Morelos
Encyclopedia
Morelos officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Morelos (Free and Sovereign State of Morelos) is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District
, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico
. It is divided in 33 municipalities
and its capital city is Cuernavaca
.
It is located in South-Central Mexico
. It is bordered by the states of México to the north-east and north-west, Puebla
to the east, Guerrero
to the southwest and to the north with Mexico City
.
Morelos is the second-smallest state of the country just after Tlaxcala
. It was part of the very large province then State of Mexico until 1869, when Benito Juárez
decree that its territory would be separated and named in honor of José María Morelos y Pavón, who defended the city of Cuautla
from royalist forces during the Mexican War of Independence
. Most of the state is dominated by a warm climate year-round, which is good for the raising of sugar cane and other crops. It also has attracted visitors from the Valley of Mexico
since Aztec
times. Today, many people from Mexico City spend weekends in the state and own second homes, especially in the Cuernavaca
area.
The state is also known for the Chinelos
, a type of costumed dancer, which appear at festivals, especially Carnival
, which is celebrated in a number of communities in the state. It is also home to Tepoztlán
, a “New Age” town and a World Heritage Site, the Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
.
Evidence of the first human inhabitants in what is now Morelos dates back to 6000 BCE and shows these people as nomadic hunters and gatherers in the areas of Yautepec
and Chimalacatan. The first agriculturally based settlements appear around 1500 BCE in Tamoachán. Other early finds includes clay jars and figures in the Gaulupita neighborhood of Cuernavaca and three mounds in Santa María Ahuacactitlán, which are probably the remains of houses.
The earliest identified culture is the Olmec
, which was dominant from 200 BCE to about 500 CE. Evidence of this culture is found in reliefs such as those found in the Cantera Mountain in Chalcatzingo
and clay figures.
After the Olmec period, the area was invaded by several waves of migration from the Valley of Mexico in the north. The settlement of Mazatepec is founded in 603 by the Toltecs . A second wave Toltecs established the city state of Xochicalco
(city of flowers). Teotihuacan
influence is most evident at the temple of Quetzalcoatl
but there are also signs of Mayan
, Mixtec
and Zapotec influences. The last wave of Toltecs arrived in the 12th century. There are two groups from this wave. The first to arrive were the Xochimilcas, who settled in places such as Tetela
, Hueyapan
, Tepoztlán and Xumiltepec. Shortly afterwards the Tlahuicas
arrived and has settled in an around Cuauhnáhuac or Cuernavaca by 1250. There is evidence that indicates the Tlauhuicas probably would have been expelled from Morelos by the Xochimilcas if they had not been protected by Xólotl, lord of Acolhua
, who granted territory to Tochintecutli, the first lord of Cuauhnáhuac. The Tlahuicas are believed to be an offshoot of the Toltec-Chichimec group of Nahuatl
speaking peoples who have occupied the area since the seventh century.
The Tlahuica eventually became the dominant ethnicity. They were organized into about fifty small city-states each with a hereditary ruler (tlatoani
). Each Tlahuica city-state consisted of a
central town, with its temple, plaza and palace and the surrounding countryside and villages. The largest where Cuernavaca and Huaxtepec (now spelled Oaxtepec
) . These people had advanced knowledge of astronomy and a highly developed agricultural system.
They were especially known for growing cotton, which was planted wherever the land could be irrigated, with Tlahuica women spinning and weaving cloth. This cloth became a main means of exchange and of paying tribute.
The Mexica
or Aztec began to arrive in the area as early as 1398, but efforts to dominate this area began in the 1420s. In the 1420s and 1430s, Cuernavaca and Jiutepec
were conquered by Itzcoatl
. In the middle of the century, other city states in Morelos made war on Aztec held Cuernavaca and the Aztecs used this as an excuse to conquer areas such as Yautepec, Tetlama and other locations, eventually dominating the entire state. The inclusion of the area into the Aztec Empire was sealed with marriage of Aztec emperor Huitzilihuitl
to Miahuaxochitl, daughter of the lord of Cuernavaca. This union produced a son who would become Aztec emperor Moctezuma Ilhuicamina. These conquered areas were allowed to keep their local political structures as long as tribute was regularly paid. This tribute mostly consisted of cotton items. The territory was divided into two tributary provinces, one centered on Cuernavaca and the other centered on Oaxtepec.
Moctezuma Ilhuicamina succeeded Izcóatl, and tradition has it that he established a botanical garden in Oaxtepec, as well as vacationing in the warm springs located at the foothills of the Ajusco, located in what is now a resort run by the Social Security Administration (IMSS)
. Another possible location for Moctezuma’s favorite swimming area is a nearby pond called “Poza Azul”.
The Mexica built a number of fortifications in the area, notably in the hills called El Sobrerito and Tlatoani near Tlayacapan
; the pyramid of Tepozteco (Tepoztlán) may have also been designed as a fort and look-out post. The Tlauhuica built the double-pyramid known as Teopanzolco
in Cuernavaca at this time also.
, 20,000; and 12,000 each for Tlayacapan, Tetela, Yecapitxtla, and Ocuituco
.
The Spanish under Hernán Cortés
arrived into central Mexico. After Cortés defeat in Tenochtitlan in 1520 (La Noche Triste
) and retreat into Tlaxacala, he sent expeditions to Morelos. One of the first Mexicas to accept Spanish authority was in Ocuituco. After the fall of Tenochtitlan, the Spanish returned to Morelos to subdue the Tlahuicas in Cuernavaca in 1521, led by Gonzalo de Sandoval
. However, the first attempt failed. The next attempt first took Yautepec, Oaxtepec and Jiutepec and after a fierce fight, finally took the city. He constructed the Palace of Cortés
in this city five years later.
In 1529, Cortés was named the Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca, which gave him control over 4,000 km² of territory in Morelos with Cuernavaca as the seat of authority over about eighty communities, eight haciendas and two sugar cane plantations. These lands stayed in the Cortés family until 1809, when the government confiscated all of the lands of the Marquis.
Historian Ward Barrett considers that the Morelos region had a physical unity during the colonial period that was sufficient to define and set it apart in contrast to many other parts of Mexico. Much of this definition comes from its geography, which is a basin into which abundant water flows. The arrival of the Spanish shifted agricultural practices from cotton to sugar cane and the refining of such into sugar in nearby mills. Since this sugar competed with that grown in the Caribbean
by slaves, the hacienda
system was extremely powerful, reducing workers to serf status. This system would remain more or less intact until the Mexican Revolution
.
of Jantetelco
joined this army in 1811.
By 1812, insurgents had control of the city Cuautla and royalist forces began to put it under siege. Morelos and his men held out for 58 days when reinforcement arrived, breaking the siege. This was one of the early vital wins for the insurgent movement. Morelos would eventually be captured by royalist and executed in 1815, but the memory of this battle would lead to the future state being named after him.
After winning Independence, what is now the state of Morelos was the district of Cuernavaca as part of the very large State of Mexico, created in 1824. The entity would change status between state and department depending on whether liberal or conservative factions were in charge. In 1857, the State of Mexico and all other state would keep their federal status permanently under the constitution adopted that year.
Cuernavaca gained the title of city in 1834. During the Mexican-American War, this city was taken by the Americans under General Cadwalader
.
The next conflict to play out in the state was the uprising against President Antonio López de Santa Anna
under the Plan of Ayutla
in 1854. Armed rebellion broke out in Cuautla and Santa Anna responded by burning entire villages. However, the rebellion dislodged Santa Anna, naming Juan Álvarez
as the president. Alvarez moved the Mexican capital to Cuernavaca, with many foreign diplomatic missions moving to the city as well. A new constitution convention was called and when the 1857 Constitution was proclaimed Alvarez retired and the capital moved back to Mexico City.
The new constitution did not stop fighting among Conservative and Liberal factions in Mexico, which escalated again into the Reform War
from 1858 to 1861. Cuernavaca was a stronghold of the conservatives, while Cuautla was a liberal bastion. More than anything else, anarchy ruled, as bandits roamed the region, burned and destroyed the haciendas of Pantitlán and Xochimancas, and terrorized villagers. The war ended on January 11, 1861 when Benito Juárez
took control of Mexico City. Ignacio Manuel Altamirano
wrote a novel, set in Yautepec, about the war and the bandits, called El Zarco: Episodios de la Vida Mexicana en 1861–63.
The division between the Liberal and Conservative parts of the state remain through the French Intervention in Mexico
. When the French army invaded Mexico, Francisco Leyva raised an army in Morelos to fight in the Battle of Puebla
of May 5, 1862. Despite the heroic efforts on that day, the French eventually managed to gain control of the country and install Maximilian of Habsburg
as emperor in 1864. Maximilian chose the Jardin Borda in Cuernavaca as his summer residence, and he built “La Casa del Olindo” in Cuernavaca supposedly for Margarita Leguizmo Sedano, his mistress known as “La India Bonita”. The French emperor improved the road from Mexico City to Cuernavaca and telegraphy service between the two began in 1866. However, resistance to French rule was well underway. On January 1, 1867, republican troops under the leadership of Francisco Leyva, Ignacio Figueroa, and Ignacio Manuel Altamirano began an eight-day siege of Cuernavaca. Soon after that the French under Napoleon III withdrew its troops, and by July Maximilian was dethroned and executed.
After the French were expelled by forces under Benito Juárez, there were efforts to divide the State of Mexico. This resulted in the creation of the state of Morelos on 21 September 1868 by the federal Congress of Mexico. The territory of the state was the Third Military District of the State of Mexico as defined by the Juarez government. The name of Morelos and the capital Cuernavaca were selected by the state’s first legislature. The first state constitution was finalized in 1870. There were boundary disputes between the new state with Mexico State and the Federal District, but these were resolved by the 1890s.
A telegraph line from Mexico City-Cuernavaca had been laid between 1867 and 1869; in 1870 it was extended to Iguala
, Chilpancingo
, and Tixla. Another line, between Cuernavaca and Cuautla, was laid in 1875. Attempts were made to improve education, but limited funds made that virtually impossible. Other infrastructure projects in the late 19th century included the Toluca
-Cuernavaca highway, and a rail line between Mexico City and Cuautla. Rail lines would continue to be built through the late 19th century and into the 20th connecting the state further with Mexico City and to the Pacific Ocean. On May 11, 1874 the capital was moved to Cuautla; it was returned to Cuernavaca on January 1, 1876.
The diocese of Cuernavaca was established in 1894 with Fortino Hipólito Vera as the first bishop.
After Independence, the sugar industry continued and made Morelos one of the richest parts of Mexico. This was the main reason for the infrastructure projects during the latter 19th century as much of this sugar was being exported, mostly to Europe. However, the riches of the plantations were enjoyed only by often-absentee landowners, with workers in debt and poverty. During the presidency of Porfirio Díaz
in the late 19th and very early 20th centuries, the larger plantations modernized used steam-driven mills and centrifugal extractors. This meant that those with the resources were able to demand more water and other resources and crowd out smaller competitors. It also resulted in an even wider gap between workers and owners. The prosperous landowners had much political clout under the Diaz regime as production increased fivefold. This allowed them to apply political pressure to obtain lands that had previously been held in communially among mestizos and indigenous groups. Between 1884 and 1905, eighteen towns in Morelos disappeared as lands were taken by the haciendas.
However, the development of the haciendas came at the expense of the general populace which lost lands, water rights and even forced them to live on hacienda lands. The growth of the large haciendas, eventually concentrated the economy into 28 haciendas which occupied 77% of the state’s territory.
This situation would make the state ripe for the Mexican Revolution
and the base for one of the best known revolutionaries from this period: Emiliano Zapata
, who was born in the state. Some of the first outbreaks of violence took place in Cuernavaca under Genovevo de la O
in 1910. The state fell into the hands of Zapata’s Liberation Army of the South
only one year after hostilities broke out in 1910. Government forces attacked towns and cities in the state, trying to take it back. It would remain solidly in Zapata’s hands unitil his death in 1919, despite challenges late in the war to forces loyal to fellow revolutionary Venustiano Carranza
. The Zapatistas imposed a heavy tax on haciendas; when the owners refused to pay, the rebels burned the cane fields such as those of Chinameca, Tenango, Treinta, Atilhuayan, Santa Iñes, and San Gabriel. Zapata’s remains are currently in Cuautla at the foot of a statue erected in his honor.
Since the Revolution, the state’s history has centered on development and crime. There were problems with highway and train bandits in the 1920s and 1930s, and the Buenavista-Tepoztlán highway was built in 1936. Highway construction eventually led to the closing of a number of rail lines including the Mexico City-Cuernavaca-Iguala line in 1963.
