Considered as one of the most popular Spanish-speaking countries, Mexico is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico on the east, the Pacific Ocean on the west and south as well as the United States on the north. This country is known to be the 11th most populous area in the world. It has a rich history, culture and heritage. For several centuries, the country was colonized by different countries including Spain. To know when Mexico gained independence, let us explore the historical events related to the colonization of the country by Spain as well as the start and end of the Mexican War of Independence.

The Colonization of Mexico

When did Mexico gain independence? The country gained freedom from Spaniards in 1830. The colonization of the country started in 1521 when the people of the Aztec Empire, the former name of Mexico, were defeated and conquered by Spaniards. The control of Spain over the country lasted for three centuries. At that time, the place was known to other civilizations as the New Spain.

The Mexican War of Independence was triggered by the invasion of Spain by Napoleon I. The invasion led to the opposition of wealthy landowners, political leaders and conservatives in Mexico to the social, economic and political policies implemented by Napoleon I. Because of this, an alliance between Mexican liberals and conservatives was formed. The alliance aimed for the independence of Mexicans from the Spaniards and the leadership of Napoleon I.

Other Relevant Information

The Mexican War of Independence was led by three popular political figures in the history of the country, namely Vicente Guerrero, Guadelupe Victoria and Francisco Javier Mina. This war coincided with the start of the Spanish Civil War, which increased the chances of rebels to win the war of independence. Another important event that improved the chances of Mexicans to win the war was the establishment of the Army of the Three Guarantees.

The number of the members of the army increased in the 1810s. Because of the increasing population of rebels in the area, the Treaty of Cordoba was signed between the Spanish government and the leader of the Army of the Three Guarantees, Agustin de Iturbide. From 1823 until 1829, Spaniards still tried to regain control over Mexico. Despite all the political strategies and military attacks implemented and initiated by Spain, the rebels continued to fight for their freedom. In 1830, the Spanish government finally proclaimed the independence of one of its colonies, Mexico.

In a glittering ceremony held at past midnight on July 1, 1997, Hong Kong transformed from its role as the Asian jewel of the old British empire to become a window to the world of the awakening giant that is China. The handover, as this event is popularly known, marked the end of Britain’s 99-year lease of the New Territories that comprise the bulk of Hong Kong which was ceded to Britain after China’s defeat in the opium wars.

An open port city, Hong Kong had a reputation for being one of the world’s popular destinations for international tourists and shoppers. Like many growing cities in the region, it was preoccupied with the pursuit of wealth. Its people were comfortable in their freedoms and democratic way of life despite the taxes and high standard of living. Understandably, many were silently apprehensive that Hong Kong’s return to China will signal the start of a suppresive totalitarian regime in the city and bring about its death. One comforting development is the British government’s offer to Hong Kong citizens of becoming British citizens so that they will have the opportunity to leave when the transition takes place. Surprisingly, while almost 90 percent of the population took up the offer to become British citizens, fewer than 5 percent of these actually left the city.

Things did not come to a grinding halt after Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997. Hong Kong is more alive than ever. The stock market is robust and property prices, a barometer of a country’s success, is at an all-time high. The extraordinary thing about Hong Kong is that life and business went on long after the dreaded handover to a communist state. As a special administrative region of China, Hong Kong retains its capitalist character and plays an important role in transmitting China’s manufacturing power into the worldwide consumer goods distribution system.

In a sense, Hong Kong is a unique experiment of a socialist state using capitalism as an instrument for bringing about its own vision of a better and brighter tomorrow. Capsulized in the principle “one country, two systems,” Hong Kong is changing the face of China to the world as China is changing attitudes in Hong Kong towards China. With this deft playing of its Hong Kong cards, China hopes to change attitudes across the Straits of Formosa to bring about a peaceful reunification with its estranged brethren in Taiwan.

The last Mt. Fuji eruption was in 1707. Although silent now, it was the scene of several explosions in the past.

The Hoei Eruption 1707

As the last explosion it was also one of the most powerful. The explosions began in mid December but it continued sporadically for a couple of weeks. In total the blasts lasted until January. Estimates showed that over 700 million cubic ft of ash were spread a hundred kilometers away.

