Tabasco, Mexico
According to THERELIGIONFAQS, Tabasco (historically also spelled Tobasco) is a state in Mexico. Tabasco borders the Mexican states of Veracruz to the west, Chiapas to the south and Campeche to the northeast. To the west, Tabasco borders the province of Peten in Guatemala, to the north is the Gulf of Mexico. Tabasco is located on the northern part of the headland Tehuantepec.
Cities in Tabasco include Ciudad Pemex, Emiliano Zapata, San Miguel, Tenosique, Tortuguero, the Olmec ruins of La Venta and the Mayan ruins of Comalcalco. Unlike the rest of Mexico, the language sounds a lot like Caribbean-Spanish because of the heavy Cuban influence in the region.
The state is primarily inhabited in rural areas by a large native population that makes a living from producing agricultural products, including cocoa, coconuts, corn, sugar cane and tropical fruits. The state is also credited as the place where the chocolate comes from. The Olmecs developed a confectionery, which was later refined by the Mayans and Aztecs. Chocolate was originally drunk as a liquid made from cocoa beans with water and added with spices, chili and herbs.
The capital is Villahermosa, where the commercial production is carried out, i.a. food, processing plants and companies producing wood products, cigars, soap and clothing. The city is also the closest destination to the ancient Mayan ruins at Palenque in the state of Chiapas.
TIMELINE:
o.1600 BCE – The Olmecs settled in Tabasco, and are today known as the oldest and first culture in all of America. The fact that not much is known about them makes them a bit of a mystery. They left behind only mysterious stone faces that do not resemble other finds in Central America, as their facial features have an African design with wide noses and large lips. They lived in Veracruz and Tabasco, but their art has also been found in El Salvador. The best known Olmec centers such as those dominated from 1200-800 BCE are at La Venta, San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, Tres Zapotes, Chalcatzingo and La Mojarra. The Olmecs built permanent cities and laid the foundation for the development of the other later cultures in Mesoamerica such as. the Maya.
o.100-1000 EVT – The Mayans became the dominant culture in the area. The Mayans built the famous cities of Tikal, Palenque, Copán and Kalakmul, in addition to Dos Pilas, Uaxactun, Altun Ha and many others in the area. The Maya never disappeared; there are millions of Mayans living in Central America today, and several of them speak one of the languages of the Maya family. A Mayan myth about which there was a lot of attention in 2012 was about their well-developed calendar, which stretched several thousand years forward in time. Their last created calendar ended on December 21, 2012. By many, this date has been seen as the time of the end of the world. Also Nostradamus had the idea that the world goes by that date. Others are convinced that the Earth will not perish when the Mayan calendar expires because a new calendar will take effect immediately after. (as you know it did not happen). See an overview of Mayan ruins here.
14th Century – The Toltecs, skilled temple builders who dominated most of central Mexico between the 10th and 12th centuries, arrived in the state. The Toltecs merged the many small states in central Mexico, into a kingdom ruled from their capital lay where the ancient Mayan city of Tulum is located today ( Tula de Allende ).
15th Century – Chontales – Culture originated in the area. Historians believe they may have migrated from Nicaragua. Chontales is the Mayan name for ” stranger “. The people consider themselves to be descendants of the Olmecs. Trade between Chontales and the Maya led to the development and growth of significant cities such as Cimatán and Teapa. In the 15th century, about 135,000 people lived in the area. Today they live mainly in the municipality of Nacajuca in the city of Nacajuca. They are also spread out in Centla, El Centro, Jonuta and Macuspana.
1564 – The town of Villahermosa is founded by Diego de Quijada on June 24.
1846-1848 – US troops occupy the state temporarily during the Mexican-American War.
1864 – French troops invade the state to defend the appointment of Maximilian I, who had forced Mexican President Benito Juárez out of office and declared himself emperor. In 1867, the last French troops and Maximilian’s allies were defeated and driven out of the country. That same year, Juárez was re-elected president. Juárez, often considered Mexico’s greatest and most popular leader, died at his desk of a heart attack on July 18, 1872.