As it has been since Aztec times, the state has been a favorite retreat for those in Mexico City, especially Cuernavaca, due to its warm year-round climate. This has been especially true since the latter 20th century and has spurred a major housing boom which continues to this day. Most of this boom is centered on the city of Cuernavaca but there it also affects Cuautla and some other places as well.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the major crime problem was kidnapping for ransom. The kidnapping crime wave caused investment in the state to drop from a high of US $245million in 1999 to $102 million in 2002, with the state lagging the country in job creation. The state broke the kidnapping rings in the early 2000s, mostly by arresting corrupt lawyers, police and judges who were protecting kidnapping rings, includes one rund by Daniel “Mocha Orejas” Arizmendi, who received his nickname by cutting off his victims’ ears and sending them to family members. The busts brought the kidnapping rate to below national average.
The kidnapping problems, however, have been replaced with violence related to the drug trade, despite the fact that Morelos is far from the U.S. border. The 2009 slaying of kingpin Arturo Beltrán Leyva set of a turf war for his successor. It has increased the number of gun battles and gangland-style executions. Anonymous email threats succeed in keeping people away from Cuernavaca at night, with bars and nightclubs closing when such communications threaten drug war violence. In 2004, Governor Sergio Estrada ordered the mass firing of all of the state police officers after top police commanders were arrested on charges that they were working with drug traffickers. This caused a major political battle for the governor, who then himself accused of cooperating with drug rings, with attempts to take him out of office. The area around Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
, on Morelos’ border with Mexico City is one of Mexico’s 16 most dangerous regions, in part due to the narcotics trade.
The state is considered to be one of the most dangerous, despite its small size and population. Most crime is centered in Cuernavaca. Its crime rate surpasses that of Mexico City in terms of crimes per 1000 people. It is over 50% higher than the national average. Although the city has only 21% of the population, it suffers 45% of the crime committed in the state. There are a number of possible causes. Some blame the judicial system for being inept and there are strong links to the drugtrafficking trade, bringing in merchandise to Mexico City.
Morelos, most of which is between 1,000 and 3,300 meters (2,900 – 9,800 feet) above sea level, has a very diverse topography: 42% mountainous, 16% hilly land, and 42% flat terrain. The highest altitudes are found near the state’s border with Mexico City, and the lowest are found in the Huaxtla region. The state straddles two main geographic formations, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
in the north and east and the Sierra Madre del Sur
, which stretches south and west from Cuernavaca and Jiutepec. The majestic mountain peaks of the Sierra Ajusco
in the north of the state divide Morelos from the neighboring Valley of Mexico.
The state is in the highest part fo the Balsas River
basin, which ends in the north in the areas bounded by the Sierra Ajusco-Chichinautzin and the Popocatépetl
volcano. From this point south, the state gradually slopes downward, interrupted by the Tlaltizapan and Yautepec mountains in the center of the state and the Huautla mountains in the south. There are no major rivers here but a large number of small rivers and streams which all eventually feed into the Balsas River.
The climate and vegetation varies from alpine meadows in the highest elevations near Popocatepetl to lowland rainforest in the south. Roughly 70% of the state has a humid and relatively warm climate, especially in the highly populated areas of Cuernavaca, Tepotzlán, Oaxtepec and Yautepec. Average temperature is approximately 25°C (77°F) year round, with a rainy season from May until September.
The climates can be further subdivided into hot and semihumid, semi hot and semi humid, temperate and semi humid, semi cold and semi humid and cold. The hot and semi humid climate covers about 78% of the state’s territory, with an average temperature of 22C, with rains in the summer. This area presents mostly subtropical rainforest type vegetation.The semi hot and semi humid climate can be found in a strip in the north of the state and accounts for 13% of the territory. Average temperature varies between 18 and 22C with rains in the summer and a dry season in the winter. A temperate and semi humid climate covers about 10% of the territory and found in the north of the state around the municipalities of Huitzilac, Tlanepantla, Totolapan
, Tetela del Volcán
and parts of Cuernavaca, Tepoztlan, Ocuituco, Tlayacapan and Miacatlán
. This area has an average temperature of between 10 and 15C, with mixed forests of pine and holm oak
. A semi cold and semi humid climate accounts for only 2% of the territory and found along the borders of the Federal District, Mexico State and Puebla. This area has pine forests and some alpine meadows. The coldest climate is found in the upper parts of Popocatepetl that belong to the state. Average temperature here is less than 5C with frequent freezes. Most of the vegetation is alpine meadow or moss.
The natural resources of the state have been taken advantage of for centuries and have suffered changes as a consequence, especially in landscapes, water sources, flora and fauna. This change accelerates as the population grows. The state has one major national park called the Lagunas de Zempoala
. It is one of Mexico’s largest national parks, located on the southern flank of the Sierra Madre mountains. The park had five mountain-fed lakes and abundant wildlife when the park was established in 1937.This park is being stressed due to illegal logging with subsequent soil erosion and water from its last dark blue lake to drainage. Much of this drainage is to provide water to Cuernavaca, whose population uses 785 liters of water per day per person, twice that of Mexico City. The park’s area has shrunk from 55000 acre (222.6 km²) to 12,500.
Much of the state’s ecological woes stem from the housing explosion, which is mostly centered in the capital of Cuernavaca, but it is a problem in places such as Cuautla as well.Groups such as the Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra y el Agua and Guardianes de los Àrboles have criticized the government for allowing city areas to grow with insufficient planning and control. They also claim that it is hurting much of the state’s ecosystem and water supply.
The state has had a higher than average population increase since the mid 1990s at about 4%. In some areas, population growth has been very high at points, such ais in Jiutepec at over 21% and Emiliano Zapata with over 15%. Much of this growth has been in the main cities of Cuernavaca, Cuautla, Ayala and Yautepec. This growth has meant the loss of Morelos’ ability to feed itself, with less than 40% of grains consumed grown inside the state. Population growth has also put strain on infrastructure such as water, sewer, potable water, electricity, roads and schools.
The Catholic religion dominates but there are significant minorities of evangelical Protestants and those of the Jewish faith.
The indigenous population of the state is estimated at 8%, just under the national average of 10%.(perfilsoc) However, only 2% of the population is counted as speaking an indigenous language compared to seven nationally. The total counted in 2005 by INEGI was 24,757.
Historically, various Nahua peoples have dominated the state. This population severely diminished during the colonial period and again during the Porfiriato (late 19th and early 20th century), when many indigenous peasants were sent to other parts of the country to work. Those considered to be ethnically indigenous are located in 33 municipalities with most concentrated in 15 of these. Many identify as Mixtec, Tlapaneco and Zapotec who have immigrated from Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca. Most of those who identify as Nahua are native to the state. Many of the immigrant indigenous are migrant workers, traveling among fields of sugar cane, corn, tomatoes and onions. Some return to their home states in the off-season and some remain permanently in Morelos.
While indigenous languages have almost completely disappeared since the Conquest, many old customs and traditions continue to live on as part of many people’s identity. Many ethnic Nahuas conserve much of their ancient knowledge, such as dances, music agricultural practices and rituals although most a mixed with Catholic and moderns beliefs and practices. Since Mexico’s census only counts those who speak an indigenous language and not by ethnicity, it is not possible to be sure the precise number of Morelos’ Nahua population. Between 32 and 35 communities in the state have been identified as being “indigenous” based on prevailing customs and tradition. However, this does not take into account migrant workers or who have immigrated to the state from other parts of Mexico. In 2000, 30,896 people were counted as speaking an indigenous language, with the municipalities of Cuautla, Cuernavaca, Ayala, Puente de Ixtla, Temixco and Tetela del Volcàn having the highest number of speakers.
Of the eleven municipalities which are classified as highly marginalized economically, only three have a significant indigenous population, which are Temoac, Miacatlán and Tetela del Volcán. However, in larger municipalities such as Cuernavaca and Jiutepec, indigenous communities here tend to be highly marginalized.
Morelos is subdivided into 33 municipios
(municipalities
).
Aside from the state capital of Cuernavaca
, nicknamed La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera (The City of Eternal Spring), other major communities include:
Economically, the state divides into seven districts. The Cuernavaca Region includes the municipalities of Cuernavaca, Temixco, Emiliano Zapata
, Jiutepec
and Xochitepec
. The Norte Region includes the municipalities of Huitzilac, Tepoztlán, Tlalnepantla and Totolapan. The Cuautla Region includes the municipalities of Atlatlahucan
, Ayala, Cuautla, Tlayacapan, Yautepec and Yecapixtla. The Noreste Region includes Ocuituco, Temoac
, Tetela del Volcán and Zacualpan de Amilpas
. The Sureste Region includes Axochiapan
, Jantetelco
, Jonacatepec
and Tepalcingo
. The Sur Region includes Amacuzac, Jojutla
, Puente de Ixtla
, Tlaltizapán
, Tlaquiltenango
and Zacatepec de Hidalgo
and the Poniente Region includes Coatlán del Río
, Mazatepec, Miacatlán
and Tetecala .
In 2003, it was one of the first states to take advantage of a new law allowing states to sell bonds. In 2002, the state sold $24 million USD worth of bonds on the Mexican stock market, to finance highways, schools, waterworks and other infrastructure projects. The bond sales also allow the state to have access to lower-interest long-term financing.
Due to its location near Mexico City, the state has one of the lower rates of economic marginalization, ranking 20th of 33 units in economic marginialzation, based on housing and education. The most urbanized areas of the state are the economically best off, with the least urbanized being the poorest. Two of the factors in the development of the state’s economy since the 1960s is the opening of the Mexico City-Acapulco
highway through the state in 1952 and the creation of the CIVAC (Ciudad Industrial Valle de Cuernavaca) industrial complex in 1965. This concentrated the population growth into the northern part of the state. Only eleven of the states 33 municicpalities are considered to have any serious degree of marginalization: Tlalnepantla, Totolapan, Tlayacapan, Tetela del Volcán, Ocuituco, Zaculapan, Temoac, Tepalcingo, Amacuzac, Coatlán del Río, Miacatlán and some parts of Puente de Ixtla.
Since the 1980s, the agricultural sector of the economy has been steadily shrinking but it remains an important part of the state’s economy, as there are still a significant number of communities that rely on it. Just under 20% of the working population of the state is involved in farming, ranching, fish farming or forestry. Land available for human exploitation outside of populated areas is divided between agriculture/grazing (45%) and forestry (55%). Agricultural and forestry lands are further subdivided by climate and the type of forest (conifer vs. rainforest). Roughly 70% of the state has a subtropical climate, providing ideal conditions for agriculture, in particular sugar cane, and most farming is done in the warmer areas. Sugar cane has been an important crop since colonial times and still is important today, although the percentage of land dedicated to it has decreased since the 1960s. Another important crop is rice, which is also diminishing. The production of rice in the state has fallen drastically, from a height of 100,000 tons annually to only 21,000 tons due to the reduction in cultivation areas and the high costs of production. The state still ranks sixth in its production. However, despite Price and market protections, foreign rice is competing with Mexican grown rice including rice produced in the state. Sorghum has replaced lost yields of sugar cane and rice to a certain extent, which has been encouraged by the government. One way the state tries to sell its more expensive products such as rice has been the registration of a trademark called “Tradicion Agricola de Morelos” (Morelos Agricultural Tradition) to identify products produced in the state on store shelves.
Another important cash and export crop is fresh flowers and ornamental plants. In 2003, this sector accounted for 27 million dollars of income to the state, up from 20 million in 2000. Morelos is Mexico’s major producers of roses, producing 54,552 dozens in 2002. Morelos claims to be the native location of the poinsettia
, called “noche buena” in Spanish. It is native to Mexico, but there has been a “diplomatic patent” on the plant since the early 19th century when the first US ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, registered it. The state’s historical society has ased the Secretary of the Interior to review treaties and work to have this patent annulled. As it stands now, Mexican poinsettia growers must pay royalty fees to the U.S. and even import cuttings from authorized growers in the U.S. to grow the plant commercially. Another effort to combat the patent is to develop a new variety of the flower that would not be covered.
Vegetables and fruits, along with corn and beans grown for subsistence are widely grown. These include bananas, cherimoya
s, mamey
s, melons, cucumbers, tomatillo
s, jicama
, squash, alfalfa
, cotton, peanuts, onions and tomatoes. Many crops are grown for auto consumption, especially in indigenous areas. The state is working to help shift agriculture production from the traditional corn and beans, which can be imported cheaper, to other products such as apricots, which have been shown to make money. Livestock mostly consists of cattle, pigs, horses and domestic fowl. There is some fish farming in the state, mostly of mojarra
and tilapia
in Rodeo and Zacatepec.
