Territorial evolution of Mexico
Encyclopedia
Mexico has experienced many changes in territorial organization during its history as an independent state, especially as the territorial boundaries 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...

 were affected by presidential and imperial decrees. One such decree was the Law of Bases for the Convocation of the Constituent Congress to the Constitutive Act of the Mexican Federation, which determined the national land area as the result of integration of the jurisdictions that corresponded to New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...

, the Captaincy General of Yucatán
Captaincy General of Yucatán
The Captaincy General of Yucatán was an administrative district of colonial Spain, created in 1617 to provide more autonomy for the Yucatán Peninsula, previously ruled directly by a simple governor under the jurisdiction of Audiencia of Mexico...

, the Captaincy General of Guatemala
Captaincy General of Guatemala
The Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...

, and the autonomous Kingdoms of East and West. The decree resulted in the independence from Spain
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...

.

Subdivisions by intendancies

During the consummation of the Independence of Mexico, part of the territorial organization of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...

 was integrated into the new nation of the Mexican Empire
First Mexican Empire
The Mexican Empire was the official name of independent Mexico under a monarchical regime from 1821 to 1823. The territory of the Mexican Empire included the continental intendencies and provinces of New Spain proper...

. Added to this were the Captaincy General of Yucatán
Captaincy General of Yucatán
The Captaincy General of Yucatán was an administrative district of colonial Spain, created in 1617 to provide more autonomy for the Yucatán Peninsula, previously ruled directly by a simple governor under the jurisdiction of Audiencia of Mexico...

 and the Captaincy General of Guatemala
Captaincy General of Guatemala
The Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...

 (whose annexation was a strategy to counteract the Spanish crown). This yielded Mexico's largest land area as an independent nation.

Subdivisions by states and territories

During the structuring of the Republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...

, territorial and legal changes were made reaffirming the Catholic Church's status as the only religion for Mexicans. Also, the new nation developed a popular and representative federal republic that recognized the sovereignty of the States
States of Mexico
The United Mexican States is a federal republic formed by 32 federal entities .According to the Constitution of 1917, the states of the federation are free and sovereign. Each state has their own congress and constitution, while the Federal District has only limited autonomy with a local Congress...

 constituting the federal union.

Subdivisions by departments

The liberal government of 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...

, influenced by the conservatives, ratified the Seven Laws
Siete Leyes
The Siete Leyes were a series of constitutional instruments that fundamentally altered the organizational structure of the young first Mexican republic...

 by presidential decree, establishing a new territorial court, replacing the federal states by departments whose governors and legislators would be selected by the President. This break from federalism brought 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...

 to the most turbulent and unstable era in its history.

Subdivisions by imperial departments

During the Second Mexican Empire
Second Mexican Empire
The Second Mexican Empire was the name of Mexico under the regime established from 1864 to 1867. It was created by Napoleon III of France, who attempted to use the Mexican adventure to recapture some of the grandeur of earlier Napoleonic times...

, Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico
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...

 made a new division of national territory.

The territorial divisions throughout the history 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...

 have generally been linked to political change and programs aimed at improving the administrative, economic, and social development of the country. On 3 March 1865, one of the most important decrees of the government of Maximilian
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...

, the first division of the territory of the new Empire, was issued; it was published in the Journal of the Empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....

 on 13 March of that year. The reorganization was accomplished by Manuel Orozco y Berra (1816–1881) and was made according to the following rules;
  • 1.- The total land area of the country
    Country
    A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...

     will be divided into at least fifty departments.
  • 2.- Whenever possible, natural boundaries will be used for the subdivision of the departments.
  • 3.- The surface area of each department will take into account the terrain, weather, and all elements of production; so that, eventually, the departments will hold an equal number of inhabitants.


The development of this division was of great importance; because geographical features and projected future development were taken into account for the delimitation of the jurisdictions, local communication and business would be greatly improved.

The territorial division of the Second Mexican Empire
Second Mexican Empire
The Second Mexican Empire was the name of Mexico under the regime established from 1864 to 1867. It was created by Napoleon III of France, who attempted to use the Mexican adventure to recapture some of the grandeur of earlier Napoleonic times...

 was used for a short period because of the Empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....

 was overthrown in early 1867 with the execution of Maximilian I of Mexico
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...

. The Federal Republic
Federal republic
A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. A federation is the central government. The states in a federation also maintain the federation...

 and its former division were restored in that year.

Clarifications
Several of the former borders of the states and territories in northern 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...

 remain unclear. The northern border of Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....

, for example, is described in various ways, either as the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...

 or the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...

