por He population growth and flourishing of cities in New Spain it relied on the wealth of precious metals in the region and was favored by the urban nature of Spanish colonization. Given the careful control of the state, the founding of cities achieved several purposes.
One of these purposes is that it ensured the occupation of the territory and served as the basis for subsequent conquests. In addition, it implied a permanent presence and became a sign of occupation. The arrival of Hernán Cortés to Aztec lands was a decisive chapter in the history of New Spain, now Mexico.
On April 21, 1519, a fleet of 11 galleons arrived at the island of San Juan de Ulúa. From its interior, 550 Spanish soldiers and sailors disembarked, as well as 16 horses. This would be Europe’s first contact with one of the most advanced Mesoamerican civilizations.
Then, a period of political, economic and social domination began. Later they began to build cities in the European style. The populations of the different races that converged there began to grow and mix, thus contributing to the growth of the population and the flourishing of New Spain cities.
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First stage of population and city growth
After the fall of the Aztec Empire and the capture of its ruler Cuauhtémoc (1521), Cortés founded Mexico City. This foundation was made on the ruins of the once majestic Tenochtitlán.
A European-style colonial capital began to be erected. The growth of the population and the flourishing of the cities of New Spain took place on the rubble of the destroyed Aztec pyramids, temples and palaces.
In 1535 Antonio de Mendoza was named as the first of the 61 viceroys who ruled New Spain for the next three centuries. In this period the colonial territories continued to grow.
They eventually spread south to Honduras, north to present-day Kansas, and east to present-day New Orleans. Territorial expansion led to the exploitation of natural resources; With this new wealth, colonial cities sprang up throughout the region.
indian stonemasons
In that context, the Indian stonemasons came into action, who once built temples and pyramids. They built chapels, cathedrals, monasteries, convents, as well as administrative palaces and large residences for the Spanish.
The skill of those native hands was key in the growth of the population and the flourishing of the cities in New Spain.
The native population and settlements after the Conquest
There is a consensus among specialists that the 16th century was a demographic disaster for the Mesoamericans. It is estimated that, at the arrival of the Spanish, the native population was between 25 and 30 million inhabitants. According to conservative figures, the percentage decline in the population was at least 25%.
As the Conquest progressed, the natives were forced to change their sparse pattern of settlement, as more compact settlements facilitated Spanish political, economic, and religious control.
In this way, new European-style villages and towns were founded. From there, censuses, baptisms and funeral records attest to the growth of the population and the flourishing of cities.
native recovery
In the middle of the 17th century the recovery of the native population began. This was accompanied by a great mix of people of different ethnic-racial backgrounds.
Population growth increased the level of human needs. New dispensaries, churches, access roads, and cemeteries were built to serve these needs.
With this increase, schools, supply stores and craft shops also began to appear. Organized settlements attracted even more population.
Influence of economic growth on population growth
In the 17th century, New Spain stood out as one of the world’s main suppliers of silver and other mining products. Since the middle of the previous century, New Spain had had a transatlantic trade system.
Through this system, precious metals were sent to Spain in exchange for European products. In addition, spices, silks and various merchandise of Asian origin were mobilized.
In this way, the commercial flow favored the growth of a mercantilist class both in Spain and in New Spain, which implied that a firm political and administrative stability was generated.
This wealth contributed greatly to population growth and the flourishing of cities. Large contingents of Indians were incorporated into the work of the mines.
Decrease in trade with Spain
In the last two thirds of the 17th century, trade with Spain fell due to internal problems. New Spain cities began to become economically self-sufficient, producing what was previously exported.
Merchants from New Spain monopolized trade with the Philippines. These provided miners with credit to continue working, enabling economic transformation and social change.
Thus, the northern populations, previously isolated and depopulated, became territories of continuous colonization due to the impulse of mining.
The distance between these new populated centers and the food supply areas promoted the creation of production and supply centers close to the mining areas. With this, the flourishing of these regions was consolidated.
Population explosion of the 18th century
The growth of the New Spain population was sustained throughout the three centuries that the Spanish occupation lasted. Especially the mining industry largely contributed to this population increase.
For example, between 1550 and 1570 the population of the mining district of Pachuca experienced a 500% increase. In 1578, this district had thousands of inhabitants, who depended on mining activities.
Outbreak of the insurgency
The largest population explosion in New Spain occurred from the mid-18th century until 1810, when the insurgency broke out. The figures provided by Alexander von Humboldt, although unofficial, can serve as a guide.
According to this German explorer, the New Spain population was seven million. Of these, 3,700,000 were Indians, 1,200,000 whites, and almost 2,000,000 mestizos.
Likewise, Mexico City was the largest of the American cities. This city had 113,000 inhabitants. Other important cities in the American continent such as Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro or Havana barely had 50,000 inhabitants.
References
Cortes Rocha, X. (2016). The origins of New Spain urbanism. Taken from postgraduate.unam.mx.
Tanck de Estrada, D. (s/f). Indigenous education in the eighteenth century. Taken from biblioweb.tic.unam.mx.
Gale Encyclopedia of US Economic History. (s/f). New Spain, Viceroyalty of. Taken from encyclopedia.com.
Palfrey, D.H. (1998, November 01). The settlement of New Spain: Mexico’s Colonial era. Taken from mexconnect.com.
McCaa, R. (1998, December 8). The People of Mexico from Origins to Revolution Taken from pop.umn.edu.
Delgado, G. (2006). Mexico history. Mexico: Pearson Education.
Chiva Beltrán, J. (2012). The triumph of the viceroy. Novohispanic glories: origin, apogee and decline of the viceregal entry. Castelló de la Plana: Publications of the Jaume I University.
Canudas, E. (2005). The veins of silver in the history of Mexico: synthesis of economic history, XIX century. Villahermosa: Juárez Autonomous University of Tabasco.