What is the origin of the Mexican flag?
Q: What is the origin of the Mexican flag?
A: The Mexican flag contains a coat of arms which is derived from an Aztec symbol depicting an eagle with a snake in its mouth. This symbol was adopted to commemorate Mexico's Aztec heritage after it won independence from Spain in 1810.
Q: Who were the Mexica people?
A: The Mexica people were a wandering tribe looking for a permanent settlement in modern day central Mexico during the early 14th century. They survived by hunting and gathering and were often hired to fight as mercenaries for city-states scattered throughout the region.
Q: What did their god, Huitzilopochtli, tell them to do?
A: According to legend, their god, Huitzilopochtli, told them to establish a city of their own at a site where they would find an eagle eating a snake on top of a cactus.
Q: Where did they find this eagle?
A: The people saw the eagle on a small, swampy island in the middle of the shallow Texcoco lake.
Q: How did they survive there?
A: The Mexica invented a resourceful system of gardening called chinampas which allowed them to grow small gardens and eventually dry out the lake.
Q: When was Tenochtitlan completed?
A: In 1325, they completed construction of Tenochtitlan - which became the capital of Aztec Empire - dominating central Mexico until its destruction by Spanish Conquistadores led by Hernando Cortes.
Q: Who destroyed Tenochtitlan?
A:Tenochtitlan was destroyed by Spanish Conquistadores led by Hernando Cortes