. The list of acts is not affected by this confusion, but the associated maps can be, so one should consider the following uncertainties and omissions:
  • Some of the borders of states in the north and northeast Texas before independence and the Mexican Cession
    Mexican Cession
    The Mexican Cession of 1848 is a historical name in the United States for the region of the present day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the U.S...

    .

  • The actual territorial extent of the territory of Santa Fe de Nuevo México
    Santa Fe de Nuevo México
    Santa Fe de Nuevo México was a province of New Spain and later Mexico that existed from the late 16th century up through the mid-19th century. It was centered on the upper valley of the Rio Grande , in an area that included most of the present-day U.S. state of New Mexico...

    .

  • The exact date that the division between Durango
    Durango
    Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...

     and Chihuahua stopped being a straight line.

  • Several minor adjustments to the border with the United States
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

    , including the Chamizal dispute
    Chamizal dispute
    The Chamizal dispute was a border conflict over about on the U.S.-Mexico border between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It was caused by differences between the bed of the Rio Grande as surveyed in 1852 and the present channel of the river....

     which are not specified.

  • The Republic of Baja California
    Republic of Baja California
    The Republic of Baja California was proclaimed in 1853 by soldier of fortune William Walker.He captured La Paz, declaring himself President of the Republic of Baja California.Later he merged that into the Republic of Sonora.- History :...

     and Republic of Sonora
    Republic of Sonora
    The Republic of Sonora was a federal republic composed of two states: Baja California and Sonora....

    ; proclaimed by the American filibuster William Walker in 1854, they were never more than a declaration and are not shown on the maps.

  • The following maps do not show the separation of Zacatecas
    Zacatecas
    Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....

     (1835) and Tabasco
    Tabasco
    Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....

     (1841-1842) who never became independent republics and never proclaimed as such.

  • The following maps do not show the claim 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...

     on part of the former British Honduras
    British Honduras
    British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...

    , today Belize
    Belize
    Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...

    .

1821-1824

From Independence to the Constitution of 1824
Map Date Description
September 27, 1821
The territorial organization of the First Mexican Empire
First Mexican Empire
The Mexican Empire was the official name of independent Mexico under a monarchical regime from 1821 to 1823. The territory of the Mexican Empire included the continental intendencies and provinces of New Spain proper...

 was the largest extension of Mexico as independent country: 4,925,283 km2.

The 24 intendences of the Empire were:
  • Las Californias
    Las Californias
    The Californias, or in — - was the name given by the Spanish to their northwestern territory of New Spain, comprising the present day states of Baja California and Baja California Sur on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico; and the present day U.S. state of California in the United States of...

  • México
    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...

  • Nuevo México
    Nuevo México
    -In Mexico:*Nuevo México, Chiapas*Nuevo México, Jalisco*Santa Fe de Nuevo México ; the province or kingdom of which Santa Fe was the capital....

  • Texas
    Texas
    Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

  • Nueva Vizcaya
    Nueva Vizcaya, New Spain
    Nueva Vizcaya was the first province in the north of New Spain to be explored and settled by the Spanish. It consisted mostly of the area which is today the states of Chihuahua and Durango in Mexico.-Early exploration and the Viceroyalty:...

  • Coahuila
    Coahuila
    Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

  • Nuevo Reino de León
    New Kingdom of León
    The New Kingdom of León , was an administrative territory of the Spanish Empire, politically ruled by the Viceroyalty of New Spain. It was located in an area corresponding generally to the present-day northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León.-Origins:...

  • Nuevo Santander
    Nuevo Santander
    Nuevo Santander was a region of the Virreinato de Nueva España, corresponding generally to the modern Mexican state of Tamaulipas and southern Texas. Nuevo Santander was named after Santander, Spain, and settled by Spanish American colonists in a concerted settlement campaign peaking in 1748-1750...

  • Sonora
    Sonora
    Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....

  • Zacatecas
    Zacatecas
    Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....

  • San Luis Potosí
    San Luis Potosí
    San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....

  • Guanajuato
    Guanajuato
    Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....

  • Querétaro
    Querétaro
    Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....

  • 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....

  • Guadalajara
    Jalisco
    Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...

  • Oaxaca
    Oaxaca
    Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...

  • Mérida de Yucatán
    Yucatán
    Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

  • Valladolid
    Michoacán
    Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...

  • Veracruz
    Veracruz
    Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...

  • Guatemala
    Guatemala
    Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...

  • El Salvador
    El Salvador
    El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...

  • Honduras
    Honduras
    Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...

  • Nicaragua
    Nicaragua
    Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...

  • Costa Rica
    Costa Rica
    Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....

