Morelos

Morelos is a landlocked state in south-central Mexico.

It is one of the 32 federal entities that make up the nation. The state is divided into 36 different municipalities. Its capital city is Cuernavaca.

Morelos is bordered by Mexico City to the north. It also touches the state of México to the northeast and northwest. To the east lies Puebla, and Guerrero is to the southwest. It is the second-smallest state in Mexico. Only Tlaxcala is smaller in size.

The geography of Morelos creates a unique environment. The region acts as a basin. Abundant water flows into this central area. This physical unity sets it apart from other Mexican regions. Most of the state enjoys a warm climate throughout the year. This warmth is excellent for agriculture. For many centuries, people have grown sugar cane here. They use nearby mills to refine the cane into sugar.

You can also see cucumber fields in places like Tlayacapan.

Human history in this area began very early. Evidence shows nomadic hunters and gatherers lived here around 6000 B.C. They lived in areas like Yautepec and Chimalacatlan. Later, the Olmec culture was dominant from 200 B.C. to about A.D. 500. You can see their influence in clay figures and reliefs.

One interesting theory suggests the first agricultural settlements appeared in a place called Tamoanchan. A historian named Francisco Plancarte y Navarrete associated this ancient place with Morelos. He believed Tamoanchan was a real location, not just a myth.

Many different groups migrated to the region over time. The Toltecs founded the settlement of Mazatepec in A.D. 603. A later wave of Toltecs built the city-state of Xochicalco.

By the 12th century, the Xochimilcas and Tlahuicas arrived. The Tlahuicas eventually became the dominant ethnic group. They organized into about fifty small city-states. Each state had a hereditary ruler called a tlatoani. These people had advanced knowledge of astronomy. They also had a highly developed agricultural system. They were famous for growing cotton. Tlahuica women spun and wove this cotton into cloth. This cloth was used for trade and tribute.

The Aztec Empire eventually expanded into Morelos. They began arriving as early as 1398. By the 1420s, the Aztec leader Itzcoatl conquered Cuauhnáhuac and Xiutepec. The Aztecs used marriage to seal their control. Emperor Huitzilihuitl married Miahuaxochitl, the daughter of a local lord. Their son became the Aztec emperor Moctezuma Ilhuicamina. He is said to have established a botanical garden in Huaxtepec.

The Aztecs also built fortifications in the hills. The pyramid of Tepozteco in Tepoztlán may have served as a lookout post.

Spanish explorers arrived in central Mexico in 1519. Hernán Cortés led expeditions into Morelos after 1520. He defeated various groups in places like Tlayacapan and Cuernavaca.

After the fall of Tenochtitlan, Cortés established a hacienda in Cuernavaca. He built the Palace of Cortés there five years later.

During the colonial period, many religious buildings were constructed. Over 500 religious structures were built in the state within 50 years. In 1529, Cortés was named the Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca. This title gave him control over much of the territory. This included about eighty communities and several sugar cane plantations.

Morelos gained its current status through political change. It was part of the large State of Mexico for a long time. In 1869, President Benito Juárez decreed its separation. He named the state to honor José María Morelos y Pavón. Morelos was a leader during the Mexican War of Independence. He famously defended the city of Cuautla from royalist forces. His men held out during a siege for 58 days. This was a vital victory for the independence movement.

Today, Morelos remains a place of deep cultural tradition. It is famous for the Chinelos. These are costumed dancers who appear at festivals. They are especially active during Carnival.

The state also contains World Heritage Sites. These include the Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl. Visitors also come to see the historic views in Tepoztlán.

The state blends its ancient indigenous roots with its colonial and modern history.