OAXACA'S HISTORY: FROM THE PRE-HISPANIC PERIOD TO TODAY - HISTORY - 2025

The History of Oaxaca according to archaeological evidence dates back 11000 years. In Oaxaca lived the Zapotec, Mixtec and Mixe peoples.

The Zapotecs were one of the first peoples to arrive in these territories and they developed their culture in Monte Albán, which was their main city until the moment of its decline.

For their part, the Mixtecs arrived in Oaxaca approximately between the 11th and 12th centuries, when they dominated the region and with it the Zapotecs.

The Mixtecs had control of Oaxaca until 1519, when the expedition commanded by Diego Pizarro, sent by Hernán Cortes, entered the current city of Tuxtepec and claimed those lands on behalf of the Cortes and the Spanish Crown.

The conquest of the territory of Oaxaca was continued by Gonzalo Sandoval, Pedro Alvarado and Francisco de Orozco. Oaxaca was part of the territory of the Kingdom of Mexico of New Spain, and at that time it was called the Province of Antequera.

Starting in 1786, with the application of the administrative system of Europe, the Viceroyalty of New Spain was divided into 12 Municipalities and what is now known as Oaxaca became known as the Antequera Intendance.

After becoming independent from the Spanish, this territory was renamed Oaxaca and by 1824 it was converted into a state.

Prehispanic Period of Oaxaca

Oaxaca before the arrival of the Spaniards was inhabited by the Zapotec, Mixes and Mixtec peoples.

Zapotecs

The Zapotecs were an indigenous people who inhabited the current states of Guerrero, Puebla and Oaxaca. They settled in Oaxaca between 500 BC and 1000 AD

During this period they were located in the central valleys and carried out the construction of their religious center in Mitla and of what would be their main city: Monte Albán. Later they will build Zaachila, the last city in which they lived.

The Zapotecs were polytheists and believed that they were descendants of beings that lived in the clouds, so it is believed that perhaps they considered themselves gods.

Some of the gods they worshiped are the following: Totec (God Mayor), Cocijo (God of rain), Copijcha (God of Light), Quetzalcoatl (God of Winds), among others.

The Zapotecs created two calendars:

- Yza: made up of 365 days and 18 months of twenty days each. This calendar was used to govern the harvests.

- Piye: calendar consisting of 260 days and 13 months. This was used for the baptisms of newborns.

The Zapotecs had a decline between 700 BC and 1200 AD, so they could be dominated by the Mixtecs, who decided to go in search of land to have settlements. They did this by trying to follow the Toltec lifestyle.

Mixtecos

The arrival of the Mixtec peoples in Oaxaca coincides with the abandonment of Monte Albán, so it seems that they forced the Zapotecs to abandon it. Later said Mount was converted into a kind of cemetery.

The Mixtecs took the religious center of the Mitla Zapotecs and established their city there. The Zapotecs also lived in this place after leaving the city of Monte Albán.

The Mexica also lived in Oaxaca, who arrived approximately at the end of the 15th century and from that moment they stayed in parts of that territory.

Mixe

The Mixe people lived in the mountains of eastern Oaxaca. This town remained free from Zapotec rule and Mixtec rule.

The Mixe people remained free from Spanish rule until the mid-16th century, when the Spanish arrived to evangelize.

The Mixes worshiped the goddess Naaxwiiñ (goddess of the earth and fertility) and Poj Enee (protector of the Mixe peoples and god of rain).

Conquest of Oaxaca

Oaxaca was taken by the Spanish in 1521. The conquest of this territory was achieved thanks to the rivalry between the Mixtecs and the Zapotecs with the Mexicas.

The Spanish took advantage of that rivalry and allied with the Mixtecas and the Zapotecs to defeat the Mexicas.

The conquest of Oaxaca was peaceful, except with the Mixes, the only people who fought against the Spanish Crown, since most of the indigenous peoples joined the Spanish. Only the Mixe peoples resisted the conquest and remained free from the Spanish yoke.

The Mixe could not be conquered because their settlements were in mountainous areas, giving them an advantage over the enemy.

Consequently, in order to gain access to these lands it was necessary to establish a new way of conquering. It was then that the King of Spain decided to send missionaries in order to evangelize.

The missionaries had to adapt the beliefs of the natives to the religious beliefs of the Spanish.

They were also in charge of eliminating all traces of the gods and their religious traditions in order to make them forget their customs and adapt to Spanish customs.

Colonial Period of Oaxaca

The Spanish after the conquest of Mexico looked for a way to maintain the dominion of the conquered lands, for which the so-called Viceroyalty was established, dividing the territory of New Spain (present-day Mexico) into the Kingdom of New Galicia and the Kingdom of Mexico..

Oaxaca was part of the Kingdom of Mexico. In this territory the Spaniards dedicated themselves to the exploitation of silver and cochineal, since it was an insect from which red ink could be extracted and used to color fabrics (today it is still used to color fabrics and certain foods).

During this period the distribution of wealth was unequal, since only the peninsular whites had the best economic benefits, while the natives had nothing and the creoles had less right than the peninsular ones.

This situation influenced the uprising of the Oaxaqueños, in order to get out of that deplorable economic and social situation.

Contemporary Period

Oaxaca was benefited during the Government of Porfirio Díaz (Porfiriato), since it was from Oaxaca. Therefore she turned her attention to making improvements in the state.

Porfirio Díaz built the railroad tracks, installed the telegraph and public lighting in Oaxaca. He also built schools and the Oaxaca Market.

Currently Oaxaca is the Mexican state where the largest number of ethnic groups coexist.

References

1. Oaxaca: Land of Diversity. Retrieved on November 6, 2017, from houstonculture.org
2. History of Oaxaca. Retrieved on November 6, 2017, from wikipedia.org
3. History of Oaxaca: The Colonial Era. Retrieved on November 6, 2017, from com
4. About Oaxaca. Retrieved on November 6, 2017, from allaboutoaxaca.com
5. Oaxaca History. Retrieved on November 10, 2017.mexonline.com
6. The Mixtecs and Zapotecs: Two Enduring Cultures of Oaxaca. Retrieved on November 10, 2017, from houstonculture.org
7. Retrieved on November 10, 2017, from wikipedia.org
8. Zapotec Civilization. Retrieved on November 10, 2017, from wikipedia.org