  • May 21, 1823
    Territorial organization under the interim government of Mexico after the establishment of the Republic on May 21, 1823, and before the decree of the Constitutive Act of the Mexican Federation on January 31, 1824; period between the end of the First Mexican Empire and the creation of the Federal Republic of the United Mexican States.
    After the end of the empire, the Central American provinces
    Federal Republic of Central America
    The Federal Republic of Central America, known as the United Provinces of Central America in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain...

     decided not to be part 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...

    . Chiapas
    Chiapas
    Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...

     (part of Guatemala
    Guatemala
    Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...

    ) was not yet part 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...

    , while the region of Soconusco
    Soconusco
    Soconusco is a region of the Mexican state of Chiapas, located in the extreme south of the state and separated from Guatemala by the Suchiate River. It is a region of rich lowlands and foothills. The economic center is Tapachula. Soconusco consists of 16 municipalities.The name comes from the...

     proclaimed its independence of Mexico on July 24 1824, and was formally annexed by the Federal Republic of Central America
    Federal Republic of Central America
    The Federal Republic of Central America, known as the United Provinces of Central America in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain...

     on August 18, 1824.

    1824-1857

    From the Constitution of 1824 to the Constitution of 1857
    Map Date Description
    October 4, 1824
    Was enacted the Constitution of 1824
    1824 Constitution of Mexico
    The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new constitution, the republic took the name of United Mexican States, and was defined as a representative federal republic, with...

     which officially established the United Mexican States.

    The constitution organized the country in 19 states and 4 territories.
    • The order of the states is determined by the date of accession to the federation, are listed in the order in which the constitutional congress of the state was instated.


    The 19 founding states were:
    Order Name Date of Admission to Federation Installation date of the Congress
    1
    México
    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...

    20-12-1823 02-03-1824
    2
    Guanajuato
    Guanajuato
    Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....

    20-12-1823 25-03-1825
    3
    Oaxaca
    Oaxaca
    Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...

    21-12-1823 01-07-1823
    4
    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....

    21-12-1823 19-03-1824
    5
    Michoacán
    Michoacán
    Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...

    22-12-1823 06-04-1824
    6
    San Luis Potosí
    San Luis Potosí
    San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....

    22-12-1823 21-04-1824
    7
    Veracruz
    Veracruz
    Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...

    22-12-1823 09-05-1824
    8
    Yucatán
    Yucatán
    Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

    23-12-1823 20-08-1823
    9
    Jalisco
    Jalisco
    Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...

    23-12-1823 14-09-1823
    10
    Zacatecas
    Zacatecas
    Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....

    23-12-1823 19-10-1823
    11
    Querétaro
    Querétaro
    Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....

    23-12-1823 17-02-1824
    12
    Sonora y Sinaloa
    Sonora y Sinaloa
    Sonora y Sinaloa was a province in the Provincias Internas and under the jurisdiction of the Real Audiencia of Guadalajara of Viceroyalty of New Spain. After Independence Sonora y Sinaloa became one of the constituent states of the Mexican Republic...

    10-01-1824 12-09-1824
    13
    Tabasco
    Tabasco
    Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....

    07-02-1824 03-05-1824
    14
    Tamaulipas
    Tamaulipas
    Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...

    07-02-1824 07-05-1824
    15
    Nuevo León
    Nuevo León
    Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...

    07-05-1824 01-08-1824
    16
    Coahuila y Texas
    07-05-1824 15-08-1824
    17
    Durango
    Durango
    Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...

    22-05-1824 08-09-1824
    18
    Chihuahua
    06-07-1824 08-09-1824
    19
    Chiapas
    Chiapas
    Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...

    14-09-1824 05-01-1825


    The 4 federal territories were:
    Alta California Territory
    Alta California Territory
    Alta California Territory was one of the territories of Mexico.It was mentioned in the 1824 Constitution of Mexico....

    Baja California Territory
    Baja California Territory
    Baja California Territory was a Mexican territory from 1773 until 1931, located on the Baja California Peninsula.In 1931 it was divided into Northern and Southern territories. In 1952, the "North Territory of Baja California" became the 29th State of Mexico as Baja California, and in 1974, the...

    Colima Territory
    Nuevo México Territory
    November 18, 1824
    The Federal District
    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...

     was established around the City of Mexico, separating it from State of Mexico.
    • The original size was a perfect circle of 8.38 km² around the Constitution Square
      Zócalo
      The Zócalo is the main plaza or square in the heart of the historic center of Mexico City. The plaza used to be known simply as the "Main Square" or "Arms Square," and today its formal name is Plaza de la Constitución...