Industry, mining and construction accounts for 29% of the state’s GDP and employs 27% of the working population. One important industry is food processing, especially sugar came, rice, sorghum
, grains, flowers and more.
Goods produced include autos and auto parts, textiles, pharmaceuticals, metal products, agro-industry, ceramics and handcrafted items. Most exports go to the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Union
. In the early 2000s, the state attracted a number of foreign enterprises to build industrial facilities here, includes car parts such as windshields.
There are two major industrial parks in the state, Ciudad Industrial del Valle de Cuernavaca (CIVAC) and Parque Industrial de Cuautla (PINC) . The Ciudad Industrial del Valle de Cuernavaca or CIVAC is located in the municipality of Jiutepec. It was created in 1966 and is considered to be the most important economic development in the state. Today the park is home to 108 business, 35% of which are transnationals. The Parque Industrial de Cuautla is located outside of the city. It occupies 113 hectares, with about 40% of this available. The industrial park suffered major damage in 2007. In 2009, the government intervened with plans to rescue the park and improve its infrastructure with a budget of 240 million pesos
.
The Desarrollo Industrial Emiliano Zapata is the newest park, located just outside of Cuernavaca in the municipality of Emiliano Zapata. It has an extension of 23.5 hectares. One of its principal occupants if the NUSTART clothing manufacturer. Another is the Emiliano Zapata Central de Abastos (wholesale food market) .
Commerce, transportation, services and tourism accounts for 59% of the state’s GDP and employs just over 50% of the working population. The growth of the commerce sector is due to urbanization and the growth of tourism. The biggest selling point of the state touristically is its location, just south of Mexico City, which has the largest and wealthiest population in the country. Most of these come to the state for its water parks, spas, or to spend weekend in Cuernavaca’s nightclubs, and away from Mexico City’s traffic and pollution. Many of these visitors have bought second homes here, which has driven property prices up. Those from Mexico City and other cities are also attracted to the states water parks and spas, such as Las Palmas in Tehuixtla, El Rollo in and the Parque Acuatico Oaxtepec.
The state, especially around the capital of Cuernavaca, has experienced a housing boom since the late 1990s. More than 10,000 houses were built from 2000 to 2008 and another 50,000 are planned through 2013. The state’s office of urban development states that this is far above what is needed to house the state’s population. Instead, it reflects demand from Mexico City for weekend and getaway homes. The housing boom has put strain on infrastructure and on property prices.
The Secretary of Tourism for the state promotes the city of Cuernavaca, Tepotzlán, Tlayacapan, Xochicalco, Cuautla and Tequesquitengo. As the center of the state’s history and culture, the city of Cuernavaca has landmarks and attractions such as the Palacio de Cortés, the Morelos ande Juárez Gardens, the Cuernavaca Cathedral
, and the Borda Garden. Another important attraction for visitors to Cuernavaca is the various Spanish language schools, which attract foreign students, many from the United States.
Tepotzlán is another area where many people from Mexico City visit during the weekends. Tepotzlan is a “New Age” town famous for its pyramids and “revitalizing energy.” It was named a “Pueblo Mágico
” in 2002. It is home to one of the Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
, a World Heritage Site
. Tlayacapan is located in the northeast part of the state, just south of Mexico City. It is a rural area, whose way of life has not changed much over the 20th century, with 90% of its population still partially or fully dependent on agriculture. The town has old mansions, houses with red tile roofs and streets paved with stones. Many ravines crisscross the area and are crossed by numerous stone bridges. It is also home to the San Juan Bautista Monastery and 26 chapels built in the colonial era.
Cuautla is the second largest city in the state and was the site of one of the early major battle of the Mexican War of Independence. The center of the town is home to the Municipal Palace and the Santo Domingo Church. One major attraction is the Morelos House, where José María Morelos y Pavon lived. Near the city are various spas and waters parks such as the Agua Hedionda, famous for its foul-smelling sulfur laden waters. The original town of is now located under Lake Tequesquitengo, which was created when the area was flooded by damming the local river. Only the bell tower of the town church is visible. The lake is 3 km by 4.5 km and is used by visitors for watersports and weekend getaways.
The state has a number of archeological sites, the largest and most important of which is Xochicalco. It was founded by Mayan traders known as the Olmeca-Xicallanca, later inhabited by the Tlahuica and has been designated as a World Heritage Site. Its best known structure is the Temple of Quetzalcoatl
. The site of Teopanzolco
is located within the city of Cuernavaca. It was a ceremonial center of the Tlahuicas, which was modified in the 15th century by the Mexicas. The site has large plazas and circular buildings. The most important temple is the Twin Temples (Templos Gemelos), similar to the Templo Mayor in Mexico City. Tepozteco is located on a mountain ridge 600 meters over the town of Tepotzlán. It was built between 1150 and 1350 CE and dedicated to Ometochtli-Tepoxtécatl, the god of pulque
, fertility and harvests. Today, the mountain area in which it is located is the El Tepozteco National Park, which was established in 1937.
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
is a World Heritage Site that consists of fourteen monasteries that are located south and east of Mexico City
, most in the state of Morelos with three in the state of Puebla. The monasteries in Morelos are located in the municipalities of Atlatlahucan
, Cuernavaca
, Tetela del Volcán
, Yautepec
, Ocuituco
, Tepoztlán
, Tlayacapan
, Totolapan
, Yecapixtla
and Zacualpan de Amilpas
. The three in Puebla are located in Calpan
, Huejotzingo
and Tochimilco
. The state promotes the monasteries as the “Route of the Monasteries” or the “Route of the Volcano.” Most, but not all, of these monasteries are located on the periphery of the Popocatepetl volcano. This area also has varying landscapes, a wide variety of flora and fauna as well as churches, former hacienda, archeological sites and ruins.
in the north of the state. This band was formed in 1870 and is the state's oldest band organization. Originally it was begun by Vidal Santamaría and at first consisted of family members playing simple wind instruments. Over time, the organization grew, surviving the Mexican Revolution and the siege of the area by the Liberation Army of the South
. Today, the band is still led by the Santamaría family and has performed in the United States and Europe. It is noted not only for its longevity but also for its ability to rescue and preserve a large number of traditional music from Morelos and central Mexico. In popular music, the best known composer from the state is Arturo Márquez
, who was born in Álamos, Sonora, but has lived in Cueravaca for a long time. He is known for his danzones
.
.The dance is popular on many occasions but especially during Carnival in which it originated. The origin of the dance or tradition is not known. One story dates the origin to 1870, when a group of youths decided to dress in old clothes, covering their faces in cloth to shout and jump around in the streets. Other stories put the origin much farther in the past during the colonial past, either as a syncretism between Spanish and indigenous dances, or as a protest or mockery of the indigenous’ Spanish overlords. However, it has clearly been identified as originating in Tlayacapan and since then has spread to various parts of Morelos state, parts of Puebla and the Federal District of Mexico City.
Today, the Chinelo is considered to be a symbol of the identity of the state. Although Chinelos are most frequently found in Tepoztlán, Chinelos groups exist many communities such as Yautepec, Oacalco, Cualtlixco, Atlahuahuacàn, Oaxtepec, Jojutla and Totolapan. They can also be found in certain parts of Puebla. The Chinelos dance in groups near each other. Each dancer has his/her own style, which s/he has been developing since childhood.
Although not as well known as the Carnival of Veracruz
, a number of communities in the state hold Carnival celebrations in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday
. These include Jiutepec, Tlaltizapán, Emiliano Zapata, Tepoztlán, Tlayacapan, Yautepec, and Xochitepec. What distinguishes carnivals in Morelos from others in Mexico is the participation of the Chinelos and bands with wind instruments. In Tepotzlan on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, the traditional tianguis
market is cleared away from the main square and hundreds of multicolored stands move onto the streets in order to a make way for Carnival. The street stands mostly specialized in items needed to enjoy the event. Chinelo dancers dominate the event, many in costumes which have been very expensive to assemble. Other events during Carnival here are processions, including one very large and principle one in which there are representatives of all the communities of the municipality. The events last from Sunday to midnight Tuesday, signaling the beginning Ash Wednesday and Lent
and each day the Chinelos dance more energetically than the last.
Major architectural works in the state date from the pre-Hispanic period to the 19th century. The most important pre-Hispanic structure are found at the Xochicalo and Teopanzolco
archeological sites. The first is a city that was built on top of a large hill, with the Temple of Queztalcoatl as its center. This temple is really a pyramid with significant Toltec
influence with four columns in the center. Teopanzolco has a pyramid with twin temples, as it was built by the Aztec
s after they conquered the area. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, major constructions here were Christian instead of the native pagan. In the first half of the 16th century, a series of fortress-like church and monastery complexes were built around the slopes of the Popocatépel volcano from Cuernavaca to Tetela del Volcán
, and on into Puebla state, all related to early evangelization efforts. Today, these monasteries are no longer used as such although most of the church associated with them remain active, and are now a World Heritage Site
. Non-ecclesiastical building from the colonial and Independence periods were mostly confined to the capital of Cuernavaca and include the Palacio de Cortés, the Borda Gardens and the Morelos and Ocampo Theaters. Much of the rest of the state was divided into large haciendas, many dedicated to sugar productions, with large senorial mansions for their owners. Some of these include Hacienda de Chiconcuac, Hacienda de San Gaspar and Hacienda de Ixtoluca. One notable 20th century structure was the Japananese style house built by Woolworths heiress Barbara Hutton just outside of the city of Cuernavaca.
Modern education in the state began during the Reform period
, with the Mexican government taking over educational responsibilities from the church. The government’s role in education expanded after the Mexican Revolution
. In Morelos, the government founded “Casas del Pueblo” (People’s Houses) staffed with a teacher for the community to become a central figure. In 1936, the Escuela Regional Campesina (Farm Workers’ Regional School) was established in Yautepec and a short time after that President Lázaro Cárdenas
founded the Escuela Normal Feminina de Palmira (Palmira Teachers College for Women) and the Instituto Federal de Capacitacion del Magisterio for those to earn or complete their teaching credentials.
Until 1991, education was rigidly centralized and bureaucratic, causing difficulties in providing adequate education to many areas. In 1992, the Instituto de la Educación Básica (Basic Education Institute) was created to change this. This divided basic education into pre-school, special education, primary and secondary and provided guarantees for a minimum.
Today over 360,000 students are taught by over 13,000 teachers in 823 schools up to the eighth grade. All municipalities are required by state law to provide preschool, and grade school education to their populations up to the eighth grade, as well as professional development for teachers. All are required to attend school up to the eighth grade. Most schoolchildren begin with at least one year of preschool or kindergarten and secondary school (middle school) is provided either through face-to-face classes or through “telesecundarias” with televised classes in the more rural areas. Secondary schools are also divided into general and technical schools. The state has four teachers’ colleges, two which produce primary school teachers and two which produce secondary school teachers. The state education system provides education from pre-school to high school, vocational-technical education as well has higher education to the doctorate level. There are also “centros de capacitacion” or training centers for workers looking to improve basic and/or gain technical skills. The average number of years of schooling completed is 8.4 years (second year of middle school), with the national average at 8.1.
There are a total of 32 institution of higher education in the state. Many schools have set up campuses in Cuernavaca to escape Mexico City and the state is encouraging this. One of these schools is ITESM .
The origins of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos or UAEM date back to the 19th century when governor Francisco Leyva founded the Instituto Literario y Cientifico de Morelos in 1871. It was mostly suspended shortly thereafter by President Porfirio Diaz, a political opponent of Leyva, leaving only the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Studies in Acapantzingo. It was revived under the name of Instituto de Estudios Superiores del Estado de Morelos by Governor Elpidio Perdomo and President Lázaro Cárdenas. It was reorganized under its current name in 1953, after the additions of more fields of study. Currently, the school offers forty bachelor’s degrees.
Rural telephone service is available via satellite in the municipalities of Amacuzac, Ayala, Puente de Ixtla, Jojutla, Tlaltizapan and Tlaquiltenango.
Morelos operates a public television station, XHCMO-TV
channel 3, in Cuernavaca, with a repeater, XHMZE-TV channel 22, in Zacatepec. Cuernavaca also has other terrestrial television stations available, some local, while others repeaters of Mexico City-based stations.
Morelos is the most-connected state in terms of roadways, with highway connecting all of its communities. It has one of the highest densities of roadways in the country. There are also a number of rail lines that pass through.
The Cuernavaca airport west of the city has a 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) runway for modern passenger and cargo jets. The airport was expanded to make it possible to commute between Cuernavaca and cities such as Chicago
and Los Angeles
.
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It is divided in 33 municipalities
Municipalities of Morelos
The Mexican state of Morelos is subdivided into 33 municipalities :...
and its capital city is Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
.
