Independent Mexico used to be combined with Central America, until they got irritated and split away because emperor Agustín de Iturbide tried to centralize control.
All that region was part of The New Spain, it wasn't called Mexico before independence, when independence happened all those Countries in Central America belonged to the new Nation soon to be called The United States of Mexico, but the new government was in Mexico City, then (and now) the most important City of the new Nation, so far away States felt Isolated and without any help from their government, the government was too weak to reach its far away States, that's why they lost more than Haif their land to the United States, and soon the Central America region began to Crack in pieces and the Mexican government was unable to take hand on matters, they let that region to go free from them, nowadays Mexico could easily regain that region without firing a single bullet, but economical, it could be a stronger richier Nation.
@@mx_moi1964 The first map of Mexico is in 1823 after the end of the First Mexican Empire when Iturbide resigned, which is also when Guatemala broke away and joined the UPCA, thats why the video displays Guatemala as independent. Maybe your the one that is slow
This is a minor thing but the map of the US in this video shows West Virginia as a separate state within the US, which it wouldn't become until the American Civil War
Yucatan used to be a whole state as is shown in the video but after being re-annexed by mexico, mexico punished them by dividing the state into 3, Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo.
That wasn't an act of punishment. It was to divide the region up so they could not amass enough resources to revolt, or at least not revolt successfully.
Ah, the Europeans with their continued nonsense. Always the aggressor, but having the audacity to play the victim, while being the aggressor. If only the Mayans had realized they had the advantage in numbers and might and could easily have annihilated the Europeans. It's not their land, their land is Europe.
Santa Anna seemed to have had nine lives. After a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Texas Army, he always seemed to rise again to power. Mexican politics were very odd back then.
Compared to his contemporaries in teh hemisphere, he was a competent general and leader. The problem is the geography of Mexico is not conducive to central governance.
Santa Ana has got to be 1 of the most interesting historical figures who has ever lived. Fascinating how many highs and lows the man survived during his life.
i think President James Knox Polk was pleased with the idea and the "Yucatán Bill" passed the U.S. House of Representatives, but was discarded by the Senate. The war with Mexico had become more complicated than anticipated, and the Congress of the United States did not want a second war with the natives of Yucatán.
The imperialist Yucatec elite would have been a double-edged sword for the U.S. government. While their wealth and economic power could have been an asset, their ambition, resistance to federal control, and social hierarchies would have created substantial political and social challenges. Their influence might have destabilized U.S. domestic policy, heightened sectional divides, and complicated its role as a growing imperial power.
As a Mexican, when I lived in the Yucatan peninsula for about 2 years, I was completely amazed about the cultural distance and history of the region. I didn’t really know much about it before I moved in there, and it wasn’t until I started to experience the cultural shocks that I began to research on the history of it. In Quintana Roo( where I lived) the population is divided approximately by 50-50 (half foreigners, half native mayas). The natives are extremely hermetic and won’t even talk to you unless strictly necessary. At the beginning I thought they were extremely rude and backwards, because even me being Mexican they would treat me with distrust and contempt. But after learning a little bit of their history, I literally thought “okay, I get it now. I’m sorry”.
@ even though my ancestors never did anything to them, I was living in their land as another foreigner. I was literally one more invader to them. I understand if my presence wasn’t welcomed there. Best you could do is not bother them.
@@davidcervantes9336The reality of the world is the land’s yours if you won. Mexico won. It’s theirs. The conquered can assimilate or move on. This has been how humanity has worked since our inception. The Maya did the same to the people before them. The reason why those people aren’t here anymore is because the Maya killed them all. Mexico was nicer to the Maya
@@davidcervantes9336 Mate, that is nonsense. You have invaded nothing. If someone there is looking down on you based on your nationality, culture or skin tone, then he or she is a xenophobic and racist nationalist, not some sort of respectable tribe elder to whom you have to apologize to.
Not really, teh geography of Mexico naturally strangles international trade. Mexico only has only one decent natural harbor at Vera Cruz and the mountainous geography makes it difficult to get any goods to Vera Cruz. And what little they do manage to get to Vera Cruz, tmost ready market is the US. The Monroe Doctrine was more of a geopolitical action rather than an economic one.