      . The size was increased in 1854 by 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...

       to 1700 km² and then was reduced in the term 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...

       to its current 1479 km².
    • This map shows only its current area.
    November 24, 1824
    It's created the Tlaxcala Territory
    Tlaxcala Territory
    Tlaxcala Territory was one of the territories of Mexico. It was created on 24 November 1824....

    , with territory of Puebla.
    October 14, 1830
    center>It's created the state of:
    Order Name Date of Admission
    20
    Sinaloa
    Sinaloa
    Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....

    14-10-1830
    May 23, 1835
    It's created the Aguascalientes Territory, with territory of Zacatecas.
    April 21, 1836
    The region of Texas
    Texas
    Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

     of the state of Coahuila y Texas declared its independence. The rest of the state was named Coahuila
    Coahuila
    Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

    . The Treaties of Velasco
    Treaties of Velasco
    The Treaties of Velasco were two documents signed at Velasco, Texas, on May 14, 1836, between Antonio López de Santa Anna of Mexico and the Republic of Texas, in the aftermath of the Battle of San Jacinto ....

     ended the Texas Revolution
    Texas Revolution
    The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...

     on May 14, 1836 with the creation of the independent Republic of Texas
    Republic of Texas
    The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...

    .
    1837
    Texas published a map claiming its border with 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...

     in the Rio Grande
    Rio Grande
    The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...

     and not the Nueces River
    Nueces River
    The Nueces River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas, approximately long. It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the southernmost major river in Texas northeast of the Rio Grande...

    , the Texas border since the Spanish colonial era.
    • The Mexican Congress
      Congress of Mexico
      The Congress of the Union is the legislative branch of the Mexican government...

       rejected the Treaties of Velasco
      Treaties of Velasco
      The Treaties of Velasco were two documents signed at Velasco, Texas, on May 14, 1836, between Antonio López de Santa Anna of Mexico and the Republic of Texas, in the aftermath of the Battle of San Jacinto ....

       signed by 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...

      , arguing that Santa Anna had no authority to grant independence to Texas
      Texas
      Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

      .
    January 17, 1840
    The states of Coahuila
    Coahuila
    Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

    , Nuevo León
    Nuevo León
    Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...

     and Tamaulipas
    Tamaulipas
    Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...

     declared their independence from 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...

     as the Republic of the Rio Grande
    Republic of the Rio Grande
    The Republic of the Rio Grande was an independent nation that insurgents against the Central Mexican Government sought to establish in northern Mexico. The rebellion lasted from January 17 to November 6, 1840 and the Republic of the Rio Grande was never officially recognized.- Background :After a...

    ; however, the border with Texas was never determined. The Republic claimed as its northern border the Nueces River
    Nueces River
    The Nueces River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas, approximately long. It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the southernmost major river in Texas northeast of the Rio Grande...

    , Texas claimed as its southern border the Rio Grande
    Rio Grande
    The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...

    .
    November 6, 1840
    The Republic of the Rio Grande
    Republic of the Rio Grande
    The Republic of the Rio Grande was an independent nation that insurgents against the Central Mexican Government sought to establish in northern Mexico. The rebellion lasted from January 17 to November 6, 1840 and the Republic of the Rio Grande was never officially recognized.- Background :After a...

     returned to 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...

     after a brief and unsuccessful war for independence.
  • Coahuila
    Coahuila
    Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

     kept a part of the territory of Chihuahua, largely uninhabited desert, taken by the Republic of the Rio Grande
    Republic of the Rio Grande
    The Republic of the Rio Grande was an independent nation that insurgents against the Central Mexican Government sought to establish in northern Mexico. The rebellion lasted from January 17 to November 6, 1840 and the Republic of the Rio Grande was never officially recognized.- Background :After a...

    .
  • October 1, 1841
    On February 12, 1840, Yucatán
    Yucatán
    Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

     sent a report to the central government demanding for the restoration of federalism as form of government
    Form of government
    A form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized. Synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government".-Empirical and conceptual problems:...

     to combat poverty in the country. The act demanded the reestablishment of the Mexican Constitution of 1824
    1824 Constitution of Mexico
    The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new constitution, the republic took the name of United Mexican States, and was defined as a representative federal republic, with...

    .
    • On October 1, 1841, the local Chamber of Deputies
      Chamber of Deputies
      Chamber of deputies is the name given to a legislative body such as the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or can refer to a unicameral legislature.-Description:...

       enacted the Declaration of Independence of the Yucatan Peninsula. Was established the second Republic of Yucatán
      Republic of Yucatán
      The Republic of Yucatan was a nineteenth century sovereign state during two periods of the century. The first Republic of Yucatan, founded May 29, 1823, joined the Mexican federation as the Federated Republic of Yucatán on December 23, 1823, less than seven months later...

