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I heard on the radio the other day that New Mexico was named after Mexico City - just as the country was. It was considered by the Spaniards to be another territory where they would be able conquer the locals and indulge in the riches of the land.
I thought this was pretty interesting because I'd always figured we were just named after the country Mexico
Another thing in common: Land area wise Mexico is the 5th in the Americas and New Mexico is 5th in the USA.
I'd be willing to bet there are more Mexicans in all, if not most of our bordering states (Arizona, Utah (kinda) Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Chihuahua, Sonora).
But yes, a [relatively] significant Mexican population is another thing we have in common with Mexico
Last edited by abqpsychlist; 02-22-2012 at 04:18 AM..
I heard on the radio the other day that New Mexico was named after Mexico City - just as the country was.
Conquistador Francisco Vazquez de Coronado in 1542, he reported his findings on the territories north of Mexico (generally above the Rio Grande) and called them "Nuevo Mexico". Since then, these territories were named as the Territorios de Nuevo Mexico (Territories of New Mexico).
What we now call "Mexico" was called New Spain (Nueva España) after the Spaniards arrived. The word "Mexico" came from the Mexica Indians who lived in the valley where Mexico City was established. After Mexican independence in 1810, "New Spain" was dropped and the name of the capital and largest city became the name for the country. But by then "Nuevo Mexico" had already been in use for over 200 years for our region.
I like the saying "New Mexico is not new, and is not Mexico."
But we do have a lot in common culturally, in language, food, religion, and traditions. Unfortunately New Mexico didn't get any of the baroque architecture of Mexico. And we have to import the tequila.
When you think of Mexico, you think of beautiful ocean resort towns, beaches, tropical places, New Mexico has none of that. New Mexico has a climate shared with a few northern Mexico regions or states, something similar to Sonora or Chihuahua --- but those states don't sum up Mexico.
Mexico to me is what you find in Mexico City, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, the central states where most Mexican culture is centered.
When you think of Mexico, you think of beautiful ocean resort towns, beaches, tropical places, New Mexico has none of that. New Mexico has a climate shared with a few northern Mexico regions or states, something similar to Sonora or Chihuahua --- but those states don't sum up Mexico.
Mexico to me is what you find in Mexico City, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, the central states where most Mexican culture is centered.
When I think of Mexico I think of drug cartels, sewage-laced water and 5-cent Zippos.
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Corrupt governments!