Trivia fact: Texas' first vice president was born in Yucatan. He was also the guy who drafted the Texan constitution. He had been imprisoned in Veracruz by the Spanish authorities for participating in nome of the early rebellions against the Spanish crown. There, he befriended some English pirates who were in the same prison, atd learned English from them. So well did he learn English that, when he travelled narth after getting his freedom back, he'd mingle regularly among the Anglo colonists of Texas, even married an Anglo woman. His family were fully bilingual, his sons would latter work for the US as official translators it dealings with Mexico and the Spanish authorities in Cuba. During the Texas' revolution, he represented the Hispanic Texans, who were also angry with Santa Anna's cntralism and despotism. As 1st vice president, he represented the interests of Hispanics, who by that point had diminished to just 35% of population. Sadly, he died in an accident while rowing a boat in a river, he liked to do that to relax. Lorenzo de Zavala had a *very* interesting life!!!
It would have created non stop problems and has very little economic value. Look at the death toll building the Panama canal. Jungles kill. I've been throughout that area, and there still isn't a big population there. The Spanish figured this out long ago. It's why they didn't take the last Maya city until 1620 and the guy did it to Make a name for himself. He knew no great wealth would be taken from the Maya nor would the lands produce wealth. Merida and san Cristobal/tuxla are the only decent size cities inland. Antigua Guatemala is the next decent size city south of that but that is in the Guatemala highlands....where the death rate wasnt as bad as in the jungle. It's why almost all the Capitols of Central and warm south America are up in the mountains. MX, Guatemala city, San jose, Bogota, Quito, etc. They went up where it was cooler, less bugs, less diseases, and better water. The native Americans did that before the Spanish.
@celdur4635 the Spanish never really had anything south of Jacksonville and Pensacola. To hot and swampy, no agricultural worth. The end of Jim crow laws, modern medicine ending the many epidemics common in the south, and affordable air conditioning has made Florida's population grow. The citrus industry and vegetables farming eventually set up in Southern Florida in the 1910s.
Mexico (and nearby states) timeline 1821 independence to 1870: Independence War: • 1821 - Yucatan declare independence. • 1821 - Chiapas declares independence, forms Free State of Chiapas, then joins Mexico. • 1821 - War of Independence ends with the creation of the short-living Mexican Empire, which includes Central America to the southern border of modern-day Costa Rica, as well as what is now the southwestern US. • 1821 Independent Panama joins Republic of Gran Columbia, which 1831 devolved into Columbia, Venezuela and Ecuador. • 1820 - 1875 Extinction of many tribes in Texas, including the Karankawa, Akokisa and Bidai. • 1821 - 1848 Navajo Wars • 1821 - 1870 Comanche-Mexico Wars • 1822 - Santo Domingo declares independence from Spain, then Haiti “unifies” with it, until 1844 when Santo Domingo rebels and becomes independent again. • 1822 - Agustin de Iturbide is declared the first Emperor of Mexico, including Central America. • 1822-1823 El Salvador briefly annexed by the Mexican Empire. • 1823 - Revolts of Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Puebla, and Querétaro put down. • 1823 - Republic of Yucatan forms, joins Mexico within the same year. • 1823 - Chiapas declares independence again, now from Mexican Empire. • 1824 - Guadalupe Victoria takes office as the first President of Mexico after Agustin de Iturbide is removed. Mexico becomes a republic. The United Provinces of Central American secede and form a state in 1825, later devolving into Guatemala, Honduras, San/El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica in 1841. • 1824, the Soconusco District of southwestern Chiapas split off from Chiapas, announcing that it would join the Central American Federation, while the rest of Chiapas rejoined Mexico (through a rigged election.) • 1825 - Spain finally gives up Veracruz and fort San Juan de Ulúa, which they still held. Independent : • 1826-1827 - The Fredonian independence revolt in Texas defeated. • 1826 - First civil war in Central American Federation. • The new Mexican only state is marked by tension between the conservative Spanish-origin landowning elite and the largely indigenous landless minority, resulting in instability and frequent armed conflict. Second Independence war: • 1828 - Spain wins naval Battle of Mariel, Cuba defeating the Mexican Navy ships. It is unclear if Mexico was trying to capture Cuba, or just blockading. • 1829 - Spain tries to recapture Mexico, but defeated by Santa Anna at Tampico. Struggle centralize vs federalize: • 1829 - the military in Campeche & Tabasco revolted against Mexico City and proclaimed its own government. Failed due to Cholera plague without fighting. • 1833 - Santa Anna becomes president for the first time. • 1835-1841 - Revolts favoring state federalism over the centralizing constitution imposed by Antonio López de Santa Anna in 1836 occur in much of Mexico. • 1835 - Zacatecas revolt defeated by using all Mexican troops from Texas. This leads to…. • 1835 - The Texas Revolution begins. By 1836 - The Mexican army led by Santa Anna is defeated by the Texans led by Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. Texas declares its independence from Mexico as the Republic of Texas. It is never recognized by Mexico. • 1836 - brief rebellion of Tabasco. • 1836 - Spain finally recognized Mexico independence with treaty of Santa Maria-Calatrava. • 1836-39 - Alta California (Monterey) rebells against centrally appointed governor & declares independence - defeated by negotiation. • 1837 - Sonora briefly rebels, before governor changes his mind. Also New Mexico has Río Arriba Rebellion/Chimayó Rebellion against the corrupt governor. [Not to be confused with the later Taos Revolt in 1847.] • 1838 - Second civil war starts in the Central American Federation, which ends in the dissolution of the Federation by 1841. • 1838-1839 - First Franco-Mexican War or Pastry War. Santa Anna loses a leg. • 1840 - the independence of Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas that formed the brief 1840 Republic of the Rio Grande. Defeated by Santa Anna. • 1841-42 - Belgium tries to buy a piece of Texas by Mexican border as a Belgian colony, fails. • 1841-43 - the independence of the state of Yucatán until negotiations to reunite with Mexico. • 1842 - Mexico, Santa Anna seizes Soconusco District from Guatemala without a declared war, adds it back to Chiapas. Also Mexican general Ráfael Vásquez, with 700 soldiers, occupied San Antonio, Texas for a time. Then Mexican militia and regular troops led by Antonio Canales Rosillo marched to the Nueces River and skirmished with Davis's small army of several hundred men at Fort Lipantitlán, Texas on July 7. On September 11, 1842, a Mexican army of 1,400 men under the command of Gen. Adrián Woll again captured San Antonio. In December, an army of Texan volunteers sacked Laredo, Mexico, and briefly held the town of Guerrero, Mexico. • 1843-1844 - Texas tries to have Great Britain intervene with Mexico. Also Great Britain tries to buy N California to Utah in exchange for debt reduction, fails. • 1843-1854 - Belgium Company of Colonization gets a commercial position in Santo Tomas, Guatemala. They finally left due to high yellow fever deaths. • 1845 - Alta California revolts, removes centrally appointed governor for native Pio Pico. Also Texas joins United States. US and Mexico have trouble over disputed western border of Texas. • 1846 - USA signs treaty with Great Britain dividing Oregon Territory. Also Alta California (Monterey) again rebels, forms Bear Flag Republic for 25 days before….. The Mexican-American War, Filibuster invasions, & War with France: • 1846 - The Mexican-American War begins. (California Alta & Baja Indian population now 150,000 total down from 1 million.) • 1846 - Mexico breaks treaty with Yucatan, which declares independence - again. • 1847 - The United States Army occupies Mexico City. Jan 1847 Taos revolt in New Mexico vs occupying US governor (killed) was put down. • 1847-1848 -1901 Yucatan Caste War begins between the Mayans and the Hispanic Mexicans, will cost 40,000 to 50,000 deaths, with many Maya refugees going to Belize/British Honduras. Republic of Yucatan tries to become annexed by USA with support of US Pres Polk, but fails when a temporary peace is made with the Mayans - it soon breaks but the USA lost interest. Yucatan also tried join Great Britain and Spain, but failed. 1848 Republic of Yucatan rejoins Mexico in desperation. Mayans then suppressed, but continue intermittent guerrilla war until 1915 ! • 1848 - The Mexican-American War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The U.S. gains territory including California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. • 1851-1852 - French Marquis Charles de Pindray invades from USA into Sonora where he thinks there is gold to try and make it independent. • 1852 French Count Gaston de Raousset-Boulbon invades from USA into Sonora to try and make it independent. • 1853 - Mexico sells portions of New Mexico and Arizona to the United States as part of the Gadsden Purchase. • 1853 - 1854 William Walker conquers Baja California and tries to invade Sonora to form a independent slave republic. Defeated. • 1854 - 2nd time French Count Gaston de Raousset-Boulbon invades from USA into Sonora to try and make it independent. • 1854-1861 - Benito Juárez and other liberals overthrow Santa Anna (Revolution of Ayutla). The liberal reforms they inaugurate encourage division of Indian and church lands into private holdings, subject clergy and military to regular courts, and establish religious freedom. Also known as the "La Reforma" period. • 1854 United States Navy destroys San Juan del Norte (aka Greytown), capital of pirate & Indian Mosquito Coast/Kingdom. The event gave rise to a USA federal court opinion by Justice Samuel Nelson who believe that the president wields vast unilateral power to use military force. This is the power that led to other countries intervention/occupation in later years. • 1855 - William Walker takes over Nicaragua in the middle of a civil war between PLC Liberals and Conservatives as a Liberal, defeated in 1857 war with Costa Rica. • 1857 - Santa Anna is exiled from Mexico. • 1857 - William Walker tries to invade Nicaragua again, but is stopped and surrenders to US Navy. • 1857 - Joseph C. Morehead and Henry Alexander Crabb invades from USA into Sonora to try and make it independent, fails. • 1857-60 Mexico has Reform War, liberals vs conservatives & Roman Catholic Church. The defeated Conservatives then join the French invasion in 1861. • 1859 - The pirate & indian Mosquito Coast/Kingdom loses British support, and is ceded: the north part to Honduras, 1860 the south part falls to Nicaragua. Belize stays British. • 1860 - William Walker tries to invade through Honduras to enter Nicaragua again, fails and is captured by British, who turn him over to Honduras government, he is executed. • 1860-1865 United States fights Civil War vs Confederates. • 1861 - The French invade Mexico and install Maximilian of Austria as president (later emperor in 1864). Benito Juárez leads resistance in this second Franco-Mexican war. • 1863 - The Swan Islands off Honduras were taken by the USA under the Guano Islands Act, until 1972 when they were returned. • 1867 - Benito Juárez expels the French and becomes president, executes Maximilian. • 1870 - Dominican Republic tries to get USA State membership, fails by a tie vote in US Senate. Busy times, eh?
Why didn't The U.S Annex the Yucatan Peninsula? My first tought is why would the US WANT the Yucatan? The terrain is terrible, tropical lands tend to have tropical deseases, transport inland is margenal, and the natives hostile. Give then aid to keep out the Europeans, but don't take the land.
The USA couldn’t deal with the two clashing forces in the peninsula back then, the extremely wealthy Yucatec and the Mayan. Yucatán had a higher concentration of wealth than the USA and they were extremely imperialist, which would’ve create several issues for the USA.
@@eugeniofernandez8101Que idioteces dices, te recuerdo que de Cancún son los taxistas todos indios que te cobran más de 2 mil varos y que además no te dejan abordar Uber o Didi, ellos son un problema para México porque no aportan nada a pesar de su turismo.
The US was far more interested at the time in populating the western territories it had just acquired. Even if it had gotten involved, I think the result would be like other intervention in Latin America - occupation for a few years, then leave after a friendly government was set up. The US didn't even have Hawaii or Alaska at this stage, there would be little appetite for holding a hostile area that was not contiguous to the future 48 states. I also think the House of Representatives at the time would not vote for annexation, for the risk of Yucatan becoming a slave-holding state and tipping the balance in the Senate.
US couldn´t capture Tabasco in October of 1846. Yucatán?, impossible. The war could finish in Feb 1847 easily favorable to Mexico. Strange agreements, and decisions. Angotura!
A fantastic book on the subject matter is The Caste War of Yucatan by Nelson Reed. It mentions that Justo Sierra O Reillys brother was captured and killed by the Maya during the war, which adds to the sentiment. Also, the Maya used to cross into Belize, then British Honduras, and “trade” all of its loot for guns, powder, and supplies. Which fueled the movement. That’s what Justo Sierra was using as an excuse for European Involvement. There’s correspondence available between the governor of British Honduras at the time reporting back to England about the situation. A fascinating side movement that rose back then as well was the cult of the speaking cross in nowadays Carrillo Puerto in Quintana Roo by the Maya people who displaced there during the War. Great video!
The British had been meddling the region since colonial times through Belize, they armed the Mayas and wanted instability in the region to undermine Spain and later Mexico...
Got some alternate history questions right there. If the Yucatans declared and maintained independence, will it be just another small nation in Central America, or would Mexico seek to reacquire it? If the US intervened would the Yucatan become part of the US, or an ally in the area?
This documentary doesn't highlight that almost 10,000 Mestizos, whites and Maya fled down to #Belize and stayed forever. This also solidified the Belize-Mexico border. The rebels were "pushed to the southeast". Um, you mean to Belize. That's important information
Belize was a disputed, later stolen area by the English to Spain. The north part belonged to Yucatan by the way and it was Maya for thousands of years, therefore they returned to their land.
Video idea: how many surviving populations by absolute numbers and percentages of Native Americans in Canada, USA, Mexico, and all countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean @knowledgia
I can't imagine why the US would have even considered such a scheme. It would have been costly both in political and military terms. The US had everything we needed at that point. Getting involved in a war in the Yucatan at that time would have been absurd.
it was a racial war, just like with the natives genocide programs in north america(also australia and anywhere with anglo disease), plus US is always keen on mass murder hence why they are at war for over 95% of its existence.