      .
    September 11, 1842
    The district of Soconusco
    Soconusco
    Soconusco is a region of the Mexican state of Chiapas, located in the extreme south of the state and separated from Guatemala by the Suchiate River. It is a region of rich lowlands and foothills. The economic center is Tapachula. Soconusco consists of 16 municipalities.The name comes from the...

     rejoined Mexico as part of the state of Chiapas
    Chiapas
    Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...

    .
    December 29, 1845
    The United States
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

     annexed the Republic of Texas
    Republic of Texas
    The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...

    , admitted as the state of Texas
    Texas
    Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

    . However, Mexico doesn't accepted the annexation and the Texas border, which provoked the Mexican-American War.
    February 2, 1848
    The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
    Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
    The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to the interim government of a militarily occupied Mexico City, that ended the Mexican-American War on February 2, 1848...

     officially ended the war between Mexico and the U.S., forcing large territorial concessions by Mexico. All claims over Texas
    Texas
    Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

     were abandoned, establishing the Rio Grande
    Rio Grande
    The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...

     as the permanent border between the countries. That gave portions of the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila
    Coahuila
    Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

     and Tamaulipas
    Tamaulipas
    Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...

     to the United States.
    In addition, the United States received what is now known as the Mexican Cession
    Mexican Cession
    The Mexican Cession of 1848 is a historical name in the United States for the region of the present day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the U.S...

    , equivalent to the territories of Alta California
    Alta California
    Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...

     and Santa Fe de Nuevo México
    Santa Fe de Nuevo México
    Santa Fe de Nuevo México was a province of New Spain and later Mexico that existed from the late 16th century up through the mid-19th century. It was centered on the upper valley of the Rio Grande , in an area that included most of the present-day U.S. state of New Mexico...

    .
    • All the territories ceded by 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...

      , including Texas
      Texas
      Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

      , are approximately 2,500,000 km (965,255.396 sq mi), more than 55% of its former national territory.
    August 17, 1848
    On August 22, 1846, the interim president José Mariano Salas re-enacted the Constitution of 1824
    1824 Constitution of Mexico
    The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new constitution, the republic took the name of United Mexican States, and was defined as a representative federal republic, with...

    . 2 years later, during the government of José Joaquín de Herrera, Yucatan rejoined to Mexico.
    A decisive factor for the reinstatement was the Caste War, which forced Yucatán
    Yucatán
    Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

     to seek outside help.
    December 13, 1853
    On December 13, 1853, 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...

     signed the Gadsden Purchase
    Gadsden Purchase
    The Gadsden Purchase is a region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by James Gadsden, the American ambassador to Mexico at the time, on December 30, 1853. It was then ratified, with changes, by the U.S...

     (known as Venta de la Mesilla in Mexico). He sold an area of 76,845 km² from the states of Sonora
    Sonora
    Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....

     and Chihuahua for $10 million to the United States
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

    .
    The treaty was signed by U.S. President Franklin Pierce
    Franklin Pierce
    Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...

     on June 24, 1853, and was ratified by the United States Senate on April 25, 1854.
    April 25, 1854
    After the United States Senate approved the Gadsden Purchase
    Gadsden Purchase
    The Gadsden Purchase is a region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by James Gadsden, the American ambassador to Mexico at the time, on December 30, 1853. It was then ratified, with changes, by the U.S...

     on April 25, 1854, the sale became official.
    Mexican people angered by the selling of its territory proclaimed 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...

    , which finally ended the political career of Santa Anna.

    1857-1917

    From the Constitution of 1857 to the Constitution of 1917
    Map Date Description
    February 5, 1857
    The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857 approved the reorganization of the national territory. Nuevo León
    Nuevo León
    Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...

     merged with Coahuila
    Coahuila
    Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

     adopting the name of the latter; also confirmed were the creation of a new state and the admission of 3 of the 4 territories as free states of the federation.


    Created as a state::
    Order Name Date of Admission Installation date of the Congress
    21
    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....

    27-10-1849 30-01-1850


    Admitted as states:
    Order Name Date of Admission Installation date of the Congress
    22
    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....

    09-12-1856 01-06-1857
    23
    Colima
    Colima
    Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....

    09-12-1856 19-07-1857
    24
    Aguascalientes
    Aguascalientes
    Aguascalientes is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 11 municipalities and its capital city is Aguascalientes....