It is located in South-Central Mexico
South-Central Mexico
The South-Central Mexico is a region of the United Mexican States, formed by the states of Morelos and México; as well as Mexico City, federal district and capital of the country. It is located in the central plateau of Prehispanic Mexico in the area of Texcoco lake...
. It is bordered by the states of México to the north-east and north-west, Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
to the east, Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
to the southwest and to the north with Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
Morelos is the second-smallest state of the country just after Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tlaxcala is one of the 31 states which along with the Federal District comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 60 municipalities and its capital city is Tlaxcala....
. It was part of the very large province then State of Mexico until 1869, when Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
decree that its territory would be separated and named in honor of José María Morelos y Pavón, who defended the city of Cuautla
Cuautla, Morelos
Cuautla , officially La heroica e histórica Cuautla de Morelos, or H. H. Cuautla de Morelos, is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos. In the 2005 census the city population was 145,482 and the municipality population was 160,285. The municipality covers 153.651 km²...
from royalist forces during the Mexican War of Independence
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
. Most of the state is dominated by a warm climate year-round, which is good for the raising of sugar cane and other crops. It also has attracted visitors from the Valley of Mexico
Valley of Mexico
The Valley of Mexico is a highlands plateau in central Mexico roughly coterminous with the present-day Distrito Federal and the eastern half of the State of Mexico. Surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, the Valley of Mexico was a centre for several pre-Columbian civilizations, including...
since Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
times. Today, many people from Mexico City spend weekends in the state and own second homes, especially in the Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
area.
The state is also known for the Chinelos
Chinelos
The Chinelos dance is a traditional dance in the state of Morelos, Mexico in which colourfully dressed dancers dance and wave flags accompanied by set traditional tunes played by a brass band...
, a type of costumed dancer, which appear at festivals, especially Carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
, which is celebrated in a number of communities in the state. It is also home to Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley. The town serves as the seat of government for the municipality of the same name. The town had a population of 14,130 inhabitants, while the municipality reported 41,629 inhabitants in the...
, a “New Age” town and a World Heritage Site, the Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site are fourteen 16th century monasteries which were built by the Augustinians, the Franciscans and the Dominicans in order to evangelize the areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico...
.
Pre-Hispanic period
Yautepec de Zaragoza
Yautepec is a city and its surrounding municipality of the same name located in the north-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at ....
and Chimalacatan. The first agriculturally based settlements appear around 1500 BCE in Tamoachán. Other early finds includes clay jars and figures in the Gaulupita neighborhood of Cuernavaca and three mounds in Santa María Ahuacactitlán, which are probably the remains of houses.
The earliest identified culture is the Olmec
Olmec
The Olmec were the first major Pre-Columbian civilization in Mexico. They lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico, in the modern-day states of Veracruz and Tabasco....
, which was dominant from 200 BCE to about 500 CE. Evidence of this culture is found in reliefs such as those found in the Cantera Mountain in Chalcatzingo
Chalcatzingo
Chalcatzingo is a Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Valley of Morelos dating from the Formative Period of Mesoamerican chronology. The site is well-known for its extensive array of Olmec-style monumental art and iconography. Located in the southern portion of the Central Highlands of Mexico,...
and clay figures.
After the Olmec period, the area was invaded by several waves of migration from the Valley of Mexico in the north. The settlement of Mazatepec is founded in 603 by the Toltecs . A second wave Toltecs established the city state of Xochicalco
Xochicalco
Xochicalco is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in the Municipality of Miacatlán in the western part of the Mexican state of Morelos. The name Xochicalco may be translated from Nahuatl as "in the house of Flowers". The site is located 38 km southwest of Cuernavaca, about 76 miles by road...
(city of flowers). Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan – also written Teotihuacán, with a Spanish orthographic accent on the last syllable – is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, just 30 miles northeast of Mexico City, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas...
influence is most evident at the temple of Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "feathered serpent". The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE...
but there are also signs of Mayan
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
, Mixtec
Mixtec
The Mixtec are indigenous Mesoamerican peoples inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla in a region known as La Mixteca. The Mixtecan languages form an important branch of the Otomanguean language family....
and Zapotec influences. The last wave of Toltecs arrived in the 12th century. There are two groups from this wave. The first to arrive were the Xochimilcas, who settled in places such as Tetela
Tetela del Volcán
Tetela del Volcán or simply Tetela, is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located on the slopes of the volcano Popocatépetl. .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
, Hueyapan
Hueyapan
Santo Domingo Hueyapan is a small town in the rural northeastern part of the Mexican state of Morelos, which belongs to the municipality of Tetela del Volcán. It lies at an elevation of ca 2000–2500 metres above sea level on the southern slopes of the active volcano Popocatépetl...
, Tepoztlán and Xumiltepec. Shortly afterwards the Tlahuicas
Matlatzinca
Matlatzinca is a name used to refer to different indigenous ethnic groups in the Toluca Valley in the state of México, located in the central highlands of Mexico. The term is applied to the ethnic group inhabiting the valley of Toluca and to their language, Matlatzinca.When used as an ethnonym,...
arrived and has settled in an around Cuauhnáhuac or Cuernavaca by 1250. There is evidence that indicates the Tlauhuicas probably would have been expelled from Morelos by the Xochimilcas if they had not been protected by Xólotl, lord of Acolhua
Acolhua
The Acolhua are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in or around the year 1200 CE. The Acolhua were a sister culture of the Aztecs as well as the Tepanec, Chalca, Xochimilca and others....
, who granted territory to Tochintecutli, the first lord of Cuauhnáhuac. The Tlahuicas are believed to be an offshoot of the Toltec-Chichimec group of Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
speaking peoples who have occupied the area since the seventh century.
The Tlahuica eventually became the dominant ethnicity. They were organized into about fifty small city-states each with a hereditary ruler (tlatoani
Tlatoani
Tlatoani is the Nahuatl term for the ruler of an altepetl, a pre-Hispanic state. The word literally means "speaker", but may be translated into English as "king". A is a female ruler, or queen regnant....
). Each Tlahuica city-state consisted of a
central town, with its temple, plaza and palace and the surrounding countryside and villages. The largest where Cuernavaca and Huaxtepec (now spelled Oaxtepec
Oaxtepec
Oaxtepec is a town within the municipality of Yautepec in the northern part of the Mexican state of Morelos. Its main industry is tourism, mostly aimed at the inhabitants of nearby Mexico City, and the town possesses various aquatic resorts and hotels. The climate is tropical and the countryside...
) . These people had advanced knowledge of astronomy and a highly developed agricultural system.
They were especially known for growing cotton, which was planted wherever the land could be irrigated, with Tlahuica women spinning and weaving cloth. This cloth became a main means of exchange and of paying tribute.
The Mexica
Mexica
The Mexica were a pre-Columbian people of central Mexico.Mexica may also refer to:*Mexica , a board game designed by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling*Mexica , a 2005 novel by Norman Spinrad...
or Aztec began to arrive in the area as early as 1398, but efforts to dominate this area began in the 1420s. In the 1420s and 1430s, Cuernavaca and Jiutepec
Jiutepec
Jiutepec is a city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The name Jiutepec comes from the Nahuatl name "Xiutepetl" that means "the precious stones hill". It has tourist attractions like spas. It has the hotel Ex-Hacienda de Cortez. It is a hotel and Hernan...
were conquered by Itzcoatl
Itzcóatl
Itzcoatl was the fourth emperor of the Aztecs, ruling from 1427 to 1440, the period when the Mexica threw off the domination of the Tepanecs and laid the foundations for the eventual Aztec Empire.- Biography :...
. In the middle of the century, other city states in Morelos made war on Aztec held Cuernavaca and the Aztecs used this as an excuse to conquer areas such as Yautepec, Tetlama and other locations, eventually dominating the entire state. The inclusion of the area into the Aztec Empire was sealed with marriage of Aztec emperor Huitzilihuitl
Huitzilíhuitl
Huitzilihuitl was the second tlatoani of Tenochtitlan, governing from 1396 to 1417, .- Family and childhood :...
to Miahuaxochitl, daughter of the lord of Cuernavaca. This union produced a son who would become Aztec emperor Moctezuma Ilhuicamina. These conquered areas were allowed to keep their local political structures as long as tribute was regularly paid. This tribute mostly consisted of cotton items. The territory was divided into two tributary provinces, one centered on Cuernavaca and the other centered on Oaxtepec.
Moctezuma Ilhuicamina succeeded Izcóatl, and tradition has it that he established a botanical garden in Oaxtepec, as well as vacationing in the warm springs located at the foothills of the Ajusco, located in what is now a resort run by the Social Security Administration (IMSS)
Mexican Social Security Institute
The Mexican Social Security Institute is a governmental organization that attends to public health, pensions and social security in Mexico operating under Secretaría de Salud .-History:...
. Another possible location for Moctezuma’s favorite swimming area is a nearby pond called “Poza Azul”.
The Mexica built a number of fortifications in the area, notably in the hills called El Sobrerito and Tlatoani near Tlayacapan
Tlayacapan
Tlayacapan is a town and a municipality located in the northeast part of Morelos state in central Mexico. It is located 60km east from the state capital of Cuernavaca and about 1.5 hours south of Mexico City. It is a rural area, whose way of life has not changed much over the 20th century, with 90%...
; the pyramid of Tepozteco (Tepoztlán) may have also been designed as a fort and look-out post. The Tlauhuica built the double-pyramid known as Teopanzolco
Teopanzolco
Teopanzolco is an Aztec archaeological site in the Mexican state of Morelos. Due to urban growth, it now lies within the modern city of Cuernavaca...
in Cuernavaca at this time also.
Conquest and colonial period
Population estimates for the beginning of the 16th century are: Cuauhnáhuac, 50,000; Oaxtepec, 50,000; Yautepec, 30,000; Tepoztlán, 20,000; TotolapanTotolapan
Totolapan is a municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 8,742 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
, 20,000; and 12,000 each for Tlayacapan, Tetela, Yecapitxtla, and Ocuituco
Ocuituco
Ocuituco is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.The municipality reported 15,090 inhabitants in the year 2000 census.-External links:...
.
The Spanish under Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
arrived into central Mexico. After Cortés defeat in Tenochtitlan in 1520 (La Noche Triste
La Noche Triste
La Noche Triste on June 30, 1520, was an important event during the Spanish conquest of Mexico, wherein Hernán Cortés and his army of Spanish conquistadors and native allies fought their way out of the Mexican capital at Tenochtitlan following the death of the Aztec king Montezuma, whom the...
) and retreat into Tlaxacala, he sent expeditions to Morelos. One of the first Mexicas to accept Spanish authority was in Ocuituco. After the fall of Tenochtitlan, the Spanish returned to Morelos to subdue the Tlahuicas in Cuernavaca in 1521, led by Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval was a Spanish conquistador in New Spain and briefly co-governor of the colony while Hernan Cortés was away from the capital .-Arrival in New Spain:Sandoval was the youngest of the lieutenants of Cortés. They arrived together in New Spain in 1519...
. However, the first attempt failed. The next attempt first took Yautepec, Oaxtepec and Jiutepec and after a fierce fight, finally took the city. He constructed the Palace of Cortés
Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca
The Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca, Mexico, is the oldest conserved colonial era civil structure on the continental Americas, being over 450 years old. The building began as a fortified residence for Hernán Cortés and his second wife Juana Zúñiga...
in this city five years later.
In 1529, Cortés was named the Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca, which gave him control over 4,000 km² of territory in Morelos with Cuernavaca as the seat of authority over about eighty communities, eight haciendas and two sugar cane plantations. These lands stayed in the Cortés family until 1809, when the government confiscated all of the lands of the Marquis.
Historian Ward Barrett considers that the Morelos region had a physical unity during the colonial period that was sufficient to define and set it apart in contrast to many other parts of Mexico. Much of this definition comes from its geography, which is a basin into which abundant water flows. The arrival of the Spanish shifted agricultural practices from cotton to sugar cane and the refining of such into sugar in nearby mills. Since this sugar competed with that grown in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
by slaves, the hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
system was extremely powerful, reducing workers to serf status. This system would remain more or less intact until the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
.
Independence to end of 19th century
The conditions on the sugar plantations of Morelos made Father Miguel Hidalgo’s call to take up arms well received by the indigenous and mestizo populations of the state. The first rebellions broke out in 1811, with some early successes. An early insurgent leader in the state was Francisco Ayala. Insurgents from the state managed to push as far as Chalco in what is now Mexico State when royalist forces pushed them back in 1812. After Hidalgo is executed, José María Morelos y Pavon takes over the insurgent effort, and Mariano MatamorosMariano Matamoros
Mariano Matamoros y Guridi was a Mexican Roman Catholic priest and revolutionary rebel soldier of the Mexican War of Independence, who fought for independence against Spain in the early 19th century....
of Jantetelco
Jantetelco
Jantetelco is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.The municipality reported 13,745 inhabitants in the year 2000 census.-External links:...
joined this army in 1811.
