- Background
- Jurisdiction
- Current political division
- Economic activities in the history of Aguascalientes
- References
The history of Aguascalientes begins with the settlement of tribes of Chichimeca origin. Aguascalientes was founded in October 1575 as part of Zacatecas, and in 1835 it became a free and sovereign state of Mexico.
It took 21 years for this separation to be officially accepted and endorsed in the Mexican Constitution of 1857, thanks to the diligences of López de Santa Anna.
Today it is an independent state that is located in the center of Mexico and borders on the north and west with Zacatecas, and on the south and east with Jalisco.
Aguascalientes has an area of 5589 square kilometers, which represents 0.3% of the Mexican surface. That makes it one of the smallest states in Mexico.
It has a population of just over a million inhabitants, according to the 2010 census.
You may also be interested in the traditions and customs of Aguascalientes.
Background
Before the colonial period, Aguascalientes was a region occupied by several nomadic tribes of Chichimeca origin.
When the Spanish conquerors arrived in the 1520s, this territory belonged to the Chichimeca tribe and represented a border between the Caxcanes (southwest), the Zacatecos (to the north) and the Guachichiles (to the east).
Around 1529, Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán led an expedition that crossed this territory and there he discovered hot springs and mineral deposits.
Guzmán settled there for several years during which he enslaved many Indians and exploited many resources in the area.
During the 1530s more Spaniards arrived in this territory and soon gave it the name of Nueva Galicia.
Nueva Galicia included the perimeter of Aguascalientes and what is now known as Jalisco, Nayarit and Zacatecas.
Between 1540 and 1600 Nueva Galicia was a war zone, given the indigenous resistance to the colonizing intentions of the Spanish. Anyone passing through the region was in danger.
This fact produced the devastation of many settlements in the area and the establishment of a military command between 1568 and 1580, to protect travelers.
Little by little merchants and farmers settled in. Everyone who traveled along the Ruta de la Plata passed through there.
Thus was born the Villa of Our Lady of the Assumption of Aguascalientes in 1575, with Don Gerónimo de Orozco as governor, under the mandate of King Felipe II. It was named after the abundance of hot springs on its land.
However, the clashes continued until leaving a population of only 16 people by 1582.
Years later, the Spanish began peace negotiations with the natives, until the last confrontation occurred in 1593 and a time of peace began.
Little by little, Spaniards, Indians and blacks inhabited Aguascalientes and mixed, as reflected in the records of the Asunción parish.
A mestizo population was generated that began to work in agriculture and livestock.
Jurisdiction
Aguascalientes has changed its political-administrative status throughout its history due to disputes between its neighboring states.
In 1617 Aguascalientes became mayor and continued its population growth for the following centuries, with some casualties due to the appearance of deadly epidemics that reduced the indigenous population.
However, in 1760 it had an estimated population of 34,000 people. And in 1804 it became a part of Zacatecas.
In 1821, after the Mexican Revolution, Aguascalientes became an independent state. This autonomy only lasted 3 years, because in 1824 it became part of the state of Zacatecas.
Later, after his victory in the battle of Guadalupe, General Antonio López de Santa Anna fought for Congress to recognize Aguascalientes as an autonomous territory, which he achieved in 1835.
Around this fact there is a legend according to which Santa Anna did this in honor of the kiss that a beautiful woman named Doña María Luisa Villa gave him.
The truth is that her husband, Pedro García Rojas, was the first governor of the state of Aguascalientes and held that position until 1836.
It was the cradle of the first labor movements in Mexico and the headquarters of the Revolutionary Convention of 1914.
With this convention, peace was sought between the different forces that faced each other in the revolutionary struggles.
After the capture in Houston of General Santa Anna, the National Congress of Mexico returned to integrate the territory of Aguascalientes to the state of Zacatecas.
Six years later it was separated again and finally, in 1857, the Federal Constitution of the Mexican Republic formally recognized it as a free and sovereign state.
Current political division
Aguascalientes consists of eleven municipalities: Aguascalientes, San José de Gracia, Asientos, Tepezalá, Calvillo, Jesús María, Cosío, Pabellón de Arteaga, Rincón de Romos, El Llano and San Francisco de los Romo.
Its homonymous capital city is also known by the name of "the perforated city", due to the system of underground tunnels that runs through it as a result of its mining history.
Economic activities in the history of Aguascalientes
In colonial times the main economic activities were agriculture, livestock and the construction of temples, convents and missions.
Likewise, unraveling began at this time due to the presence of Spanish and French ladies who exhibited their designs in Central America.
The opening of the Great Central Mexican Foundry and the installation of factories of a different nature at the beginning of the 20th century, opened the doors to other activities.
The immigration that began in 1926 endowed Aguascalientes with a cultural richness that influenced the diversity of economic activities that are carried out there: textile industry, livestock, wine production, manufacture of auto parts, fruit growing, electronics, among others.
Along with this, a system of roads was developed that connects the state with the main cities of the country and that facilitates trade between them.
It is the first guava producer in Mexico. The export of frozen vegetables and peaches are very important activities in its economy.
Nissan, Xerox, and Texas Instruments are some of the companies that have established subsidiaries there.
In fact, Aguascalientes is currently one of the states with the highest economic growth in Mexico.
Aguascalientes also plays an important role in the culture of Mexico as it is the birthplace of the San Marcos Fair, one of the most important in Mexico.
References
- Aguascalientes (s / f). Historical review of Aguascalientes. Recovered from: aguascalientes.gob.mx
- Exploring Mexico (s / f). Aguascalientes history. Recovered from: explorandomexico.com.mx
- Scchmal, John (2004). Aguascalientes: The geographic center of Mexico. Recovered from: houstonculture.org
- Long live Aguascalientes (s / f). Historical review. Recovered from: vivaaguascalientes.com
- Wikipedia (s / f). Aguascalientes. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org