    05-02-1857
    May 3, 1858
    The district of Campeche was separated from the state of Yucatan
    Yucatán
    Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

    , creating the territory of Campeche.
    April 29, 1863
    center>Admitted as a state:
    Order Name Date of Admission Installation date of the Congress
    25
    Campeche
    Campeche
    Campeche is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in Southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the states of Yucatán to the north east, Quintana Roo to the east, and Tabasco to the south west...

    29-04-1863
    February 26, 1864
    President 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...

    , at Saltillo
    Saltillo
    Saltillo is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. The city is located about 400 km south of the U.S. state of Texas, and 90 km west of Monterrey, Nuevo León....

    , decreed the separation of Coahuila
    Coahuila
    Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

     and Nuevo Leon
    Nuevo León
    Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...

     as 2 free and sovereign states, as they were before 1857.
    March 3, 1865
    On October 3, 1863, conservative Mexicans and the Catholic Church, which were unhappy with the government of 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...

     and the constitution of 1857, offered the crown of Mexico
    Imperial Crown of Mexico
    The Imperial Crown of Mexico was the crown created for the monarch of Mexico on two separate occasions. The crown of the First Mexican Empire, ruled by Agustin I of Mexico, can be seen in his many portraits , but its history is not entirely known....

     to the Austrian archduke 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...

    . On March 3, 1865, he decreed the first division of the territory of the new Empire, which was published in the Journal of the Empire on March 13 of that year.
    July 15, 1867
    On June 19, 1867, after 4 years of a failed empire, 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...

     was shot.
    On 15 July 1867, President 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...

     entered the city of Mexico
    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...

    , formally restoring the Federal Republic.
    January 16, 1869
    By decree of President 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...

     and with unanimous approval of Congress with parts of the State of Mexico.


    Created as a state:
    Order Name Date of Admission Installation date of the Congress
    26
    Hidalgo
    16-01-1869 16-05-1869
    April 17, 1869
    By decree of President 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...

     and with unanimous approval of Congress with parts of the State of Mexico.


    Created as a state:
    Order Name Date of Admission Installation date of the Congress
    27
    Morelos
    Morelos
    Morelos officially Estado Libre y Soberano de 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....

    17-04-1869
    December 12, 1884
    By decree of President Manuel González the Territory of Tepic was created, separating from the state of Jalisco
    Jalisco
    Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...

    .
    November 24, 1902
    By decree of President 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...

     the Territory of Quintana Roo was created, separating from the state of Yucatan
    Yucatán
    Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

    .
    January 26, 1917
    center>The territory of Tepic was admitted as the state of:
    >
    Order Name Date of Admission Installation date of the Congress
    28
    Nayarit
    Nayarit
    Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...

    26-01-1917

    1917-2011

    From the Constitution of 1917 to present
    Map Date Description
    February 5, 1917
    As a result of 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...

    , the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1917
    Constitution of Mexico
    The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States is the current constitution of Mexico. It was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, by a constitutional convention, during the Mexican Revolution. It was approved by the Constitutional Congress on February 5, 1917...

     was enacted.
    The constitution ratified many social demands dating to the beginning of the Revolution and was the first constitution in history to include so-called social rights. The admission of the state of Nayarit
    Nayarit
    Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...

     to the federation was ratified.
    December 30, 1930
    On December 30, 1930, Congress and local legislatures approved the amendments to the Constitution which created the North Territory of Baja California and the South Territory of Baja California, divided at the 28th parallel. They were published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on February 7, 1931.
    January 28, 1931
    Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
    Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
    Victor Emmanuel III was a member of the House of Savoy and King of Italy . In addition, he claimed the crowns of Ethiopia and Albania and claimed the titles Emperor of Ethiopia and King of Albania , which were unrecognised by the Great Powers...

     handed down his verdict in favor of France
    France
    The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

     for the possession of Clipperton Island
    Clipperton Island
    Clipperton Island is an uninhabited nine-square-kilometre coral atoll in the eastern Pacific Ocean, southwest of Mexico and west of Central America, at...