True, the annexation of Yucatán could have been a tipping point for the United States, creating a secessionist movement far riskier than the Southern states alone. The combination of Yucatán’s wealthy elite, ongoing Maya uprisings, and cultural incompatibility with the U.S. would have destabilized the union. A successful Yucatecan secession might have inspired other regions to break away, potentially fragmenting the United States into smaller, rival entities before it could solidify as a continental power.
So the US government wanted to do to the Mayans what they did to the North American Natives. Not surprised at all. And some people think is cool that that Yucatan was gonna be part of the US, disregarding the way of obtaining it
The city of Houston is named after Sam Houston, the Texan general and president. At the time of your graphic(starting at 1:54) he was fighting against Mexico in the Texas Revolution, and the town of Harrisburg(Originally Allen's Landing) was at the site of what is now called Houston. Galveston was the major Texas coastal city...the largest on the entire Gulf coast at the time. It remained that way many years after the war until 1900, when it was destroyed by a hurricane, the greatest natural disaster in US history. This was all a long winded way to say your graphic is historically inaccurate. It should have depicted Galveston, and not Houston, as that city name did not yet exist. Other than that quibble, this is a very interesting video. Thanks!
Dallas was also very tiny at the time. The map should have shown Galveston and San Antonio as the two principal cities in Texas, not Houston and Dallas.
@@amosbatto3051 Agreed. Such errors cast doubt on the entire video's accuracy, which is a shame because I did enjoy it. I just can't be sure what is actually true.
Many thanks for this piece of history ! It is not evoked in touristical guides when you visit Yucatan, and I suppose it is not much in Mexican school programs of history. In my opinion, US anexing Yucatan would have been perceived by Mexico as a first US step to annex whole Mexico...
Sitting here in Northern Belize we have a lot of Mayan Belizeans who are descended from Mayans who fled to Belize or British Honduras during the Caste Civil War.
That’s not true at all, yucatec were richer during the heneken boom than any American. In fact as an independent nation Yucatán was the country with the highest concentration of wealth in the world.
Even I had no idea that happened. But, again It was an issue that eventually didn't keep the interest of the U.S. Which means it isn't covered until the University level and only with those classes which Central America is the focus. A shame!
Informative, insightful & to the point: TOMANY info videos like this from others, are WAY to long with rambling & it's VERY nice to see a CONCISE report :}
The US stole 55 percent of Mexican territories with unjustified agression wars... And you complain of not annexing Yucatan? You should feel ashamed! Disgusting.😡
Well, I'm from Campeche and I wouldn't mind depending on the US government. That's why the US won the war at the end; the popular opinion was that it was better to surrender to US forces than trusting Santa Anna, and for very good reasons. Mexico lacked the leadership they needed to thrive at the time, such as the part of Yucatán where I'm from does now.
Tomas, what are you talking about? Who is complaining? And it’s 170yrs ago. The world was very different. How do you think Mexico was formed?? Europeans came in
@@Ednilson131 Has visto como tratan a Puerto Rico? Sabes que solo los ocuparian militarmente? Los gringos detestan a los latinos. Mil veces mejor estan actualmente.
US has many obtions in the past as it would allow to annex this place and Mexico but would face problems later (with Spanish cultures and poverty) so no Cuba and more; yet, it got Alaska, Hawaii, Guam (even Phillipine), but has prospered since than, and it will do more with Puerto Rico, Panama Canal, Greenland, and even Canada.
