Mexicans

Mexicans
Group	Mexicans
Native name	Mexicanos
Population	~130 million
Regions	Mexico City, Jalisco, Nuevo León, Puebla (state), State of Mexico, Veracruz, Chihuahua (state), Guanajuato, Oaxaca, Yucatán (state)
Languages	Spanish language, Nahuatl language, Yucatec Maya language, Mixtec language, Zapotec languages
Religions	Roman Catholicism, Protestantism in Mexico, Indigenous religion
Related groups	Amerindians, Mestizos, Spanish people, Afro-Mexicans, Latin Americans

Mexicans Mexicans are the citizens and nationals of Mexico and people of Mexican descent worldwide. They trace origins to diverse pre-Columbian civilizations such as the Aztec Empire, the Maya peoples, and the Olmec, as well as to later arrivals from Spain, Africa, and other regions leading to a complex Mestizo identity. Contemporary Mexican identity is shaped by events like the Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821), the Mexican Revolution, and ongoing migration between Mexico and the United States.

Definition and Demographics

The population of Mexico is concentrated in urban centers including Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Tijuana while substantial diasporas live in the United States of America, particularly in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, and New York City. Official statistics from institutions like the INEGI categorize populations by place of birth, self-identified indigenous groups such as the Zapotec peoples and Maya peoples, and language speakers of Nahuatl language and Yucatec Maya language. Demographic trends interact with factors from the Bracero Program era to modern US–Mexico border migration, and are analyzed by scholars at universities such as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and research centers like the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas.

History

Pre-Columbian civilizations including the Aztec Empire, Maya peoples, Toltec people, and Tarascan state established complex societies before contact with the Spanish Empire led by Hernán Cortés and events like the fall of Tenochtitlan (1521). The colonial era under the Viceroyalty of New Spain produced institutions such as the Casa de Contratación and conflicts exemplified by the Chichimeca War. The Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821) involved leaders like Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, José María Morelos, and culminated in the Plan of Iguala and the First Mexican Empire. The 19th century included the Mexican–American War, the Reform War, and the French intervention in Mexico with figures such as Benito Juárez and Maximilian I of Mexico. The Porfiriato era preceded the Mexican Revolution with leaders like Francisco I. Madero, Emiliano Zapata, and Pancho Villa, followed by the formation of the Institutional Revolutionary Party and cultural movements involving artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

Culture and Identity

Mexican culture blends indigenous, European, and global influences visible in traditions like the Day of the Dead, cuisine staples such as mole poblano, tacos, and tamales, and music genres including mariachi, ranchera, and norteño. Literary figures such as Octavio Paz, Juan Rulfo, and Carlos Fuentes shaped 20th-century letters, while filmmakers like Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, and Alejandro González Iñárritu gained international recognition. Visual arts and crafts thrive in regions linked to the Alebrije tradition, Talavera pottery, and indigenous craftsmanship from the Mixtec people and Zapotec peoples. Sports icons like Hugo Sánchez and teams such as Club América and Chivas de Guadalajara are central to national identity.

Language and Religion

Spanish, specifically varieties of the Spanish language, is the dominant lingua franca, coexisting with over 60 indigenous languages including Nahuatl language, Mixtec language, and Zapotec languages, whose preservation is supported by laws like the Ley General de Derechos Lingüísticos de los Pueblos Indígenas. Religious life is influenced by Roman Catholicism, syncretic practices stemming from indigenous faiths and expressions in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and growing communities linked to Protestantism in Mexico and secularism promoted in reforms such as the Lerdo Law and Mexican Constitution of 1917.

Society and Economy

Mexican society encompasses regional diversity from the industrialized north around Monterrey and Ciudad Juárez to the agricultural south in Chiapas and Oaxaca, with sectors including manufacturing tied to the Maquiladora system and trade under agreements like the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Prominent corporations such as Pemex and Grupo Bimbo influence economic life alongside small-scale agriculture and informal economies in markets like La Merced (market). Social policy has involved programs from the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social to conditional cash transfers linked to initiatives inspired by scholars at the Universidad Iberoamericana and international organizations like the World Bank.

Politics and Citizenship

Citizenship and political life operate through institutions such as the Congress of the Union, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, and parties including the Institutional Revolutionary Party, the National Action Party, and the National Regeneration Movement. Key constitutional moments include the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and reforms affecting electoral oversight by the Instituto Nacional Electoral. Issues such as security, migration policy coordinated with the United States, and anti-corruption efforts involving cases investigated by the Fiscalía General de la República shape contemporary politics, while civil society groups and movements from the Zapatista Army of National Liberation to human rights organizations influence public debate.

Category:Mexican people