    , also known as Isla de la Pasion, by which 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...

     lost the sovereignty of that atoll.
    December 14, 1931
    President Pascual Ortiz Rubio
    Pascual Ortiz Rubio
    Pascual Ortiz Rubio was a Mexican politician. He was born in Morelia, Michoacán as the son of Pascual Ortiz de Ayala y Huerta and Lenor Rubio Cornelis...

     declared the annexation of the territory of Quintana Roo to the states of Yucatan
    Yucatán
    Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

     and Campeche
    Campeche
    Campeche is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in Southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the states of Yucatán to the north east, Quintana Roo to the east, and Tabasco to the south west...

     giving as excuse that the Territory, not being economically self-sufficient, was a huge outflow for the federation.
    January 11, 1935
    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...

     issued a decree published in the Official Journal on January 16, 1935, by which the Federal Territory of Quintana Roo was reconstituted.
    January 16, 1952
    President Miguel Alemán Valdés
    Miguel Alemán Valdés
    Miguel Alemán Valdés served as the President of Mexico from 1946 to 1952.-Life:Alemán was born in Sayula in the state of Veracruz as the son of General Miguel Alemán González and Tomasa Valdés Ledezma...

     announced on September 1, 1951 that the North Territory of Baja California, due to its population and its economic ability to survive, satisfied the conditions required by the Constitution to be admitted as a free and sovereign state .


    The North Territory of Baja California was admitted as the state of
    Order Name Date of Admission
    29
    Baja California
    16-01-1952
    October 8, 1974
    President Luis Echeverria Alvarez sent to the Congress of Mexico
    Congress of Mexico
    The Congress of the Union is the legislative branch of the Mexican government...

     a bill for the Quintana Roo Territory
    Quintana Roo Territory
    Quintana Roo Territory was one of the territories of Mexico. It was created 24 November 1902 by decree of the President of Mexico Porfirio Díaz from land that had previously been part of the State of Yucatán after the a turning point of the Caste War of Yucatán. On 8 October 1974 the territory...

     and South Territory of Baja California to be elevated to the category of states.
    Following the approval of state legislatures, on October 8, 1974, the decree, giving 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...

     its current configuration, was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation.


    The South Territory of Baja California and the Quintana Roo Territory were admitted as the states of:
    Order Name Date of Admission Installation date of the Congress
    30
    Quintana Roo
    08-10-1974 25-11-1974
    31
    Baja California Sur
    Baja California Sur
    Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...

    08-10-1974 25-03-1975

    The Seven Constitutional Laws

    By the law of October 3, 1835, the centralist system was introduced in the country. The entities that formed the Republic so lost their freedom, independence and sovereignty, being entirely subordinate to the central government.

    The Seven Constitutional Laws
    Siete Leyes
    The Siete Leyes were a series of constitutional instruments that fundamentally altered the organizational structure of the young first Mexican republic...

     were enacted on December 30, 1836. The sixth discussed the territorial configuration in its first and second articles.
    Shortly thereafter the Eighth Organic Base, a separate body from the Seven Laws, was enacted. The first article stipulated that the country would be composed of many departments, corresponding to the previously existing states except that:

    1. Coahuila and Texas were separated into two different departments.

    2. The Colima Territory would be integrated into the Michoacan Department.

    3. The Tlaxcala Territory
    Tlaxcala Territory
    Tlaxcala Territory was one of the territories of Mexico. It was created on 24 November 1824....

     would be integrated into the Mexico Department.

    4. The Federal Distict was eliminated.

    According to the above, the new territorial division was composed of 24 departments. That territorial composition, initially temporary, was regarded as final until 30 June 1838, by law of that date.

    This period created a great political instability that began in regional problems and conflicts between the center and the states of the country. Rebellions were raised in several places among which distinguished.
    • Zacatecas
      Zacatecas
      Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....

       was the first state to declare itself against centralism in the so-called 1835 Revolt in Zacatecas, which was quickly extinguished. As punishment for his rebellion, part of the territory of Zacatecas was split off and turned into the Aguascalientes Territory.

    • The Texas region of the state of Coahuila and Texas declared its independence from 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...

       on October 2, 1835, forming the Republic of Texas
      Republic of Texas
      The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...

      .

    • Coahuila
      Coahuila
      Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...

      , Nuevo León
      Nuevo León
      Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...

       and Tamaulipas
      Tamaulipas
      Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...

       declared themselves independent 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...

       on January 17, 1840 as the Republic of the Rio Grande
      Republic of the Rio Grande
      The Republic of the Rio Grande was an independent nation that insurgents against the Central Mexican Government sought to establish in northern Mexico. The rebellion lasted from January 17 to November 6, 1840 and the Republic of the Rio Grande was never officially recognized.- Background :After a...

      . The Republic was never truly independent, since the rebels were quickly overthrown. The Republic was dissolved on 6 November 1840.

    • Yucatán
      Yucatán
      Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....

      , which had joined to the federation under the condition of Federated Republic, declared its independence in 1840 (officially on October 1, 1841); this historic event resulted in the birth of the second Republic of Yucatán
      Republic of Yucatán
      The Republic of Yucatan was a nineteenth century sovereign state during two periods of the century. The first Republic of Yucatan, founded May 29, 1823, joined the Mexican federation as the Federated Republic of Yucatán on December 23, 1823, less than seven months later...