I am sick and tired of videos asking why the USA did not annex (put here any place around the globe). Why did'nt the imperial hegemon leave people ALONE
If the United States had annexed Yucatán during the henequen boom, it would have faced significant challenges in managing the region. The extreme wealth and influence of the Yucatecan elite, combined with the ongoing tensions with the Maya population, would have created a volatile and complex situation. Here’s why: 1. The Wealthy Yucatecan Elite • Autonomy and Resistance: The henequen elite were accustomed to autonomy and wielded immense economic and political power. They were unlikely to cede this influence to an external power like the U.S. without significant resistance. • Cultural Differences: The elite identified strongly with European traditions and values, which would have clashed with the more Protestant and egalitarian ideals of 19th-century America. • Economic Disputes: The U.S. government would likely have sought to regulate or tax the henequen trade, potentially undermining the economic interests of the elite and causing friction. 2. The Maya Resistance • The Caste War (1847-1901): The Maya population was already engaged in a violent and prolonged uprising against the Yucatecan elites, seeking autonomy and redress for decades of exploitation. • Exploitation and Debt Peonage: The U.S. would have inherited a deeply entrenched system of exploitation, where Maya laborers were essentially enslaved under debt peonage. Attempting to reform or enforce new policies could have sparked further uprisings. • Geographic Challenges: The rugged and isolated terrain of Yucatán would have made it difficult for the U.S. to maintain control and suppress rebellion effectively. 3. U.S. Limitations at the Time • Resource Strain: In the mid-19th century, the U.S. was already grappling with territorial expansion, conflicts with Native American tribes, and tensions leading up to the Civil War. Adding Yucatán’s complexities would have stretched its military and administrative capacity. • Slavery Debate: Incorporating Yucatán, with its Maya labor system resembling slavery, would have exacerbated the already heated debate over slavery in the U.S. • Distance and Isolation: Yucatán’s relative geographic isolation would have made it challenging to govern and integrate into the U.S. effectively. 4. Clashing Forces • Elite vs. Maya: The U.S. would have faced the challenge of balancing the interests of the powerful elites, who would demand protection and support, against the demands of the Maya, who sought freedom and equality. Attempting to appease one side would likely antagonize the other. • Potential for Violence: Any misstep could have led to widespread violence, as the region was already a tinderbox of social and economic tensions. Conclusion The annexation of Yucatán would have been a daunting task for the U.S., involving not only political and military challenges but also cultural and social conflicts. The combination of an entrenched elite and an oppressed indigenous majority would have been nearly impossible to reconcile, especially given the U.S.’s limited capacity and internal divisions at the time. It’s no wonder that the U.S. ultimately decided against annexation despite its initial interest in the region.
The annexation of Yucatán could have been a tipping point for the United States, creating a secessionist movement far riskier than the Southern states alone. The combination of Yucatán’s wealthy elite, ongoing Maya uprisings, and cultural incompatibility with the U.S. would have destabilized the union. A successful Yucatecan secession might have inspired other regions to break away, potentially fragmenting the United States into smaller, rival entities before it could solidify as a continental power.
No Battle of Campeche? For those who aren't aware The battle of Campeche was a naval battle between Texian/Yucatan naval fleet against Mexican Iron hulled steamships (First of their kind in America) with British Seaman commanding them. The Texian fleet managed to Eek out a win surprisingly enough with wooden hulled Sailing ships. Long live the Texas Navy
The Yucatecan navy defeated the Texan navy during a conflict in the 1840s, specifically in the context of the Caste War of Yucatán and the struggles for Yucatán’s independence. 1. Background: The Texan Involvement • After gaining independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas sought to secure its position in the region. By the 1840s, Yucatán had declared its own independence from Mexico (several times) and was embroiled in internal conflicts, including the Caste War and disputes with the Mexican central government. • The Republic of Texas saw an opportunity to exert influence in the region and secure economic benefits by supporting Mexico in suppressing Yucatán’s independence. In 1841, Texas loaned its navy to the Mexican government in exchange for financial compensation. 2. Yucatecan Navy vs. Texan Navy • The Yucatecan navy, though small, was well-prepared and commanded by capable officers who understood the Gulf of Mexico’s geography and conditions. Yucatán also had the financial resources to maintain and equip a competitive naval force, thanks to its henequen exports. • In contrast, the Texan navy was underfunded and poorly maintained. By the 1840s, it had become notorious for internal disputes, lack of discipline, and outdated ships. 3. Key Engagement: The Battle of Campeche (1843) • In 1843, the Yucatecan navy faced the combined forces of the Mexican navy and the Texan navy near Campeche, a key port city. • Despite being outnumbered, the Yucatecan fleet, supported by privateers and foreign mercenaries, managed to decisively defeat the Texan navy. Their superior tactics, local knowledge, and better ship handling proved critical. • The defeat marked the only time in history when steam-powered warships (used by Texas) were defeated by sail-powered ships (used by Yucatán). 4. Impact of the Defeat • The defeat severely weakened the Texan navy and diminished its reputation, leading to its eventual disbandment in 1846 when Texas joined the United States. • For Yucatán, the victory demonstrated its resilience and military capability, allowing it to maintain a degree of independence until Mexico reintegrated the region during the late 1840s and early 1850s. Conclusion The Yucatecan navy’s defeat of the Texan navy at Campeche is a remarkable historical event. It underscores Yucatán’s naval strength and strategic importance in the Gulf of Mexico during the 19th century. The engagement also highlights how regional powers like Yucatán could successfully resist larger but poorly organized forces like the Texan navy.
