Who was living in Mexico before Mexicans and was it a peaceful transistion?

Answer 1

There were a great variety of indigenous groups living in what is today called Mexico. Two of the most famous were the Aztecs and the Mayas. The Aztecs lived in central Mexico, and the Mayas lived in the southern portion and on into Central America. However, these were not the only groups. Others included the Olmecs, the Mexica (from where we got the name Mexico), and other groups. What happened was the Aztecs were very warlike, and began to conquer and dominate the other groups, and demanded tribute and subservience. The Spaniards arrived, and with gunpowder, armor, and especially European diseases, along with aid from the dominated tribes, overthrew the Aztecs in a bloody domination and genocide. Modern Mexicans are a mixture of the Spanish conquistadores, indigenous peoples, slaves brought after the massacre of the native groups, and other immigrants. So, no it was not a peaceful process, it was in fact, one of the bloodiest and most violent takeovers in human history, usually overlooked in history books.

Answer 2

Most notably, the Aztecs, and quite a number of other peoples who had been conquered by them, or were in conflict with them. The Spanish Conquistadors were able to move in, make quick alliances with some of those peoples, and, with a bit of luck and coincidences feeding into Aztec religious hysteria, conquered the Aztecs, then, over time, colonized Mexico.

Unlike the English colonizing the east coast of north america, however, many the Spanish intermarried with thier new subjects, and the 'mestizos' who resulted (as well as remaining pure native americans) have since suffered considerable discrimination.

Interestingly, when a Mexican comes to America he is no longer considered either white or mestizo, but becomes 'hispanic.' Most illegal immigrants from Mexico are mestizos, and face less racial descrimination in America than they did back home, in addition to finding greater economic opportunity. In fact, whether white or mestizo, Mexican-Americans recieve preferential treatment as members of the 'hispanic' minority.

Finally, because so many of them have Native-American blood, Mexicans make the argument that they have more of a right to live in the American south-west than do Americans actually born there.

Answer 3

Mexicans (mostly) a mix of indians (olmec,mayans, and Aztecs) that have since blended with the spanish. No it was not peaceful, the spanish invaded killed etc to get the gold the were certain was under every baby blanket. Perhaps even worse than what happened in the US later.

Answer 4

The Aztecs where there before the Spanish, today's Mexicans are a result of many hundereds of years of interbreeding between the two... and no it wasn't the least bit a peaceful take over, Hernan Cortez slaughtered countless Aztecs in the name of the Spanish Crown.

Answer 5

There were several cultures over thousands of years but the most intelligent were the Mayan. they organized their people, built pyramids and had the biggest number of mathematicians and engineers. They established irrigation systems for agriculture and communities. It is my understanding of history that the Aztecs brought the Mayan culture to a brutal and bloody end.

Answer 6

aztecs and mayans, absolutely not, the Aztecs were completely slaughtered by the spanish with illness and so fourth. Imagine the world being invaded by aliens, and the smaller nations that dont like the US got support from the aliens to destroy it. That is what happened. a few hundred spanish with lots of guns and the Aztec empire with lots of smaller enemies.

Answer 7

The Teotec and many others. The Mexicans invaded and made them slaves, not to mention cutting out the heartsof their victims for their bloody gods.

Answer 8

the aztecs were slaughtered by the Spainards but not before the Spainards raped the women and had sons to populate the land with the spainish indian mix children.

Answer 9

Various indigenous groups, of who we still call Mexicans. The Aztecs were notoriously violent, but then again so were the Spainish who conquered them.

Answer 10

The Maya. The Spaniards were more ruthless to them than anything that happened in the American colonies with the Native Americans.