      , which returned permanently to the nation in 1848.

    • Tabasco
      Tabasco
      Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....

      , due to conflicts with the new centralized system, declared independence from Mexico on 13 February 1841 and returned to the nation on December 2, 1842.


    On August 22, 1846, due to the war with the United States, the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824
    1824 Constitution of Mexico
    The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new constitution, the republic took the name of United Mexican States, and was defined as a representative federal republic, with...

     was restored. There remained the separation of Yucatan, but 2 years later Yucatan definitively rejoined Mexico.

    The Basis for Administration of the Republic

    A change in the governance of the country was determined by the Decree of 22 April 1853, which from that moment recognized the Basis for the Administration of the Republic as the fundamental law for the reorganization of government.

    In this precept, in the first and second articles, the Section of Internal Governance, the independence and sovereignty of states were abolished, although the name "states" was retained.

    In the third article districts, cities or towns that had been separated from the states and divisions to which they belonged were returned to their original conditions. This excluded Aguascalientes, which continued to be considered a district of Zacatecas.

    In a statement the Ministry of War, on September 21, 1853, it was decided that states would instead be called departments.

    Changes in the territorial division, according to the code above, were:

    1. Decree of May 29, 1853, establishing the Territory of Tehuantepec, its capital city at Minatitlan
    Minatitlán
    There are at least two places in Mexico called Minatitlán:*Minatitlán, Colima*Minatitlán, Veracruz along the Coatzacoalcos River...

    .

    2. Decree of October 16, 1853, establishing the Territory of the Isla del Carmen.

    3. Decree of December 1, 1853, establishing the Territory of Sierra Gorda, its capital city at San Luis de la Paz
    San Luis de la Paz
    San Luis de la Paz is a city and its surrounding municipality of the same name located in the northeastern part of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico. A charming city with great historic and cultural wealth, was founded on August 25, 1552, as a defensive town in the Spanish Silver Road, which linked...

    .

    4. Decree of December 1, 1853, adding the district of Tuxpan to the Department of Veracruz.

    5. Decree of December 10, 1853, redesignating the District of Aguascalientes
    Aguascalientes
    Aguascalientes is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 11 municipalities and its capital city is Aguascalientes....

     as a Department.

    6. Decree of February 16, 1854, creating, despite the centralist system, a kind of Federal District.

    7. Decree of July 20, 1854, approving the Treaty of Mesilla
    Gadsden Purchase
    The Gadsden Purchase is a region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by James Gadsden, the American ambassador to Mexico at the time, on December 30, 1853. It was then ratified, with changes, by the U.S...

    , which amended the border with the United States of America through the loss of territory of Chihuahua and Sonora
    Sonora
    Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....

    .

    Plan of Ayutla

    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...

     was a political statement proclaimed on March 1, 1854 in Ayutla
    Ayutla
    Ayutla:*Ayutla, San Marcos, a municipality in the San Marcos department of Guatemala.*Ayutla de los Libres, a small town located in the Mexican state of Guerrero.*The Plan of Ayutla was proclaimed in Ayutla, Guerrero....

    , 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....

    , intended to end the presidency of Antonio López de Santa Anna.

    The plan was revised in Acapulco, 11 March 1854, in its second article respecting, in principle, the territorial division and just convened a representative from each Department and Territory.

    The Provisional Organic Statute, known as Lafragua Code was promulgated on May 15, 1856 and provided the legal basis for governing the country in the interim between 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...

     and Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857. That document left open a later choice for federalism or centralism, but encouraged federalism because it called the entities that formed the Republic States. Thus, in its 2nd article, it retained the previous territorial division, determining the existence of 22 states, the District of the capital and 6 territories.

    The Constitution of 1857 was a liberal constitution drafted during the presidency of Ignacio Comonfort
    Ignacio Comonfort
    Ignacio Gregorio Comonfort de los Ríos was a Mexican politician and military officer who served as President of Mexico....

    , who was sworn in on February 5, 1857. The Constitution contained the essence of that of 1824 (the federal character of the state and the democratic system of representative and republican government), but established freedom of religion, ending the domain of the Catholic Church as the sole and official religion of the country, and set out in Article 43 the parties making up the federation: 24 states, 1 federal territory and the Federal District known as the Valley of Mexico today 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...

    . The territories of Sierra Gorda, Tehuantepec and Isla del Carmen and Nuevo Leon
    Nuevo León
    Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...

    as an independent state disappeared.
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