By 1812, insurgents had control of the city Cuautla and royalist forces began to put it under siege. Morelos and his men held out for 58 days when reinforcement arrived, breaking the siege. This was one of the early vital wins for the insurgent movement. Morelos would eventually be captured by royalist and executed in 1815, but the memory of this battle would lead to the future state being named after him.
After winning Independence, what is now the state of Morelos was the district of Cuernavaca as part of the very large State of Mexico, created in 1824. The entity would change status between state and department depending on whether liberal or conservative factions were in charge. In 1857, the State of Mexico and all other state would keep their federal status permanently under the constitution adopted that year.
Cuernavaca gained the title of city in 1834. During the Mexican-American War, this city was taken by the Americans under General Cadwalader
George Cadwalader
George Cadwalader was a general in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War and American Civil War.-Biography:He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, studied law, and was admitted to the bar...
.
The next conflict to play out in the state was the uprising against President Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
under the Plan of Ayutla
Plan of Ayutla
The Plan of Ayutla was a plan aimed at removing Antonio López de Santa Anna as dictator of Mexico. Initially drafted on February 24, 1854, by Colonel Florencio Villarreal, it was proclaimed on March 1, 1854, in Ayutla, Guerrero...
in 1854. Armed rebellion broke out in Cuautla and Santa Anna responded by burning entire villages. However, the rebellion dislodged Santa Anna, naming Juan Álvarez
Juan Álvarez
Juan Nepomuceno Álvarez Hurtado was a general and interim president of Mexico for a few months in 1855. He fought in all the major wars of Mexico, from the War of Independence through the Pastry War, the Mexican-American War, and the War of the Reform to the war against the French Intervention...
as the president. Alvarez moved the Mexican capital to Cuernavaca, with many foreign diplomatic missions moving to the city as well. A new constitution convention was called and when the 1857 Constitution was proclaimed Alvarez retired and the capital moved back to Mexico City.
The new constitution did not stop fighting among Conservative and Liberal factions in Mexico, which escalated again into the Reform War
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
from 1858 to 1861. Cuernavaca was a stronghold of the conservatives, while Cuautla was a liberal bastion. More than anything else, anarchy ruled, as bandits roamed the region, burned and destroyed the haciendas of Pantitlán and Xochimancas, and terrorized villagers. The war ended on January 11, 1861 when Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
took control of Mexico City. Ignacio Manuel Altamirano
Ignacio Manuel Altamirano
Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Basilio was a Mexican writer, journalist, teacher and politician.Altamirano was born in Tixtla, Guerrero, of pure indigenous Nahua heritage. His father was the mayor of Tixtla, this allowed Ignacio to attend school there...
wrote a novel, set in Yautepec, about the war and the bandits, called El Zarco: Episodios de la Vida Mexicana en 1861–63.
The division between the Liberal and Conservative parts of the state remain through the French Intervention in Mexico
French intervention in Mexico
The French intervention in Mexico , also known as The Maximilian Affair, War of the French Intervention, and The Franco-Mexican War, was an invasion of Mexico by an expeditionary force sent by the Second French Empire, supported in the beginning by the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Spain...
. When the French army invaded Mexico, Francisco Leyva raised an army in Morelos to fight in the Battle of Puebla
Battle of Puebla
The Battle of Puebla took place on 5 May 1862 near the city of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico. The battle ended in a victory for the Mexican Army over the occupying French forces...
of May 5, 1862. Despite the heroic efforts on that day, the French eventually managed to gain control of the country and install Maximilian of Habsburg
Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire.After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy...
as emperor in 1864. Maximilian chose the Jardin Borda in Cuernavaca as his summer residence, and he built “La Casa del Olindo” in Cuernavaca supposedly for Margarita Leguizmo Sedano, his mistress known as “La India Bonita”. The French emperor improved the road from Mexico City to Cuernavaca and telegraphy service between the two began in 1866. However, resistance to French rule was well underway. On January 1, 1867, republican troops under the leadership of Francisco Leyva, Ignacio Figueroa, and Ignacio Manuel Altamirano began an eight-day siege of Cuernavaca. Soon after that the French under Napoleon III withdrew its troops, and by July Maximilian was dethroned and executed.
After the French were expelled by forces under Benito Juárez, there were efforts to divide the State of Mexico. This resulted in the creation of the state of Morelos on 21 September 1868 by the federal Congress of Mexico. The territory of the state was the Third Military District of the State of Mexico as defined by the Juarez government. The name of Morelos and the capital Cuernavaca were selected by the state’s first legislature. The first state constitution was finalized in 1870. There were boundary disputes between the new state with Mexico State and the Federal District, but these were resolved by the 1890s.
A telegraph line from Mexico City-Cuernavaca had been laid between 1867 and 1869; in 1870 it was extended to Iguala
Iguala
The historic city of Iguala de la Independencia is located from state capital Chilpancingo in the Mexican state of Guerrero. It stands on Federal Highway 95. Iguala is the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name, located in the north-central part of the state. The city had a 2005...
, Chilpancingo
Chilpancingo
Chilpancingo de los Bravo is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Guerrero, Mexico. It is located at . In the 2005 census the population of the city was 166,796. Its surrounding municipality, of which it is municipal seat, had a population of 214,219 persons...
, and Tixla. Another line, between Cuernavaca and Cuautla, was laid in 1875. Attempts were made to improve education, but limited funds made that virtually impossible. Other infrastructure projects in the late 19th century included the Toluca
Toluca
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the state capital of Mexico State as well as the seat of the Municipality of Toluca. It is the center of a rapidly growing urban area, now the fifth largest in Mexico. It is located west-southwest of Mexico City and only about 40 minutes by car to the...
-Cuernavaca highway, and a rail line between Mexico City and Cuautla. Rail lines would continue to be built through the late 19th century and into the 20th connecting the state further with Mexico City and to the Pacific Ocean. On May 11, 1874 the capital was moved to Cuautla; it was returned to Cuernavaca on January 1, 1876.
The diocese of Cuernavaca was established in 1894 with Fortino Hipólito Vera as the first bishop.
After Independence, the sugar industry continued and made Morelos one of the richest parts of Mexico. This was the main reason for the infrastructure projects during the latter 19th century as much of this sugar was being exported, mostly to Europe. However, the riches of the plantations were enjoyed only by often-absentee landowners, with workers in debt and poverty. During the presidency of Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
in the late 19th and very early 20th centuries, the larger plantations modernized used steam-driven mills and centrifugal extractors. This meant that those with the resources were able to demand more water and other resources and crowd out smaller competitors. It also resulted in an even wider gap between workers and owners. The prosperous landowners had much political clout under the Diaz regime as production increased fivefold. This allowed them to apply political pressure to obtain lands that had previously been held in communially among mestizos and indigenous groups. Between 1884 and 1905, eighteen towns in Morelos disappeared as lands were taken by the haciendas.
Mexican Revolution to present
Morelos’ sugar production, investment in infrastructure and laws favorable to business and foreign investment allowed it to participate in the world economy at the beginning of the 20th century and develop economically very rapidly. Some of the haciendas even evolved into company towns, employing between 250 and 3,000 workers with their own stores, powerhouses, schools and police.However, the development of the haciendas came at the expense of the general populace which lost lands, water rights and even forced them to live on hacienda lands. The growth of the large haciendas, eventually concentrated the economy into 28 haciendas which occupied 77% of the state’s territory.
This situation would make the state ripe for the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
and the base for one of the best known revolutionaries from this period: Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910, and which was initially directed against the president Porfirio Díaz. He formed and commanded an important revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South, during the Mexican Revolution...
, who was born in the state. Some of the first outbreaks of violence took place in Cuernavaca under Genovevo de la O
Genovevo de la O
Genovevo de la O was an important figure in the Mexican Revolution.He was born in Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Morelos, to sharecropper parents. He was dedicated to the plight of Mexico's peasants and came to be an outstanding Liberation Army of the South guerrilla general...
in 1910. The state fell into the hands of Zapata’s Liberation Army of the South
Liberation Army of the South
The Liberation Army of the South was an armed group formed and led by Emiliano Zapata that took part in the Mexican Revolution. The force was commonly known as the Zapatistas....
only one year after hostilities broke out in 1910. Government forces attacked towns and cities in the state, trying to take it back. It would remain solidly in Zapata’s hands unitil his death in 1919, despite challenges late in the war to forces loyal to fellow revolutionary Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
. The Zapatistas imposed a heavy tax on haciendas; when the owners refused to pay, the rebels burned the cane fields such as those of Chinameca, Tenango, Treinta, Atilhuayan, Santa Iñes, and San Gabriel. Zapata’s remains are currently in Cuautla at the foot of a statue erected in his honor.
Since the Revolution, the state’s history has centered on development and crime. There were problems with highway and train bandits in the 1920s and 1930s, and the Buenavista-Tepoztlán highway was built in 1936. Highway construction eventually led to the closing of a number of rail lines including the Mexico City-Cuernavaca-Iguala line in 1963.
As it has been since Aztec times, the state has been a favorite retreat for those in Mexico City, especially Cuernavaca, due to its warm year-round climate. This has been especially true since the latter 20th century and has spurred a major housing boom which continues to this day. Most of this boom is centered on the city of Cuernavaca but there it also affects Cuautla and some other places as well.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the major crime problem was kidnapping for ransom. The kidnapping crime wave caused investment in the state to drop from a high of US $245million in 1999 to $102 million in 2002, with the state lagging the country in job creation. The state broke the kidnapping rings in the early 2000s, mostly by arresting corrupt lawyers, police and judges who were protecting kidnapping rings, includes one rund by Daniel “Mocha Orejas” Arizmendi, who received his nickname by cutting off his victims’ ears and sending them to family members. The busts brought the kidnapping rate to below national average.
The kidnapping problems, however, have been replaced with violence related to the drug trade, despite the fact that Morelos is far from the U.S. border. The 2009 slaying of kingpin Arturo Beltrán Leyva set of a turf war for his successor. It has increased the number of gun battles and gangland-style executions. Anonymous email threats succeed in keeping people away from Cuernavaca at night, with bars and nightclubs closing when such communications threaten drug war violence. In 2004, Governor Sergio Estrada ordered the mass firing of all of the state police officers after top police commanders were arrested on charges that they were working with drug traffickers. This caused a major political battle for the governor, who then himself accused of cooperating with drug rings, with attempts to take him out of office. The area around Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park is a natural protected area which consists of a group of seven lagoons...
, on Morelos’ border with Mexico City is one of Mexico’s 16 most dangerous regions, in part due to the narcotics trade.
The state is considered to be one of the most dangerous, despite its small size and population. Most crime is centered in Cuernavaca. Its crime rate surpasses that of Mexico City in terms of crimes per 1000 people. It is over 50% higher than the national average. Although the city has only 21% of the population, it suffers 45% of the crime committed in the state. There are a number of possible causes. Some blame the judicial system for being inept and there are strong links to the drugtrafficking trade, bringing in merchandise to Mexico City.
Geography, climate and nature
The state is located in the center of the country and has a territory of 4,893 km², accounting for 0.25% of Mexico’s total territory. It is the second smallest state after Tlaxcala. It borders with the Federal District of Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Guerrero and Puebla. The state’s capital is Cuernavaca. It was the largest city of the Tlahuicas and originally called Cuauhnahuac, but the Spanish could not pronounce this and modified it to the current name. This city is only 90 km south of Mexico City and due to its gentle climate is referred to as “The City of the Eternal Spring.”Morelos, most of which is between 1,000 and 3,300 meters (2,900 – 9,800 feet) above sea level, has a very diverse topography: 42% mountainous, 16% hilly land, and 42% flat terrain. The highest altitudes are found near the state’s border with Mexico City, and the lowest are found in the Huaxtla region. The state straddles two main geographic formations, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
Trans-Mexican volcanic belt
The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt also known as the Transvolcanic Belt and locally as the Sierra Nevada , is a volcanic belt that extends 900 km from west to east across central-southern Mexico...
in the north and east and the Sierra Madre del Sur
Sierra Madre del Sur
The Sierra Madre del Sur is a mountain range in southern Mexico, extending from southern Michoacán east through Guerrero, to the Istmo de Tehuantepec in eastern Oaxaca.-Geography:...
, which stretches south and west from Cuernavaca and Jiutepec. The majestic mountain peaks of the Sierra Ajusco
Ajusco
Ajusco is a lava dome volcano located just south of Mexico City, Mexico, in the Tlalpan borough of the city. It is the highest point in the Mexican Federal District, which contains Mexico City.-Etymology:...
in the north of the state divide Morelos from the neighboring Valley of Mexico.
