Querétaro, Mexico

_{Emblem of the Otomi}

While little prehistoric evidence exists to determine the state's early social development, historians believe that the earliest Querétaro inhabitants were probably the Otomí, a sophisticated society that established the city of Tula in nearby Hidalgo around 900 A.D. This indigenous race had, by this time, settled throughout central Mexico. Their culture relied on agrigulture and livestock, spinning, weaving and pottery. The Otomí--who were firmly established in central Mexico before the mysterious Tenochtitlán Empire appeared around 700 A.D.--extended their influence upon neighboring cultures, including those of nearby Querétaro. Between the 3rd and 9th centuries A.D, the Otomí established cultural centers, such as Ranas and El Cerrito and built a pyramid near the present-day city of Corregidora. For centuries, the Otomí--and to a lesser extent, the Tarascan and Chichimeca--were the ruling tribes in the region. In the mid-13th century, the region was conquered by the Aztecs.

_{The Aqueduct (also known as "Los Arcos")}

In 1521, the Spanish arrived in Mexico, and soon conquered indigenous populations all over the country. Cristobal de Olid entered the Querétaro region the following year. Although the arrival of Spaniards was generally met with resistance by the indigenous cultures, the Otomí people aligned themselves with the Spaniards and fought beside them to defeat the Aztecs living in the Querétaro region. As a demonstration of loyalty, an Otomi leader named Conin converted to Roman Catholicism between the years 1522 and 1526, changed his name to Fernando de Tapia and founded the city of Santiago de Querétaro on July 25,1531. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the city grew and matured as an agricultural and commercial center. Its ethnically diverse population included Otomí, Tarascan, Chichimec and Spanish residents. Throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, the city continued to grow. In 1736, the aqueduct at Santiago de Querétaro was completed. At 23 meters (75 feet) tall and 1280 meters (4200 feet) long, it remains an impressive feat of civil engineering. The aqueduct was designed to carry water to the city from nearby springs. In the early 19th century, revolutionaries in Querétaro began planning a rebellion against Spain, making the state the birthplace of Mexican independence. The Spanish city considered the city of Querétaro to be a critical seat of power and dubbed it "third city of the kingdom," after Mexico City and Puebla, due to its strategic importance. On September 13, 1810, Spanish operatives learned of the plans for a rebellion, thus jeopardizing the success of the independence movement and compromising the safety of many key members. A supporter of the movement, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez (known as La Corregidora), got word to the rebel leaders at San Miguel el Grande (now San Miguel de Allende) before the Spanish could attack their headquarters. The leaders of the local underground movement escaped unharmed, and three days later, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a local priest, issued the famous Grito de Dolores (The Cry of Dolores) in the city of Dolores in the neighboring state of Guanajuato. The Mexican War of Independence had officially begun. Although Hidalgo was captured and shot the following year, his call to arms was answered by rebel forces throughout the land, and the struggle for independence continued. Forces loyal to Madero, Francisco "Pancho" Villa and Venustiano Carranza, fought for control of the government, supported by thousands of landless peasants who clamored for more rights and the fair distribution of land. Throughout this time, Querétaro served as a headquarters for the revolutionaries. Eleven chaotic years later, in 1821, the movement for independence succeeded when Spain signed the Plan of Iguala, which established Mexican independence, Roman Catholicism as the national religion, and equality for all of Mexico’s people. For the next 20 years, the state, along with the remainder of the country, experienced political and social instability.

_{Church of San Francisco, across from Plaza de la Constitución}

Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821; in 1824, Querétaro became a state despite never having been a province by virtue of its strong economy. Less than three decades later, the Mexican-American war erupted. In 1846, American troops invaded Mexico City. As a result, the city of Santiago de Querétaro became the temporary capital of Mexico. On May 30, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ceded much of Mexico’s northern territories to the United States, was signed in Querétaro. In 1863, French forces led by Emperor Maximilian I of Austria arrived in Mexico after the country refused to pay its foreign debts. France occupied and ruled parts of Mexico between 1864 and 1866. They eventually withdrew due to the intervention of the United States, who aided the Mexican government and ultimately demanded that Napoleon III withdraw his French forces. Maximilian I was taken prisoner by Mexican nationals and executed in Querétaro on June 19, 1867, on the Cerro de las Campanas (Bells Mountain), thus ending the French occupation. Throughout the country, the following decade was marked by civil and political strife. Porifirio Diaz came to power in 1877 and began a period of relative stability. By 1910, after Díaz had maintained power for 30 years, growing agitation among the marginalized indigenous and working minorities along with anger and frustration over the harsh tactics of the Díaz regime led to the Mexican Revolution. Querétaro participated by sending state troops to other parts of the country to fight against the government forces. Once the Díaz regime was ousted, various revolutionary factions struggled for power. Finally, in 1917, a constitutional convention was called in Querétaro, and leaders worked bring an end to the internal squabbling of the revolutionary parties. Shortly after the convention, Venustiano Carranza, one of the revolutionary leaders, was elected president. The Partido Nacional Revolucionario (Institutional Revolutionary Party) was formed and a period of stability for Querétaro and the rest of the country began that lasted until 2000.

_{Los Arcos at night.}

Manufacturing accounts for about 32% of Querétaro’s economy, followed by trade at 19%, service-based companies at 18%, transportation and communications at 11%, finance and insurance at 11%, agriculture and livestock at 4%, construction at 4%, and mining at 1%. Most of the state’s manufacturing companies are located in or around the city of Querétaro. Carnation and Purina are among the best-known food processing companies with facilities in the state, and numerous textile mills manufacture clothing made of wool, cotton and henequen (a type of tropical plant). One of the biggest employers in Santiago de Querétaro is Tremac, an auto parts manufacturer. One of the leading milk producers in the country, Querétaro farms also breed livestock and dairy cows. Leading cash crops are beans, cabbage, alfalfa, onions, lettuce and sorghum. Rich mineral deposits run through the state’s mountains and valleys, yielding silver, iron, copper and mercury. Opal mining is another lucrative state resource. Querétaro's low crime rate and high standard of living have made it an attractive place for immigrants and investors. The state is also noted by the NGO Transparencia Mexicana as having the lowest levels of corruption among all Mexican states. In 1986, the city of Querétaro hosted the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup championships.

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