Mexico: Religion and Civilization From Ancient Times to Present Mexico is a nation that is affluent in history, culture and tradition. Being the third biggest nation in Latin America, Mexico has more Spanish speakers compared to any other country in the globe. Regardless of the social and political transformations that have taken place in the course of the centuries, proof of past cultures and events are perceptible everywhere in Mexico. For instance, a great deal of the nation's countryside expanses are still populated by indigenous individuals whose way of living is considerably akin to those of their lineages.[footnoteRef:1]Religious beliefs have significantly influenced Mexico not only in the past, but also in the contemporary. The civilizations that Mexico experienced largely from the ancient period to the present have largely influenced religion in the nation and also the culture of the nation. The culture of the nation mirrors the intricate history as is the outcome of the continuing coming together of native cultures with Spanish culture, together with other immigrant cultures. [1: History. History of Mexico. Retrieved 25 June 2016 from: http://www.history.com/topics/mexico/history-of-mexico]

The Olmecs

Prior to the arrival of the Aztec civilization was the Olmecs who reigned the Mexican region for almost 100 decades. Despite the fact that pre-Olmec cultures had previously been in existence in the expanse, the Olmecs have been referred to as the culturamadre, which is a connotation for mother culture of Central America. In essence, a great deal of the subsequent civilizations can be tracked back to the Olmecs.[footnoteRef:2] In the epoch between 1400 BC and 400 BC, this particular civilization prospered and thrived in the territory at this time populated by Mexico on the south part of the Gulf Coast. Owing to several reasons, the culture of the Olmecs is deemed to be the basis and foundation of all the Mesoamerican cultures. Undertakings in the religion of the Olmecs were performed by shamans, priests and the rulers. The most significant and powerful were the rulers, who were deemed kinsfolks of supernatural beings and of the divinities of the Olmecs. [2: Cartwright, M. Olmec Civilization, 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2016 from: http://www.ancient.eu/Olmec_Civilization/]

Maya

A few hundred years later on, the Mayan Civilization was built on the accomplishments of the Olmec. They constructed huge cities all over Mexico and Central America. They also constructed to their gods. In addition, they studied the stars and thereafter developed a comprehensively detailed calendar. In addition, the Mayan Civilization kept written records that are still being studied in the present day. However, it is yet to be completely known as to what caused its collapse and disappearance. Their culture encompassed in believing the cyclical nature of life in that nothing was born and nothing died, which instigated their perceptions of the gods and cosmos. These perspectives as a result enthused their imaginative endeavors in astronomy, architecture and mathematics.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Mark, Joshua, J. Maya Civilization. Ancient History. Retrieved 27 June 2016 from: http://www.ancient.eu/Maya_Civilization/]

Teotihuacan

The term Teotihuacan alludes to the ancient civilization and to its Meso-American city referred to as altepetl where a mysterious populace lived. In particular, this city was situated approximately forty kilometers northeast of what is presently Mexico City. The Aztec people who were significantly appealed to by the massive ruins left behind by this civilization were of the belief that it was a holy region where the moon, sun and universe were formed. It was christened as the City of Gods. The influence they had is that while constructing their city of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec imitated the manner in which Teotihuacan was set into four quarters with two massive avenues passing at right angles and the temples within the center of the city.

Toltec

Another civilization that had an influence on the cultural history of Mexico is the Toltec civilization. In accordance to researchers, the Toltec society initially came about in central Mexico close to the onset of the tenth century and constructed the city of Tula. It is largely presumed that the Toltecs performed human sacrifices as acts for appeasing the gods. Tezcatlipoca, who was one of their kings, is believed to have given directives for mass sacrifices of seized adversary warriors, taking into consideration that several Toltec architectural and sacred impacts can be obtained at the Mayan location of ChichenItza in northerly expanses of Yucatan. Several scholars believe that Toltec emigres absconded to Yucatan and formed a new type of Tula there.