The state is in the highest part fo the Balsas River
Balsas River
The Balsas River is a major river of south-central Mexico. The basin flows through the states of Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero, and Mexico. The river empties into the Pacific Ocean at Mangrove Point, adjacent to the city of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán...
basin, which ends in the north in the areas bounded by the Sierra Ajusco-Chichinautzin and the Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at , the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba...
volcano. From this point south, the state gradually slopes downward, interrupted by the Tlaltizapan and Yautepec mountains in the center of the state and the Huautla mountains in the south. There are no major rivers here but a large number of small rivers and streams which all eventually feed into the Balsas River.
The climate and vegetation varies from alpine meadows in the highest elevations near Popocatepetl to lowland rainforest in the south. Roughly 70% of the state has a humid and relatively warm climate, especially in the highly populated areas of Cuernavaca, Tepotzlán, Oaxtepec and Yautepec. Average temperature is approximately 25°C (77°F) year round, with a rainy season from May until September.
The climates can be further subdivided into hot and semihumid, semi hot and semi humid, temperate and semi humid, semi cold and semi humid and cold. The hot and semi humid climate covers about 78% of the state’s territory, with an average temperature of 22C, with rains in the summer. This area presents mostly subtropical rainforest type vegetation.The semi hot and semi humid climate can be found in a strip in the north of the state and accounts for 13% of the territory. Average temperature varies between 18 and 22C with rains in the summer and a dry season in the winter. A temperate and semi humid climate covers about 10% of the territory and found in the north of the state around the municipalities of Huitzilac, Tlanepantla, Totolapan
Totolapan
Totolapan is a municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 8,742 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
, Tetela del Volcán
Tetela del Volcán
Tetela del Volcán or simply Tetela, is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located on the slopes of the volcano Popocatépetl. .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
and parts of Cuernavaca, Tepoztlan, Ocuituco, Tlayacapan and Miacatlán
Miacatlán
Miacatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
. This area has an average temperature of between 10 and 15C, with mixed forests of pine and holm oak
Holm Oak
Quercus ilex, the Holm Oak or Holly Oak is a large evergreen oak native to the Mediterranean region. It takes its name from holm, an ancient name for holly...
. A semi cold and semi humid climate accounts for only 2% of the territory and found along the borders of the Federal District, Mexico State and Puebla. This area has pine forests and some alpine meadows. The coldest climate is found in the upper parts of Popocatepetl that belong to the state. Average temperature here is less than 5C with frequent freezes. Most of the vegetation is alpine meadow or moss.
The natural resources of the state have been taken advantage of for centuries and have suffered changes as a consequence, especially in landscapes, water sources, flora and fauna. This change accelerates as the population grows. The state has one major national park called the Lagunas de Zempoala
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park is a natural protected area which consists of a group of seven lagoons...
. It is one of Mexico’s largest national parks, located on the southern flank of the Sierra Madre mountains. The park had five mountain-fed lakes and abundant wildlife when the park was established in 1937.This park is being stressed due to illegal logging with subsequent soil erosion and water from its last dark blue lake to drainage. Much of this drainage is to provide water to Cuernavaca, whose population uses 785 liters of water per day per person, twice that of Mexico City. The park’s area has shrunk from 55000 acre (222.6 km²) to 12,500.
Much of the state’s ecological woes stem from the housing explosion, which is mostly centered in the capital of Cuernavaca, but it is a problem in places such as Cuautla as well.Groups such as the Frente de Pueblos en Defensa de la Tierra y el Agua and Guardianes de los Àrboles have criticized the government for allowing city areas to grow with insufficient planning and control. They also claim that it is hurting much of the state’s ecosystem and water supply.
Demographics
Morelos is the second smallest state and ranks 24 out of 31 states in population, with 1.6% of Mexico’s total population. However, it is ranked third in population density after Mexico City and the State of Mexico. 86% of the population lives in urban areas with only 14% in rural areas. Nationally, the figures are 76% and 24%. Just under 60% of the state’s population lives in seven municipalities, which are Cuernavaca, Jiutepec, Temixco, Cuautla, Yautepec, Jojutla and Ayala. The most heavily populated area of the state is the city of Cuernavaca and its metropolitan area with 21.95% of the total. It is followed by the urban area of Cuautla-Yautepec-Ayala with just under 20%.The state has had a higher than average population increase since the mid 1990s at about 4%. In some areas, population growth has been very high at points, such ais in Jiutepec at over 21% and Emiliano Zapata with over 15%. Much of this growth has been in the main cities of Cuernavaca, Cuautla, Ayala and Yautepec. This growth has meant the loss of Morelos’ ability to feed itself, with less than 40% of grains consumed grown inside the state. Population growth has also put strain on infrastructure such as water, sewer, potable water, electricity, roads and schools.
The Catholic religion dominates but there are significant minorities of evangelical Protestants and those of the Jewish faith.
The indigenous population of the state is estimated at 8%, just under the national average of 10%.(perfilsoc) However, only 2% of the population is counted as speaking an indigenous language compared to seven nationally. The total counted in 2005 by INEGI was 24,757.
Historically, various Nahua peoples have dominated the state. This population severely diminished during the colonial period and again during the Porfiriato (late 19th and early 20th century), when many indigenous peasants were sent to other parts of the country to work. Those considered to be ethnically indigenous are located in 33 municipalities with most concentrated in 15 of these. Many identify as Mixtec, Tlapaneco and Zapotec who have immigrated from Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca. Most of those who identify as Nahua are native to the state. Many of the immigrant indigenous are migrant workers, traveling among fields of sugar cane, corn, tomatoes and onions. Some return to their home states in the off-season and some remain permanently in Morelos.
While indigenous languages have almost completely disappeared since the Conquest, many old customs and traditions continue to live on as part of many people’s identity. Many ethnic Nahuas conserve much of their ancient knowledge, such as dances, music agricultural practices and rituals although most a mixed with Catholic and moderns beliefs and practices. Since Mexico’s census only counts those who speak an indigenous language and not by ethnicity, it is not possible to be sure the precise number of Morelos’ Nahua population. Between 32 and 35 communities in the state have been identified as being “indigenous” based on prevailing customs and tradition. However, this does not take into account migrant workers or who have immigrated to the state from other parts of Mexico. In 2000, 30,896 people were counted as speaking an indigenous language, with the municipalities of Cuautla, Cuernavaca, Ayala, Puente de Ixtla, Temixco and Tetela del Volcàn having the highest number of speakers.
Of the eleven municipalities which are classified as highly marginalized economically, only three have a significant indigenous population, which are Temoac, Miacatlán and Tetela del Volcán. However, in larger municipalities such as Cuernavaca and Jiutepec, indigenous communities here tend to be highly marginalized.
Government
The state is governed by an elected governor, who has a cabinet with four departments called “Policy, Security and Justice,” “Human and Social Development,” “Sustainable Economic Development” and “Development and Modernization of the Administration.” . The state Congress in is charge of passing laws and revising those already in existence. It is unicameral with thirty “deputies” (diputados) representing various portions of the state.Morelos is subdivided into 33 municipios
Municipalities of Morelos
The Mexican state of Morelos is subdivided into 33 municipalities :...
(municipalities
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
).
Aside from the state capital of Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
, nicknamed La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera (The City of Eternal Spring), other major communities include:
- CuautlaCuautla, MorelosCuautla , officially La heroica e histórica Cuautla de Morelos, or H. H. Cuautla de Morelos, is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos. In the 2005 census the city population was 145,482 and the municipality population was 160,285. The municipality covers 153.651 km²...
- Emiliano ZapataEmiliano Zapata, MorelosEmiliano Zapata is a city in the west-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at . The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The city is the sixth largest in the state of Morelos, with a 2005 census population of 39,702 inhabitants....
- JiutepecJiutepecJiutepec is a city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The name Jiutepec comes from the Nahuatl name "Xiutepetl" that means "the precious stones hill". It has tourist attractions like spas. It has the hotel Ex-Hacienda de Cortez. It is a hotel and Hernan...
- TemixcoTemixcoTemixco is the fourth-largest city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at in the west-northwest part of the state.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name. The city had a 2005 census population of 89,915 persons, while the...
- Yautepec de ZaragozaYautepec de ZaragozaYautepec is a city and its surrounding municipality of the same name located in the north-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at ....
- JojutlaJojutlaJojutla is a municipality in the state of Morelos, Mexico. Its municipal seat is the city of Jojutla de Juárez. The towns of Tequesquitengo and Huautla as well as Lake Tequesquitengo are also located in the municipality. The municipality reported 53,351 inhabitants in the year 2000 census.The name...
Economy and tourism
Morelos’ economy is based on agriculture, tourism and urbanization. Since the 1960s, the economy has been shifting from agriculture to industry and commerce although few of these are on a large scale. However, there are still a number of municipalities which are still almost completely reliant on agriculture.While the state provides just 1.6% of the country’s GDP, its economy is strong enough to attract workers, especially farm workers from other areas of the country. However, a large percentage of the state’s population works six days a week, receiving wages of only 500 to 700 Mexican pesos ($46–$65USD), despite the fact that Morelos is one of the more expensive states to live in.Economically, the state divides into seven districts. The Cuernavaca Region includes the municipalities of Cuernavaca, Temixco, Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata, Morelos
Emiliano Zapata is a city in the west-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at . The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. The city is the sixth largest in the state of Morelos, with a 2005 census population of 39,702 inhabitants....
, Jiutepec
Jiutepec
Jiutepec is a city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The name Jiutepec comes from the Nahuatl name "Xiutepetl" that means "the precious stones hill". It has tourist attractions like spas. It has the hotel Ex-Hacienda de Cortez. It is a hotel and Hernan...
and Xochitepec
Xochitepec
Xochitepec is a municipio of the state of Morelos, in central Mexico. Xochitepec is also the name of its principal township and seat of the municipal government...
. The Norte Region includes the municipalities of Huitzilac, Tepoztlán, Tlalnepantla and Totolapan. The Cuautla Region includes the municipalities of Atlatlahucan
Atlatlahucan
Atlatlahucan is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at ,at a mean height of 1,656 metres above sea level.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name....
, Ayala, Cuautla, Tlayacapan, Yautepec and Yecapixtla. The Noreste Region includes Ocuituco, Temoac
Temoac
Temoac is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The town serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name. The building where the municipal government he served as an elementary school Temoac the people in the nineteenth century and early...
, Tetela del Volcán and Zacualpan de Amilpas
Zacualpan de Amilpas
Zacualpan de Amilpas is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 7,962 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
. The Sureste Region includes Axochiapan
Axochiapan
Axochiapan is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at ,at a mean height of 1,030 metres above sea level.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name....
, Jantetelco
Jantetelco
Jantetelco is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.The municipality reported 13,745 inhabitants in the year 2000 census.-External links:...
, Jonacatepec
Jonacatepec
Jonacatepec is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.The municipality reported 13 623 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
and Tepalcingo
Tepalcingo
Tepalcingo is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 24,133 inhabitants in the year 2000 census.-External links:...
. The Sur Region includes Amacuzac, Jojutla
Jojutla
Jojutla is a municipality in the state of Morelos, Mexico. Its municipal seat is the city of Jojutla de Juárez. The towns of Tequesquitengo and Huautla as well as Lake Tequesquitengo are also located in the municipality. The municipality reported 53,351 inhabitants in the year 2000 census.The name...
, Puente de Ixtla
Puente de Ixtla
Puente de Ixtla is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
, Tlaltizapán
Tlaltizapán
Tlaltizapán is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 45,272 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
, Tlaquiltenango
Tlaquiltenango
Tlaquiltenango is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 30 017 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
and Zacatepec de Hidalgo
Zacatepec de Hidalgo
Zacatepec de Hidalgo is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at...
and the Poniente Region includes Coatlán del Río
Coatlán del Río
Coatlán del Río is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at ,at a mean height of 1,010 metres above sea level.Coatlán is a name of Nahuatl origin, meaning "place of abundant snakes"....
, Mazatepec, Miacatlán
Miacatlán
Miacatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
and Tetecala .
In 2003, it was one of the first states to take advantage of a new law allowing states to sell bonds. In 2002, the state sold $24 million USD worth of bonds on the Mexican stock market, to finance highways, schools, waterworks and other infrastructure projects. The bond sales also allow the state to have access to lower-interest long-term financing.