Most people don't know about it, glad you mentioned it. Give credit to Yucatan too, it was a joint venture, even though Texas helped so much. Both were independent republics fighting against a common enemy: Mexico. They won by the way. Colt designed a revolver highlighting the Battle of Campeche.
@@eugeniofernandez8101 I have here with me the original book from 1868 abut Yucatán secession and the necessity to make peace with the Mayan left by one of my ancestors.
@@eugeniofernandez8101 I have here with me the original book printed by the independent government of Yucatán printed in 1868 left by my ancestors from generations to generations.
@@eugeniofernandez8101I would love to own a "Campeche" Colt and yea it is a shame that this battle is basically next to unknown. Heck from most of the readings about it until recently made it seem like nothing of interest happened.
Cancun should not be shown on the map as a city. Cancun was formed as late as 1970s. It was a tiny fishing village with little significance in the period the map shows.
The US should have annexed everything and made the land territory Status below the current border like the part of the country outside Texas that the US took. In time a workable organization of States would have emerged in the Southern part like the northern and the US would have all of the resources in the land. Because of the Congress only the upper 50% of the country was added
But Yucatán became the country with the highest concentration of wealth in the world during the henecken boom. The USA didn’t want to deal with these too powerful clashing entities the Yucatec and the Mayan. Also the Yucatec were extremely imperialist.
The USA;should have annexed Yucatan,Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador,Honduras,Nicaragua, Costa Rica,Panama,Cuba ,Jamaica,Dominican Republic and all the Caribbean Islands. What language would be spoken English or Spanish ?
It was a desperate move by the Yucatan government to give its independence to the US but it would have been good in the long run. Mexico basically destroyed and divided Yucatan. Too bad that Spain, who had historical ties with Yucatan, did not send troops but that was because they didn't want a war with the US, who wasn't going to let a European power intervene. In the end, the US didn't help nor let others help the Yucatecan government.
Do you do something because you can? Is this your approach? Why don’t Mexico recover California, Texas, Nevada, etc. the change of language could be easy.
The annexation of Yucatán could have been a tipping point for the United States, creating a secessionist movement far riskier than the Southern states alone. The combination of Yucatán’s wealthy elite, ongoing Maya uprisings, and cultural incompatibility with the U.S. would have destabilized the union. A successful Yucatecan secession might have inspired other regions to break away, potentially fragmenting the United States into smaller, rival entities before it could solidify as a continental power.
I'm not sure but it does make me wonder if people who have relatives that are still alive from say when the US controlled the PI and Cuba if they would have Citizenship if their line is still around.
The U.S. might have annexed Canada, Mexico and all of Central America (and all Caribbean islands) so that the only U.S. border = ~ 50 miles between current-day Panama and Columbia. Also, we should annex Greenland 🙂
Columbia is a city in South Carolina. COLOMBIA is a country in South America. Sorry for being the cop, but SO many people get this wrong. It irritates me. Again, sorry.
Too bad the Chinese didn't show up in the early 1400s. I'd imagine they'd be more sympathetic to Native Americans. Given the cultural similarities and the good relationship they had with Sub-Saharan Africans, aka Black people.
@@vNightSuNv, yea, right. Just look at all of the wonderful things that China has done with Tibet! Thank G-d that Europeans brought Western Civilization to the Americas.
@henry-bo3np Mm.. possibly. But the chances of them wiping out an estimated 56 million Indigenous Americans directly or non-directly would have been less likely or less intentional. Given their religions.. Taoism ☯️ and Confucianism. Historical patterns. When they did engage with expansion, it was often in pursuit of trade and diplomatic ties. Yes, Western civilization relies heavily on Americas resources. European civilization is an offshoot of the Mesopotamia civilizations.
Now make a video in 🇺🇸 call ilegal to mexican when the half county was mexican labd stolen by Washington government when mexican government they can defend our country from the enemy our neighbors
Hello, people of Yucatan. I want to know your opinion. And please do not get mad. Would you guys prefer to: 1. Remain part of Mexico 🇲🇽 2. Become a republic for a third time 3. Become part of Guatemala 🇬🇹 4. Become part of Belize 🇧🇿 5. Become part of the United States 🇺🇸
there is a mistake on the map. Central american nations were all part of Mexico all the way to Costa Rica in time of independence.
central america became independent in 1823 and the mexican american war happened in 1846
Independent Mexico used to be combined with Central America, until they got irritated and split away because emperor Agustín de Iturbide tried to centralize control.
