| Keyword |
Definition |
| Santiago Vidaurri |
A former Mexican military leader |
| Isthmus |
A thin strip of land surrounded by sea |
| Zapotec |
A group of native Mexicans |
Mexico hasn’t always looked the way it does today. Since its independence in 1821, the country’s map has changed a lot because of indigenous uprisings, foreign invasions, and separatist movements. Besides losing land to the United States, Mexico also had several states that simply don’t exist anymore.
Nuevo León and Coahuila
In the 19th century, these two northern states were once a single state called Nuevo León y Coahuila. A military leader named Santiago Vidaurri joined them together illegally in 1856, but the government accepted it because they needed his support. When Vidaurri later sided with the Mexican Empire, he was executed and the states were separated again.
The Kingdom of Guatemala
Before becoming states, almost all of Central America was part of Mexico.
When Mexico became independent, Iturbide invited Central America to join the Mexican Empire. Some agreed, but others rebelled. When Iturbide stepped down, Central America chose independence — except for Chiapas, which stayed with Mexico.
Sinaloa and Sonora
These states were once a single state called Sinaloa y Sonora. They were huge because there weren’t many settlers and there were lots of indigenous communities. However, rivalries between their leaders led to their separation in 1830.
Durango and Chihuahua
Durango and Chihuahua were also once a single state but split up because of rivalries between their cities and because Durango was wealthier. Chihuahua became its own state in 1824.
The Province of the Isthmus
In the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the government created the Province of the Isthmus in 1823, but the local Zapotec indigenous people, who owned the land, weren’t consulted. There were conflicts, and the province was dissolved in 1824, though it briefly came back later.
Time to discuss
- Is it better for Mexico to have large, unified states or smaller, more independent ones?
- How did rivalries between cities and leaders affect the development of the country?
- Should indigenous communities have had more say in decisions about territories and states?
