History of Guadalajara
History of Mérida
History of Oaxaca
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
History of Guadalajara
History of Mérida
History of Oaxaca
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
IT WAS THE CRADLE OF INDEPENDENCE
Pre-Hispanic Era
The territory of the state played a crucial role in the entire Mesoamerican history.
From early times, around 500 BCE, there were settlements of agricultural groups in the region of San Juan del Río and Huimilpan. This area was part of the vast network of exchange that sustained the power of Teotihuacan.
When this structure broke down, the numerous villages in the region strengthened and defined their main elements. In this stage of maturity, from 600 to 900 AD, there was an increase in population, trade, and social complexity.
Starting from 900 AD, the Queretan region shared with the peoples of the northern strip of Mesoamerica the beginning of a period of great population movements that culminated in the abandonment of the area. Over a span of 300 years, constant migrations made the region a zone of tension. Remains of this culture are found in various sites, with the most important being the Cerrito, located in the Querétaro Valley.
From the 12th century, the Queretan region stabilized into two groups: hunter-gatherers and small agricultural villages that shared the territory. In the 15th century, this relationship was altered due to the pressures from two competing empires: the Mexica and the Tarascan, and this zone became an intermediate stage between the two states.
It can be said that the region was Mesoamerican during the Classic period, and during the Postclassic, it gradually changed to accommodate new groups, probably from the North, like the Pames, who practiced agriculture in the valleys mainly at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards. The mountainous area was occupied by the Jonaces, a group of hunter-gatherers.
With the arrival of the Spanish, various settlements began to establish in the region. Specifically, the city of Querétaro was founded on July 25, 1531.
The chronicles of this event are fascinating, as tradition mentions that on that day, a battle took place where the natives were about to be victorious. In response to this dramatic turn, the Spaniards, Hernán Pérez Bocanegra, and Córdoba, who had allied with the Otomi Indian Conín, the chief of Jilotepec, sought divine aid through Saint James the Apostle. Saint James, attentive to the evangelization of this region, came to their aid, producing a total solar eclipse that frightened the inhabitants of the region, especially when they saw the Apostle riding in the sky on a white horse, carrying a large rosy cross of light.
In the face of this event, the battle ceased, surrendering as agreed, and they only asked to have a cross built like the one they had seen in the sky. That is why this event is represented in the official coat of arms of the city and the state of Querétaro.
History of Querétaro
Colonial Era
In 1534, the city's layout was established by D. Juan Sánchez de Alaníz. In 1540, the Great Convent of San Francisco was built, the first religious building in the city, sponsored by Fernando de Tapia (the Christian name of the Otomi Conín).
In the 17th century, the union of rural and urban economies allowed for large-scale construction of temples and convents that housed different religious orders. In 1656, the Villa of Querétaro was granted the title of "Noble and Loyal City of Santiago de Querétaro" by the Viceroy Duke of Albuquerque, a title confirmed by King Philip V of Spain in 1712.
Livestock, agriculture, textile, and commercial activities led to Querétaro's economic boom and splendor during the 18th century. Textile production reached such a point that Querétaro became the main producer of wool in all of America. By the end of the 18th century, the Royal Tobacco Factory became the second most important in New Spain.
It is worth noting that the clergy used part of the resources generated to build temples and monasteries and acquire paintings, sculptures, altarpieces, and other liturgical objects that contributed to giving Querétaro the appearance of wealth.
During this century, the urban image of Querétaro was defined through the reconstruction and construction of significant works. In 1726, the construction of the aqueduct began, which has become a symbol of the city. In 1763, the Cathedral of Querétaro, originally the Oratory of San Felipe Neri, was built.
War of Independence
The 19th century marked the beginning of a long period of decline for Querétaro. Due to the Spanish political instability that led to the French occupation and the abdication of Fernando VII in 1808, conspiracies led by the Creoles gained momentum in Querétaro.
On September 13, 1810, Epigmenio González was taken prisoner for having an arsenal of weapons destined for the Insurgency, and the next day, the Corregidor of Querétaro, Don Miguel Domínguez, and his wife, Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, were arrested for being denounced as members of a group of conspirators against the viceregal government. Querétaro became the cradle of the independence movement.
Once the insurgent struggle began, Querétaro was captured by the royalists, and the city became the last royalist bastion to fall.
On October 4, 1824, a Federal Republic was established with Guadalupe Victoria as the first president of Mexico, and the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States included Querétaro as a State of the Federation. On August 25, 1825, the first political constitution of the state of Querétaro was promulgated.
Invasions and Reform
In 1847, Querétaro was designated the capital of the Republic when the country was invaded by American forces.
In 1861, new disturbances occurred due to the French invasion and the establishment of Maximilian of Habsburg's empire. The advancement of the Republicans forced the emperor to leave Mexico City and head to Querétaro.
On March 14, 1867, the Siege of the city began and concluded on May 15 of the same year. Maximilian was captured, tried, and executed alongside Mejía and Miramón on Cerro de las Campanas on June 19, 1867. With the triumph of the Republic, the local Constituent Congress was convened, and the new Querétaro Constitution, in line with liberal principles, was promulgated.
During the Reform period, the application of the decree of Nationalization of Clergy Property in Querétaro led to the expropriation of temples and convents, and some religious spaces' walls were torn down. Orchards and courtyards were subdivided and put up for public sale. This circumstance significantly changed the architectural image of the city of Querétaro.
Modern Era
The city entered the 20th century with stable economic growth and having incorporated the modernities of the time. The number of schools increased considerably, and the first vaccination campaigns were carried out. Urban transportation and public lighting services were improved. Industry was promoted, and improvements were made to agricultural production.
On February 2, 1916, Venustiano Carranza appointed the city of Querétaro as the capital of the Republic, and it became the seat of the Constituent Congress to draft the new National Constitution, which was promulgated on February 5, 1917, at the Teatro Iturbide. In the same year, the new Constitution of Querétaro was also promulgated.
Between the 1940s and 1960s, the first steps were taken towards contemporary industrialization, creating an industrial zone north of the capital city. This process resulted in an increase in the urban area by over 400% over the next thirty years, compared to the development that occurred in over four hundred years of Querétaro's existence.
The beautiful colonial buildings, especially those in the Historic Center, with cobbled streets and landscaped walkways, contributed to Querétaro being declared a "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO in 1996. In the same year, the city officially resumed its original name of Santiago de Querétaro.
HISTORY AND COLONIAL ART
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