Mexico City essentially was founded as the ancient capital of the Aztec empire known as Tenochtitlan, which according to the History channel was founded around the 13th century. It is believed that the Aztecs replaced the Toltecs as the premier Mesoamerican power. It was the Aztec civilization that drained the swampland around Lake Texcoco in order to build the city, and start the urbanization process of the area. The city, according to the World Heritage Convention, boasted a population of about 500,000 at the time of the Spanish conquest, and its density was the greatest of any Mesoamerican city. Some 2 decades later, the population had declined to about 100,000.
In 1521, when Hernan Cortes defeated the Aztecs after 2 years of war and the city of Tenochtitlan fell. These very ruins are where the Spanish built what was to rapidly become the new center of the new world at the time, later to become known as Mexico City.
Mexico City 1794
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The economy was built upon the agricultural expertise of the Aztecs, and at times around 50,000 people would congregate in their busy markets. These markets, and the religious centers were the basis for the large population and settlement of this great city. It has also been recently discovered that this great civilization were manufacturers of rubber. Sandals made of rubber were described by the Spaniards in journals, but archeologists have never found them. A researcher from MIT named Michael Tarkanian has recently disclosed that the Aztecs “were making advanced forms of rubber”(Kaufman 2010). This rubber making, as well as the cocoa bean, and agave plant, and silver mining were the basis of trade from the 16th century on. The beans were traded far and wide, and the agave plants were used to make spirits, and cloth. It was the 18th century trade route known as Camino Real, that connected Mexico City with other trade centers, which really led to increased use and production of these products. Production kept increasing up until the Mexican revolution, and it was these indigenous products formed the basis of trade, and development of Mexico City.
Aztec Centers including Tenochtitlan
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The Camino Real was known for its silver trade. For over 3 centuries this trade route flourished and was part of a larger trading zone that connected Mexico City to Santa Fe in modern day New Mexico, as well as many other international trading hubs. The mining that reaped the silver was also a large factor for the increased development of Mexico City. The Camino Real flourished up until the advent of railroads.
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In about 1810, fighting broke out in Mexico, and continued for decades. Mexico City itself was taken over militarily until 1877. At that time the powers that assumed power promoted the development of railroads, and increased trade. This would be the basis for the economy of the city that led up to slow modernization.
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The Beginnings of Urbanization
Urbanization of Mexico City, according to researcher Michael E. Smith of Arizona State University, started with the Aztec settlements and development of neighborhoods, open spaces, and districts. The neighborhoods as we call them were places of face to face contact among the common people of the area, most day to day activities were done in neighborhoods. The open spaces were places to congregate such as a market. The districts were administrative and social centers. Places that the noble members of society gathered, and did their business, and religious sites were also part of this administrative and social area. These neighborhoods, open spaces, and districts were the basis of early urban form.
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Employment in the Aztec capitol would have been common laborer rounded up by the nobles to build city, especially religious structures, farmer, tradesman for rubber, or goods maker.
Map of Old Mexico City
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With the creation of a successful railroad system in the late 19th century, Mexico City began establishing itself as a center of commerce and manufacturing. Railroads began significantly affecting the city in the early 20th century; through the combination of the railroad system, the strict governmental control of public finances, and the easy access of foreign capital to the national market, Mexico City had grown into a center for national affairs. The population of Mexico City skyrocketed from 300,000 residents in 1884, the time of the railroad creations, to approximately 471,000 residents in 1910. By 1921, the population of Mexico City had grown to 662,000 residents.
The years between 1910 and 1940 mark an era of revolution and rural reform in Mexico. During this time period, Mexico experienced the destruction of many small communities, and the overall population in countryside communities dropped dramatically. Migration of both the wealthy and the poor increased toward the larger Mexican cities, namely that of Mexico City. At this time, refugees from the countryside increased the proportion of urban dwellers from 11.7% to 14.7% of the national population. It was this wave of migration that established Mexico City's predominance with its population soaring to 1.5 million residents in 1940.
Current Day Mexico City
Although Mexico City began thriving in the early to mid 1900s, a number of problems began to arise. In 1929, the Department of the Federal District was created to cope with urban problems beyond the jurisdiction of Mexico City. Nearly 350,000 persons migrate yearly to Mexico City, and with nearly 15 million inhabitants in the late 1970s, Mexico City began to experience an issue of high urban concentration. Consistent job creation resulting from economic globalization continues to cater to the concentrated population of Mexico City. With the ever expanding population of the megacity, stresses are placed on the environment, and they are only becoming harder to overcome. It is estimated by Mexico City's environmental agency that approximately 200,000 cars are added to the city streets each year.
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