History of Mexico City

The history of Mexico City traces its development from the Mexica island capital of Tenochtitlan through Spanish colonial rule to the capital of modern Mexico.

Tenochtitlan: The Mexica island capital on Lake Texcoco, founded in the fourteenth century and conquered by Spain in 1521. The city’s history begins with this Mexica capital, whose site became the colonial city.
Spanish colonial Mexico: The territories governed by Spain in Mexico from the conquest through independence in the early nineteenth century. Colonial institutions organized Mexico City as the political and religious center of New Spain.
Moctezuma II: The Mexica ruler who governed from 1502 until the Spanish invasion and the crisis that ended his rule. His reign overlapped the arrival of Cortés and the opening phase of the conquest.
Mexican Revolution: A major armed conflict and political transformation in Mexico beginning in 1910 and continuing through the 1920s. The revolution altered the government and social order based in the capital.
Mexica: The Nahuatl-speaking people who founded Tenochtitlan and led the Triple Alliance in central Mexico. Their political power and urban traditions shaped the city before Spanish rule.
New Spain: The Spanish viceroyalty established in 1535 that governed much of North America and Central America. Mexico City served as the viceroyalty’s capital and administrative hub.
Antonio de Mendoza: The first viceroy of New Spain, governing from 1535 to 1550. His administration helped establish Mexico City as the seat of Spanish colonial government.
Mexico City metropolitan area: The extensive urban region centered on Mexico City and spanning several municipalities and states. The historic capital expanded into a metropolitan region whose scale exceeds the city’s older boundaries.
Lake Texcoco: A formerly extensive lake in the Basin of Mexico, surrounding the island settlement of Tenochtitlan. The lake shaped the original city’s location, transport, water supply, and later drainage projects.
Desagüe of the Valley of Mexico: A centuries-long system of canals and tunnels built to drain water from the Valley of Mexico. Drainage projects altered the lake environment on which the city had been built.

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Museum of Mexico CityRelated: This is the central subject organized across the museum’s displays.