The Aztecs

The Aztecs appeared in Mesoamerica at the start of the 13th century. Their influx came immediately after, or possibly facilitated and led to, the collapse of the formerly leading Mesoamerican civilization, the Toltecs. It is deemed that they possibly originated as a nomadic ethnic group in northern Mexico. From their outstanding capital city, Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs materialized as the governing force in central Mexico, establishing an elaborate social, political, religious and profit-making organization that fetched several of the expanse's small states under their governance by the 15th century. The culture established by the Aztecs continues to play a significant part in Mexico in the contemporary. In actual fact, Mexico City, which is inhabited by about 20 million people, is situated in the Mexico valley, owing to Tenochtitlan.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Carmack, Robert M., Janine L. Gasco, and Gary H. Gossen, eds. The legacy of Mesoamerica: history and culture of a Native American civilization. Routledge, 2016.]
The Aztecs largely oppressed the preceding cultures that consisted of Toltecs, Purepechas and the likes, by obligating taxation and turning the overpowered villagers into slaves. This is fundamentally why when the Spanish civilization made its arrival into Mexico, they got all of these other societies ready and eager to assist them so as to triumph over the Aztecs and take the capital city of the empire, Teotihuacan, which is Mexico in the present day. The Aztec culture is, for that reason, the key influence from the pre-hispanic legacy of Mexicans. Catholics transformed their idols into catholic idols with Christian titles, and constructed churches over pre-hispanic pyramids, sanctuaries and shrines. More so, despite the fact that the Spanish conquered and took over, a number of the Aztec traditions and customs, for instance, the Day of the Dead, still play a huge role in the religion of Mexico.[footnoteRef:5] [5: Koch, Peter O. The Aztecs, the Conquistadors, and the Making of Mexican Culture. McFarland, 2005.]

The Mexican Day of the Dead is an ancient festivity that was purposed to celebrate children and also the dead. In particular, it is a period in which the Mexican households remember their dead kids and also the continuity of life. Also referred to as Dia de los Muertos, this festivity was undertaken in the course of the Aztec month of Miccailhuitontli ritualistically led by the "Lady of the Dead" and devoted to children and the dead. In particular, in the Aztec almanac, this ceremony fell approximately at the culmination of the Gregorian month of July and the start of August. However, after the Spanish conquered and overpowered them, this festivity was shifted by the Spanish vicars and priests with the purpose of making certain it corresponded with the Christian festivity of All Hallows Eve, also referred to as Dia de Todos Santos. This was an abortive determination and endeavor to change the adherence from a blasphemous to a Christian festivity. The consequence is that Mexicans this day and age celebrate the day of the dead in the course of the first two days of November, instead of onset and start of summer. However, the Mexicans do still remember the dead, and the contemporary holiday is embodied by the traditional Mexican mixture of ancient indigenous and newly introduced Christian aspects.[footnoteRef:6] [6: Brandes, Stanley. "The Day of the Dead, Halloween, and the quest for Mexican national identity." Journal of American Folklore (1998): 359-380.]

Our Lady of Guadalupe

On December 9, 1531, in Mexico, Our Lady made her appearance to Juan Diego, a deprived modest Aztec Indian who had only just converted to the Catholic devotion. The way in which Our Lady appeared on the tilma was largely important to the Aztec Indians. This is for the reason that God had her dressed in a manner that they would comprehend who she was. The Aztecs instantaneously comprehended that this was the mother of the true God. This particular appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe played a significant role not only to the culture and history of Mexico, but also for the entire continent. This is largely for the reason that the Spanish and the Aztec Indians were on the threshold of war and conflict. The culture and religion of the Aztec Indians were comprehensively dissimilar from that of the Spanish. They worshipped gods, to whom they would offer human sacrifices, every so often slaughtering and slaying approximately 50,000 persons a year.[footnoteRef:7] On the other hand, the Spanish adhered to the Catholic religion and therefore found this to be very repulsive and disgusting. However, it is imperative to note that they also were harsh and unkind to the Aztecs,…