Due to its location near Mexico City, the state has one of the lower rates of economic marginalization, ranking 20th of 33 units in economic marginialzation, based on housing and education. The most urbanized areas of the state are the economically best off, with the least urbanized being the poorest. Two of the factors in the development of the state’s economy since the 1960s is the opening of the Mexico City-Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
highway through the state in 1952 and the creation of the CIVAC (Ciudad Industrial Valle de Cuernavaca) industrial complex in 1965. This concentrated the population growth into the northern part of the state. Only eleven of the states 33 municicpalities are considered to have any serious degree of marginalization: Tlalnepantla, Totolapan, Tlayacapan, Tetela del Volcán, Ocuituco, Zaculapan, Temoac, Tepalcingo, Amacuzac, Coatlán del Río, Miacatlán and some parts of Puente de Ixtla.
Since the 1980s, the agricultural sector of the economy has been steadily shrinking but it remains an important part of the state’s economy, as there are still a significant number of communities that rely on it. Just under 20% of the working population of the state is involved in farming, ranching, fish farming or forestry. Land available for human exploitation outside of populated areas is divided between agriculture/grazing (45%) and forestry (55%). Agricultural and forestry lands are further subdivided by climate and the type of forest (conifer vs. rainforest). Roughly 70% of the state has a subtropical climate, providing ideal conditions for agriculture, in particular sugar cane, and most farming is done in the warmer areas. Sugar cane has been an important crop since colonial times and still is important today, although the percentage of land dedicated to it has decreased since the 1960s. Another important crop is rice, which is also diminishing. The production of rice in the state has fallen drastically, from a height of 100,000 tons annually to only 21,000 tons due to the reduction in cultivation areas and the high costs of production. The state still ranks sixth in its production. However, despite Price and market protections, foreign rice is competing with Mexican grown rice including rice produced in the state. Sorghum has replaced lost yields of sugar cane and rice to a certain extent, which has been encouraged by the government. One way the state tries to sell its more expensive products such as rice has been the registration of a trademark called “Tradicion Agricola de Morelos” (Morelos Agricultural Tradition) to identify products produced in the state on store shelves.
Another important cash and export crop is fresh flowers and ornamental plants. In 2003, this sector accounted for 27 million dollars of income to the state, up from 20 million in 2000. Morelos is Mexico’s major producers of roses, producing 54,552 dozens in 2002. Morelos claims to be the native location of the poinsettia
Poinsettia
Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly known as Zack Wood or noche buena, is a species of flowering plant indigenous to Mexico and Central America. The name "poinsettia" is after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who introduced the plant into the US in 1825...
, called “noche buena” in Spanish. It is native to Mexico, but there has been a “diplomatic patent” on the plant since the early 19th century when the first US ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, registered it. The state’s historical society has ased the Secretary of the Interior to review treaties and work to have this patent annulled. As it stands now, Mexican poinsettia growers must pay royalty fees to the U.S. and even import cuttings from authorized growers in the U.S. to grow the plant commercially. Another effort to combat the patent is to develop a new variety of the flower that would not be covered.
Vegetables and fruits, along with corn and beans grown for subsistence are widely grown. These include bananas, cherimoya
Cherimoya
The Cherimoya is the fruit of the species Annona cherimola, which is native to the Andes. Today they are grown throughout South and Central America.-Description:...
s, mamey
Mamey
Mamey is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department*Parc naturel régional de Lorraine...
s, melons, cucumbers, tomatillo
Tomatillo
The tomatillo is a plant of the nightshade family, related to the cape gooseberry, bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple fruit of the same name. Tomatillos are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are grown as annuals throughout the Western Hemisphere...
s, jicama
Jícama
Pachyrhizus erosus, commonly known as Jícama , Yam, and Mexican Turnip, is the name of a native Mexican vine, although the name most commonly refers to the plant's edible tuberous root. Jícama is one species in the genus Pachyrhizus. Plants in this genus are commonly referred to as yam bean,...
, squash, alfalfa
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
, cotton, peanuts, onions and tomatoes. Many crops are grown for auto consumption, especially in indigenous areas. The state is working to help shift agriculture production from the traditional corn and beans, which can be imported cheaper, to other products such as apricots, which have been shown to make money. Livestock mostly consists of cattle, pigs, horses and domestic fowl. There is some fish farming in the state, mostly of mojarra
Mojarra
The mojarras are a family, Gerreidae, of fishes in the order Perciformes. It has seven genera.Mojarras are a common prey and bait fish in many parts of the Caribbean including the South American Coast and Caribbean islands. These species tend to be difficult to identify in the field and often...
and tilapia
Tilapia
Tilapia , is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats, including shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the...
in Rodeo and Zacatepec.
Industry, mining and construction accounts for 29% of the state’s GDP and employs 27% of the working population. One important industry is food processing, especially sugar came, rice, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
, grains, flowers and more.
Goods produced include autos and auto parts, textiles, pharmaceuticals, metal products, agro-industry, ceramics and handcrafted items. Most exports go to the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. In the early 2000s, the state attracted a number of foreign enterprises to build industrial facilities here, includes car parts such as windshields.
There are two major industrial parks in the state, Ciudad Industrial del Valle de Cuernavaca (CIVAC) and Parque Industrial de Cuautla (PINC) . The Ciudad Industrial del Valle de Cuernavaca or CIVAC is located in the municipality of Jiutepec. It was created in 1966 and is considered to be the most important economic development in the state. Today the park is home to 108 business, 35% of which are transnationals. The Parque Industrial de Cuautla is located outside of the city. It occupies 113 hectares, with about 40% of this available. The industrial park suffered major damage in 2007. In 2009, the government intervened with plans to rescue the park and improve its infrastructure with a budget of 240 million pesos
Mexican peso
The peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
.
The Desarrollo Industrial Emiliano Zapata is the newest park, located just outside of Cuernavaca in the municipality of Emiliano Zapata. It has an extension of 23.5 hectares. One of its principal occupants if the NUSTART clothing manufacturer. Another is the Emiliano Zapata Central de Abastos (wholesale food market) .
Commerce, transportation, services and tourism accounts for 59% of the state’s GDP and employs just over 50% of the working population. The growth of the commerce sector is due to urbanization and the growth of tourism. The biggest selling point of the state touristically is its location, just south of Mexico City, which has the largest and wealthiest population in the country. Most of these come to the state for its water parks, spas, or to spend weekend in Cuernavaca’s nightclubs, and away from Mexico City’s traffic and pollution. Many of these visitors have bought second homes here, which has driven property prices up. Those from Mexico City and other cities are also attracted to the states water parks and spas, such as Las Palmas in Tehuixtla, El Rollo in and the Parque Acuatico Oaxtepec.
The state, especially around the capital of Cuernavaca, has experienced a housing boom since the late 1990s. More than 10,000 houses were built from 2000 to 2008 and another 50,000 are planned through 2013. The state’s office of urban development states that this is far above what is needed to house the state’s population. Instead, it reflects demand from Mexico City for weekend and getaway homes. The housing boom has put strain on infrastructure and on property prices.
The Secretary of Tourism for the state promotes the city of Cuernavaca, Tepotzlán, Tlayacapan, Xochicalco, Cuautla and Tequesquitengo. As the center of the state’s history and culture, the city of Cuernavaca has landmarks and attractions such as the Palacio de Cortés, the Morelos ande Juárez Gardens, the Cuernavaca Cathedral
Cuernavaca Cathedral
The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary of Cuernavaca is the Roman Catholic cathedral church of the Diocese of Cuernavaca, located in the city of Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico...
, and the Borda Garden. Another important attraction for visitors to Cuernavaca is the various Spanish language schools, which attract foreign students, many from the United States.
Tepotzlán is another area where many people from Mexico City visit during the weekends. Tepotzlan is a “New Age” town famous for its pyramids and “revitalizing energy.” It was named a “Pueblo Mágico
Pueblo Mágico
The Programa Pueblos Mágicos is an initiative led by Mexico's Secretariat of Tourism , in conjunction with other federal and state agencies, to promote a series of towns around the country that offer visitors a "magical" experience – by reason of their natural beauty, cultural riches, or...
” in 2002. It is home to one of the Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site are fourteen 16th century monasteries which were built by the Augustinians, the Franciscans and the Dominicans in order to evangelize the areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico...
, a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Tlayacapan is located in the northeast part of the state, just south of Mexico City. It is a rural area, whose way of life has not changed much over the 20th century, with 90% of its population still partially or fully dependent on agriculture. The town has old mansions, houses with red tile roofs and streets paved with stones. Many ravines crisscross the area and are crossed by numerous stone bridges. It is also home to the San Juan Bautista Monastery and 26 chapels built in the colonial era.
The state has a number of archeological sites, the largest and most important of which is Xochicalco. It was founded by Mayan traders known as the Olmeca-Xicallanca, later inhabited by the Tlahuica and has been designated as a World Heritage Site. Its best known structure is the Temple of Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl is a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "feathered serpent". The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first documented in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE...
. The site of Teopanzolco
Teopanzolco
Teopanzolco is an Aztec archaeological site in the Mexican state of Morelos. Due to urban growth, it now lies within the modern city of Cuernavaca...
is located within the city of Cuernavaca. It was a ceremonial center of the Tlahuicas, which was modified in the 15th century by the Mexicas. The site has large plazas and circular buildings. The most important temple is the Twin Temples (Templos Gemelos), similar to the Templo Mayor in Mexico City. Tepozteco is located on a mountain ridge 600 meters over the town of Tepotzlán. It was built between 1150 and 1350 CE and dedicated to Ometochtli-Tepoxtécatl, the god of pulque
Pulque
Pulque, or octli, is a milk-colored, somewhat viscous alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, and is a traditional native beverage of Mexico. The drink’s history extends far back into the Mesoamerican period, when it was considered sacred, and its use was limited to...
, fertility and harvests. Today, the mountain area in which it is located is the El Tepozteco National Park, which was established in 1937.
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site are fourteen 16th century monasteries which were built by the Augustinians, the Franciscans and the Dominicans in order to evangelize the areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico...
is a World Heritage Site that consists of fourteen monasteries that are located south and east of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, most in the state of Morelos with three in the state of Puebla. The monasteries in Morelos are located in the municipalities of Atlatlahucan
Atlatlahucan
Atlatlahucan is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at ,at a mean height of 1,656 metres above sea level.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name....
, Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca
Cuernavaca is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. It was established at the archeological site of Gualupita I by the Olmec, "the mother culture" of Mesoamerica, approximately 3200 years ago...
, Tetela del Volcán
Tetela del Volcán
Tetela del Volcán or simply Tetela, is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located on the slopes of the volcano Popocatépetl. .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
, Yautepec
Yautepec de Zaragoza
Yautepec is a city and its surrounding municipality of the same name located in the north-central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It stands at ....
, Ocuituco
Ocuituco
Ocuituco is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.It stands at .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.The municipality reported 15,090 inhabitants in the year 2000 census.-External links:...
, Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán
Tepoztlán is a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located at in the heart of the Tepoztlán Valley. The town serves as the seat of government for the municipality of the same name. The town had a population of 14,130 inhabitants, while the municipality reported 41,629 inhabitants in the...
, Tlayacapan
Tlayacapan
Tlayacapan is a town and a municipality located in the northeast part of Morelos state in central Mexico. It is located 60km east from the state capital of Cuernavaca and about 1.5 hours south of Mexico City. It is a rural area, whose way of life has not changed much over the 20th century, with 90%...
, Totolapan
Totolapan
Totolapan is a municipality in the Mexican state of Morelos.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 8,742 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
, Yecapixtla
Yecapixtla
Yecapixtla is a town and municipality located in the northeast of the state of Morelos in central Mexico. The town is home to one of the monastery complexes associated with the Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site...
and Zacualpan de Amilpas
Zacualpan de Amilpas
Zacualpan de Amilpas is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos.The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality, with which it shares a name.The municipality reported 7,962 inhabitants in the year 2000 census....
. The three in Puebla are located in Calpan
Calpan (municipality)
Calpan is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico.-References:...
, Huejotzingo
Huejotzingo (municipality)
Huejotzingo is a small city and municipality located just northwest of the city of Puebla, in the central Mexico. The settlement’s history dates back to the pre-Hispanic period, when it was a dominion, with its capital a short distance from where the modern settlement is today...
and Tochimilco
Tochimilco (municipality)
Tochimilco is a town and municipality in Puebla in south-eastern Mexico.-References:...
. The state promotes the monasteries as the “Route of the Monasteries” or the “Route of the Volcano.” Most, but not all, of these monasteries are located on the periphery of the Popocatepetl volcano. This area also has varying landscapes, a wide variety of flora and fauna as well as churches, former hacienda, archeological sites and ruins.
