The history of Tabasco includes events of great importance since 1500 BC. C., when the Olmec Indians settled in this area, until 1902, the year in which there were proclamations against General Porfirio Díaz in this territory.
In Mexico, the entire history is written in the Mayan and Aztec ruins, in the chronicles of the Spaniards and in the faces of their people.
Mexico's was a particularly convulsed process of independence; its proximity to the United States, the diversity of its aboriginal tribes, and the richness of its lands were elements that made transitions difficult. These events resulted in today's Mexico.
Pre-Columbian period
The first to settle in Tabasco, in 1500 BC. C., were the Olmec Indians. There is evidence of its passage in the northern regions, especially the northwest, in the La Venta population.
In this town there are ruins that make you believe that it was the religious center of the Olmec culture, where they went to pay tribute to their gods. It is estimated that this culture reached its peak in around 500 AD. C.
Later, from the years 800 d. C. and until the arrival of the Spanish, the Mayans inhabited the region.
The Aztecs inhabited the northernmost lands of Mexico, and they called the Mayans "chontales," which means "foreigners."
The Mayans inhabited this region for no less than a millennium. That makes Tabasco an archaeological center of great importance today.
The Mayans were also the first to take advantage of the hydrographic resources in the area. They used the great rivers to trade with the populations in the Yucatan peninsula and with the Nahuatl who lived to the northwest, beyond La Venta.
These commercial exchanges promoted the growth of the great Mayan cities that settled there.
The first meeting between the natives and the Spaniards was rather cordial. Juan de Grijalva arrived in Tabasco lands on June 8, 1518, entering through the Grijalva River, called by the aborigines the Tabasco River.
The Indians the Spanish explorers encountered were Chontales, a tribe descended from the Mayans.
This tribe was led by the great chieftain Tabscoob, after whom the region is believed to have been named.
The Indians had been spying on the advance of the boats on the river, so the chief was aware of their arrival.
Grijalva gave peace presents to the chief, and he responded with gifts of gold and silver. These riches were the ones that especially interested Grijalva's superiors, and were the main motivation for later conquest claims.
The conquest
In 1519 the Spanish crown sent Hernán Cortés with the mission of dominating the natives and colonizing the newly discovered territory.
Given the refusal of the natives to submit to the crown, Cortés began the battle and managed to dominate the natives after a few hours of fighting.
After this show of power, the chief Tabscoob decided to surrender and Cortés declared the territory of Tabasco as the domain of the Spanish crown.
Despite the surrender of the cacique, the Indians did not submissively accept Spanish control. For 45 years they resisted, producing battles and representing an obstacle for explorers who wanted to enter mainland Mexico.
When the pacification of Tabasco was achieved, Spanish populations were established in the region, and colonization really began.
There were still indigenous rebellions, but they were small and easy to control. A major problem represented the French, Dutch and English pirates. These continuous pirate attacks were gradually pushing the populations inland.
Independence
After three centuries of Spanish domination the battle for independence began. In September 1810 the Indians, repressed for centuries, rose up against the Spanish power.
Years before, the libertarian struggle had begun in the rest of the Mexican territory, but by then Tabasco was a remote region.
The first insurgent Spaniard was José María Jiménez, in 1814. But his proclamation found no support, for which he was sentenced to prison.
In 1816 Atanasio de la Cruz took up arms backed by a small army, but was also defeated.
On September 7, 1821 an army led by Juan Nepomuceno Fernández Mantecón triumphantly entered the capital Villahermosa, thus declaring the independence of Tabasco.
The state of Tabasco was included within the 14 free and sovereign states of the Republic of Mexico. But the fight was not over.
Mexico suffered shortly after a US invasion, in which it lost much of the northern territories.
Since it was weak, the French took advantage of the occasion to take Mexican territories, Tabasco among them.
Colonel Gregorio Méndez was the one who fought against the French, obtaining a victory. The Europeans were definitely defeated in 1867.
All these battles in such a short period of time shattered the state, spiritually and materially. The government of General Porfirio Díaz was a short time of respite in which Tabasco could begin to recover.
Current era
Since the Mexican Revolution, which took place in 1910, Tabasco has gone through many ups and downs. But certainly the most turbulent time ended with this revolution.
Politically it has not been a submissive state. Within the region they proclaimed themselves against Porfirio Díaz since 1902.
During the government of Tomás Garrido, from 1923 to 1933, the state went through a period of deprivation and limitations.
Currently Tabasco is called "the Eden of Mexico." It is also the oil producing state of the nation.
Its privileged hydrographic position and its proximity to the Yucatan peninsula has always made it a strategically important region.
References
- Encyclopedia of the nations. (2004) nationsencyclopedia.com
- Exploring Mexico. (2017) explorandomexico.com
- Historical, geographical and statistical compendium of the state of Tabasco. Gil and Saenz, M. (1872)
- Monograph of the state of Tabasco. (2009)
- Olmec civilitacion at San Andres, Tabasco, Mexico. Pohl, M. (2005)
- Tabasco, the entity where I live. Azcona Priego, O. (2013)