitlan started out with only a temple to worship the war god Huitzilopochtli, and huts for the tribesmen.
In the early 16th century Hernán Cortés wrote a letter to King Charles I of Spain. The letter being a statement of great accomplishment and power wasn’t just a simple letter; to Hernán Cortés it was a symbol of authority and a step forward towards expansion. The letter acknowledged their achievements of this expedition; the first being their success and the discovery of land to be colonized and this amazing empire known as the Aztec empire. Steel, armor, canons, firearms, and horses presented Cortés and his crew the advantage over the native people they encountered which helped justify the Spanish overcoming of the Aztec empire.
The children which were the stars and Coyotxauhqu became jealous and feared that now they would no longer be as important to her and decided the murder her. The children decapitated the Coatlicue which cause the new born child Huitzilopotchi to be born in armor and seek vengeance upon his siblings. He threw his sisters body down the mountain and tossed her head into the air to become the moon. This myth was used by the Aztecs as a metaphors as to why the sun, moon, and stars are how they are now, but also to show how Huitzilopotchi became the sun god telling how the sun and moon came into place. The Aztec people traveled until they found a cactus with an eagle nesting obeying Huilzilopotchli command and settled there which is now known as Tenochtitlan. After the fall of the Aztec, the work was found by Christians and reburied because of the assumption that it represented something evil. The art was not supposed to be viewed as evil but to show the Coatlicue as part human, part earth animal, and animal that represented life and death. The goddess played a
Her image enshrines the ambitions of Mexico’s society from family, politics, and religion to colonial past and present day Mexico. Her image embodies what Mexico is. That is why millions of tourist stop to go see the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in northern Mexico City, near Tepeyac Hill.
In the country of Mexico there are various customs and traditions. One custom in Mexico is to always bring flowers or a gift the first time a person is invited to one’s house. Children don’t really talk about St.Nicholas in Mexico. They wait for “Dia de los Reyes”, or Three Kings Day. This is usually celebrated January 6. Also on September 16, they celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day.On Independence Day, Mexicans go outside at night and yell-“Viva Mexico!” three times in a row, which means-“Long Live Mexico!”. Finally, Cinco De Mayo is celebrated on May 5. It celebrates the victory over the French army. Mexican traditions and customs come from Mexican’s ancestors from long ago.