Culture
Culturally, the state divides into four sections called Zona Norte, Zona Oriente, Zona Sur Oeste and Zona Centro. Zona Norte is linked to the Valley of Mexico and includes the municipalities of Cuernavaca, Tepoztlán, Tlalnepantla, Totolapan, Atlatlahucan, Yecapixtla, Ocuituco and Tetela del Volcán. Zona Oriente is linked to Puebla and includes the municipalities of Zacualpan de Amilpas, Jantetelco, Jonacatepec and Axochiapan. Zona Sur Oeste includes the municipalities of Tlaquiltenango, Jojutla, Zacatepec, Puente de Ixtla, Amacuzac, Coatlán del Río, Tetecala, Mazatepec and Miacatlán. Zona Centro includes the municipalities of Temixco, Yautepec, Jiutepec, Emiliano Zapata, Ayala, Tlaltizapan and Axochiapan.Music
Most of the state's traditional music is associated with corridos and a band named Banda Tlayacapan. The corrido is sung and played in many parts of Mexico. Those performed in Morelos belong to the "suriano" (southern) type, which can be complicated but unlike the northern version, in not meant to be danced to. The lyrics of this type of corrido generally has eight syllables per line forming stanzas of five verses each. This type of corrido dates back as far as before the Mexican Revolution, but the tradition has waned. One band noted for saving traditional melodies and songs is the Banda Tlayacapan, based in TlayacapanTlayacapan
Tlayacapan is a town and a municipality located in the northeast part of Morelos state in central Mexico. It is located 60km east from the state capital of Cuernavaca and about 1.5 hours south of Mexico City. It is a rural area, whose way of life has not changed much over the 20th century, with 90%...
in the north of the state. This band was formed in 1870 and is the state's oldest band organization. Originally it was begun by Vidal Santamaría and at first consisted of family members playing simple wind instruments. Over time, the organization grew, surviving the Mexican Revolution and the siege of the area by the Liberation Army of the South
Liberation Army of the South
The Liberation Army of the South was an armed group formed and led by Emiliano Zapata that took part in the Mexican Revolution. The force was commonly known as the Zapatistas....
. Today, the band is still led by the Santamaría family and has performed in the United States and Europe. It is noted not only for its longevity but also for its ability to rescue and preserve a large number of traditional music from Morelos and central Mexico. In popular music, the best known composer from the state is Arturo Márquez
Arturo Márquez
Arturo Márquez is a renowned Mexican composer of orchestra music who is well known for using musical forms and styles of his native Mexico and incorporating them into his compositions.-Life:...
, who was born in Álamos, Sonora, but has lived in Cueravaca for a long time. He is known for his danzones
Danzón
Danzón is the official dance of Cuba. It is also an active musical form in Mexico and is still beloved in Puerto Rico where Verdeluz, a modern danzón by Puerto Rican composer Antonio Cabán Vale is considered the unofficial national anthem...
.
Music, dance and Carnival
One tradition that is identified with the state of Morelos is the Dance of the ChinelosChinelos
The Chinelos dance is a traditional dance in the state of Morelos, Mexico in which colourfully dressed dancers dance and wave flags accompanied by set traditional tunes played by a brass band...
.The dance is popular on many occasions but especially during Carnival in which it originated. The origin of the dance or tradition is not known. One story dates the origin to 1870, when a group of youths decided to dress in old clothes, covering their faces in cloth to shout and jump around in the streets. Other stories put the origin much farther in the past during the colonial past, either as a syncretism between Spanish and indigenous dances, or as a protest or mockery of the indigenous’ Spanish overlords. However, it has clearly been identified as originating in Tlayacapan and since then has spread to various parts of Morelos state, parts of Puebla and the Federal District of Mexico City.
Today, the Chinelo is considered to be a symbol of the identity of the state. Although Chinelos are most frequently found in Tepoztlán, Chinelos groups exist many communities such as Yautepec, Oacalco, Cualtlixco, Atlahuahuacàn, Oaxtepec, Jojutla and Totolapan. They can also be found in certain parts of Puebla. The Chinelos dance in groups near each other. Each dancer has his/her own style, which s/he has been developing since childhood.
Although not as well known as the Carnival of Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
, a number of communities in the state hold Carnival celebrations in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
. These include Jiutepec, Tlaltizapán, Emiliano Zapata, Tepoztlán, Tlayacapan, Yautepec, and Xochitepec. What distinguishes carnivals in Morelos from others in Mexico is the participation of the Chinelos and bands with wind instruments. In Tepotzlan on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, the traditional tianguis
Tianguis
A tianguis is an open air market or bazaar that is traditionally held on certain market days in a town or city neighborhood in Mexico and Central America. This bazaar tradition has its roots well into the pre-Hispanic period and continues in many cases essentially unchanged into the present day....
market is cleared away from the main square and hundreds of multicolored stands move onto the streets in order to a make way for Carnival. The street stands mostly specialized in items needed to enjoy the event. Chinelo dancers dominate the event, many in costumes which have been very expensive to assemble. Other events during Carnival here are processions, including one very large and principle one in which there are representatives of all the communities of the municipality. The events last from Sunday to midnight Tuesday, signaling the beginning Ash Wednesday and Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
and each day the Chinelos dance more energetically than the last.
Art, literature and architecture
Most of the state's art scene dates from the 20th century. After the Mexican Revolution, and partly because of state's role in it, a number of muralists came to the state and painted works with social themes in places such as the Palacio de Cortés and the Museo de la Tallera Siqueiros. Because of the state's mild climate and Cuernavaca's cultural tradition, many Mexican and foreign artists and writers have made the state home. Joy Laville is from Wright, England and resides in Cuernavaca. She is known for her landscapes which often include nude humans. Some of her works include Mujer viendo una casa, Mujer en perfil adn Mujer con flores. Jorge Cázares Campos is a native of the state who is a self-taught painter, mostly of Mexican landscapes. Rafael Cauduro was born in Mexico City and his artwork has brought him fame not only in Morelos but internationally as well. Magali Lara is also originally from Mexico City and has had shows in various countries. Morelos native Carlos Campos Campus is known for his sculpture with pre-Hispanic influence. Writers include Malcom Lowry, an Englishman who wrote "Bajo del Volcán" in the first half of the 20th century. It is set in Cuernavaca and made the city internationally famous. Elena Garro is an important Mexican writer originally from Puebla, but who lived most of her life in Cuernavaca. She is known for works such as Los recuerdos del porvenir, El Árbol and Andarse por las ramas. Another Mexican transplant to Cuernavaca is Franciso Hinojosa, one of the best known author of children´s literature in the country.Major architectural works in the state date from the pre-Hispanic period to the 19th century. The most important pre-Hispanic structure are found at the Xochicalo and Teopanzolco
Teopanzolco
Teopanzolco is an Aztec archaeological site in the Mexican state of Morelos. Due to urban growth, it now lies within the modern city of Cuernavaca...
archeological sites. The first is a city that was built on top of a large hill, with the Temple of Queztalcoatl as its center. This temple is really a pyramid with significant Toltec
Toltec
The Toltec culture is an archaeological Mesoamerican culture that dominated a state centered in Tula, Hidalgo in the early post-classic period of Mesoamerican chronology...
influence with four columns in the center. Teopanzolco has a pyramid with twin temples, as it was built by the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
s after they conquered the area. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, major constructions here were Christian instead of the native pagan. In the first half of the 16th century, a series of fortress-like church and monastery complexes were built around the slopes of the Popocatépel volcano from Cuernavaca to Tetela del Volcán
Tetela del Volcán
Tetela del Volcán or simply Tetela, is a city in the Mexican state of Morelos. It is located on the slopes of the volcano Popocatépetl. .The city serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name...
, and on into Puebla state, all related to early evangelization efforts. Today, these monasteries are no longer used as such although most of the church associated with them remain active, and are now a World Heritage Site
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
The Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl World Heritage Site are fourteen 16th century monasteries which were built by the Augustinians, the Franciscans and the Dominicans in order to evangelize the areas south and east of the Popocatépetl volcano in central Mexico...
. Non-ecclesiastical building from the colonial and Independence periods were mostly confined to the capital of Cuernavaca and include the Palacio de Cortés, the Borda Gardens and the Morelos and Ocampo Theaters. Much of the rest of the state was divided into large haciendas, many dedicated to sugar productions, with large senorial mansions for their owners. Some of these include Hacienda de Chiconcuac, Hacienda de San Gaspar and Hacienda de Ixtoluca. One notable 20th century structure was the Japananese style house built by Woolworths heiress Barbara Hutton just outside of the city of Cuernavaca.
Education
The state, especially in the Cuernavaca area, is known as a center of education, second to Mexico City. The state has a high percentaged of education and well-traveled people, who speak second languages such as English, French and German.Modern education in the state began during the Reform period
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
, with the Mexican government taking over educational responsibilities from the church. The government’s role in education expanded after the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. In Morelos, the government founded “Casas del Pueblo” (People’s Houses) staffed with a teacher for the community to become a central figure. In 1936, the Escuela Regional Campesina (Farm Workers’ Regional School) was established in Yautepec and a short time after that President Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas
Lázaro Cárdenas del Río was President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940.-Early life:Lázaro Cárdenas was born on May 21, 1895 in a lower-middle class family in the village of Jiquilpan, Michoacán. He supported his family from age 16 after the death of his father...
founded the Escuela Normal Feminina de Palmira (Palmira Teachers College for Women) and the Instituto Federal de Capacitacion del Magisterio for those to earn or complete their teaching credentials.
Until 1991, education was rigidly centralized and bureaucratic, causing difficulties in providing adequate education to many areas. In 1992, the Instituto de la Educación Básica (Basic Education Institute) was created to change this. This divided basic education into pre-school, special education, primary and secondary and provided guarantees for a minimum.
Today over 360,000 students are taught by over 13,000 teachers in 823 schools up to the eighth grade. All municipalities are required by state law to provide preschool, and grade school education to their populations up to the eighth grade, as well as professional development for teachers. All are required to attend school up to the eighth grade. Most schoolchildren begin with at least one year of preschool or kindergarten and secondary school (middle school) is provided either through face-to-face classes or through “telesecundarias” with televised classes in the more rural areas. Secondary schools are also divided into general and technical schools. The state has four teachers’ colleges, two which produce primary school teachers and two which produce secondary school teachers. The state education system provides education from pre-school to high school, vocational-technical education as well has higher education to the doctorate level. There are also “centros de capacitacion” or training centers for workers looking to improve basic and/or gain technical skills. The average number of years of schooling completed is 8.4 years (second year of middle school), with the national average at 8.1.
There are a total of 32 institution of higher education in the state. Many schools have set up campuses in Cuernavaca to escape Mexico City and the state is encouraging this. One of these schools is ITESM .
The origins of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos or UAEM date back to the 19th century when governor Francisco Leyva founded the Instituto Literario y Cientifico de Morelos in 1871. It was mostly suspended shortly thereafter by President Porfirio Diaz, a political opponent of Leyva, leaving only the School of Agriculture and Veterinary Studies in Acapantzingo. It was revived under the name of Instituto de Estudios Superiores del Estado de Morelos by Governor Elpidio Perdomo and President Lázaro Cárdenas. It was reorganized under its current name in 1953, after the additions of more fields of study. Currently, the school offers forty bachelor’s degrees.
Transportation and communications
Telecommunications in the state include telegraph, mail service, telephone, rural telephone service, terrestrial and satellite television, telex, and internet.Rural telephone service is available via satellite in the municipalities of Amacuzac, Ayala, Puente de Ixtla, Jojutla, Tlaltizapan and Tlaquiltenango.
Morelos operates a public television station, XHCMO-TV
XHCMO-TV
XHCMO channel 3, is the flagship station of the Canal 3 educational network. Canal 3 is an educational and public television network owned and operated by the government of State of Morelos in Cuernavaca. Once transmits diverse programming, from cultural, artistic and variety shows, besides the...
channel 3, in Cuernavaca, with a repeater, XHMZE-TV channel 22, in Zacatepec. Cuernavaca also has other terrestrial television stations available, some local, while others repeaters of Mexico City-based stations.
Morelos is the most-connected state in terms of roadways, with highway connecting all of its communities. It has one of the highest densities of roadways in the country. There are also a number of rail lines that pass through.
The Cuernavaca airport west of the city has a 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) runway for modern passenger and cargo jets. The airport was expanded to make it possible to commute between Cuernavaca and cities such as Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
External links
- Morelos State Government Site
- Morelos Mac whit travel, cultural, archeology, etc.
- Morelos Travel portal tourist information, municipal, cultural, archaeological, and so on.
- Air Video of Tequesquitengo , Xochicalco and El Rodeo
- Morelos in Mexico, portal events and tourist attractions, municipal, cultural, archaeological, and so on.