This is confirmed by the presence of the cider ash in Edo. Other places that were affected included Sagami and Izu. The power of the blast resulted in the formation of the volcanic vents. This Mt. Fuji eruption was also characterized by earthquakes.

Komikate

The earliest known explosion in the area took place 700,000 years ago. The current volcano is only a few thousand years old. However there were volcanoes in the area at the time. It was known as Komitake. It has been established that it was active during this period.

Komitake / Old Fuji

The volcano in the area was already known as Old Fuji. This explosion was more powerful than the previous one. It spewed lava, ash and rocks. The resulting blast led to the creation of an island mountain. It measured over 3,000 meters.

New Fuji: 5,000 Years Ago

This Mt. Fuji eruption was characterized by the presence of magma. It also had elements of scoria and ash. The blasts resulted in structure collapses. This explosion is considered as the most varied. It contained various elements that were not part of other eruptions.

Jomon Blasts

These consisted of four outbursts. These occurred 3,000 years ago. The explosions were characterized by black ash and were felt as far as Hamamatsu.

The Gotemba Mud / Lava Flow

This one occurred 2,300 years ago. The blast was so powerful that the eastern section of the volcano was destroyed. The resulting mud flow went all the way to Gotemba. The flow also made its way to Suruga Bay. This Mt. Fuji eruption covered a large portion of the land in mud and lava.

Jogan Blasts

These explosions took place circa 864. The exact date is unknown. What is known is that the explosion destroyed the north face of the volcano. Scientific evidence indicates that the explosion was marked by strong lava flow. It isn’t clear if it was accompanied by pyroclastic material or black ash.

There have been a total of 16 eruptions on record from 781 onwards. These explosions are divided into eras. The Heian Era is the earliest. It is the period between 800 and 1083. In that time period there were a dozen eruptions. The inactive and quiet time lasted from 1083 to 1511. The last was the aforementioned Hoei blasts. It should be noted that the dates for these explosions (especially the early ones) are approximates.

There is no indication that the Mt. Fuji eruption will resume anytime soon. Silent for centuries now, it is still nevertheless one of the most awe inspiring volcanoes in the world.

One of the most popular, interesting, historic and attractive UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Great Wall of China has an estimated total length of 8,851.8 kilometers. The wall was created for several centuries and many historians agree that three million Chinese people died while building the infrastructure. Learning when was the Great Wall of China built is essential to improve people’s knowledge and understanding of world history. Below are the important events related to the creation of this popular and splendid tourist spot in China.

The Development of the Great Wall of China

The construction of the Great Wall of China started during the 5th century B.C. For several centuries, different dynasties began the construction of several walls to mark and protect their borders. During the 16th century, the structures were finished and some of the northern regions of the country were secured and protected from foreign attacks. To unite all the regions of China, Qin Shi Huang, leader of the Qin Dynasty proposed the destruction of the walls in 221 B.C. However, after some time, Qin Shi Huang ordered the people to connect all the walls to secure them from possible attacks from Xiongnu people. At this time, the technologies that can be used in the rebuilding of the walls were limited so the structures are not strong enough to stand and last for several years. Years passed and some portions of the walls have been eroded and destroyed.

Other Relevant Information About the Great Wall of China

The Ming Dynasty introduced the concept behind the repair and redevelopment of the Great Wall of China in 1449. To make the structure stronger, the dynasty used stones and bricks to build the wall. Other materials that were used are lime and tiles. Throughout the end of the dynasty, the structure helped the Chinese people survived attacks from Manchus.

Some parts of the Great Wall of China were damaged by sandstorms. In addition, the height of the structure was decreased from above five meters to not more than two meters. Even the watchtowers that characterize the walls have disappeared. The western portions of the structure are also prone to erosion since these are made from mud.

Some of the parts of the structure that were commonly visited by tourists are the Juyongguan pass, Jiayuguan pass and the Pass of Shanhaiguan. Other than these, many tourists in Beijing, China visit the Mutianyu great Wall as well as the Ming Great Wall.