All that region was part of The New Spain, it wasn't called Mexico before independence, when independence happened all those Countries in Central America belonged to the new Nation soon to be called The United States of Mexico, but the new government was in Mexico City, then (and now) the most important City of the new Nation, so far away States felt Isolated and without any help from their government, the government was too weak to reach its far away States, that's why they lost more than Haif their land to the United States, and soon the Central America region began to Crack in pieces and the Mexican government was unable to take hand on matters, they let that region to go free from them, nowadays Mexico could easily regain that region without firing a single bullet, but economical, it could be a stronger richier Nation.
@@yungfart4383mexico gained it in September 1821. Are you slow??
@@mx_moi1964 The first map of Mexico is in 1823 after the end of the First Mexican Empire when Iturbide resigned, which is also when Guatemala broke away and joined the UPCA, thats why the video displays Guatemala as independent. Maybe your the one that is slow
This is a minor thing but the map of the US in this video shows West Virginia as a separate state within the US, which it wouldn't become until the American Civil War
@@DogCow-wh1upno it didn't
He did a whole video on it
Showed Dallas and Houston as cities as Texas was fighting for independence. Neither city had been founded yet.
@2020davidabc tbf the thumbnail is the correct map of the time.
The map is also jumping the gun on the Gadsden Purchase.
If the USA had Yucatán, there would be other UA-cam videos questioning why the us has it
No sh¡+ 😂
Nooo! Really???
yep,sort why does the USA retain Puerto Rico ?
what's your point?
I still question why they have what they do!
It gets annexed every spring break.
Jajajaja
Stupid come back to europe
And Mexicans had California and texas😂😂
@@nefto6858 many more states than those two
😅Lmao
Yucatan used to be a whole state as is shown in the video but after being re-annexed by mexico, mexico punished them by dividing the state into 3, Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo.
That wasn't an act of punishment. It was to divide the region up so they could not amass enough resources to revolt, or at least not revolt successfully.
@@ycplum7062sounds like punishment to me.
@@ycplum7062So they divided what they conquered?
Ah, the Europeans with their continued nonsense. Always the aggressor, but having the audacity to play the victim, while being the aggressor. If only the Mayans had realized they had the advantage in numbers and might and could easily have annihilated the Europeans. It's not their land, their land is Europe.
@@ycplum7062 Which is the same...
We don’t call it Mexican-American war, we call it invasion
Royal Caribbean annexed the Yucatán circa 2016
MSC disputes that claim. They say their invasion is near.
FALSE
Norwegian Cruise Lines challenges that statement! LOL
@@ycplum7062 you people are ridiculously coping 😅
He's kidding 🙂
Santa Anna seemed to have had nine lives. After a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Texas Army, he always seemed to rise again to power. Mexican politics were very odd back then.
Front man for the cartels.
@@Matt_from_Floridathey didn't have cartels back then R E T A R D
Compared to his contemporaries in teh hemisphere, he was a competent general and leader. The problem is the geography of Mexico is not conducive to central governance.
Santa Ana has got to be 1 of the most interesting historical figures who has ever lived. Fascinating how many highs and lows the man survived during his life.
@@Matt_from_Florida Pretty sure they didn't exist until the US started illegalizing substances about 50 years later.
That was really interesting. I had no idea how important the Yucatan was in the history of the Americas.
Sinaloan Cartel : Make TEQUILA Great Again 🥃
@@SoldadoAntiBalas2008 Sinaloa is no way close to Yucatán and Tequila is fromm Jalisco. Thats like comparing Florida to Washington
@@enzocompanbadillo5365 Never Say NEVER 😎 Justin Bieber
History of *America. It's just a single continent, go count the Olympic Rings if you're in doubt.
i think President James Knox Polk was pleased with the idea and the "Yucatán Bill" passed the U.S. House of Representatives, but was discarded by the Senate. The war with Mexico had become more complicated than anticipated, and the Congress of the United States did not want a second war with the natives of Yucatán.
The imperialist Yucatec elite would have been a double-edged sword for the U.S. government. While their wealth and economic power could have been an asset, their ambition, resistance to federal control, and social hierarchies would have created substantial political and social challenges. Their influence might have destabilized U.S. domestic policy, heightened sectional divides, and complicated its role as a growing imperial power.
@@afrz4454Not really. Yucatan was not made of elites only. It would have been another Puerto Rico.
An many reasons for love to Johnny Knoxville
As a Mexican, when I lived in the Yucatan peninsula for about 2 years, I was completely amazed about the cultural distance and history of the region. I didn’t really know much about it before I moved in there, and it wasn’t until I started to experience the cultural shocks that I began to research on the history of it.
In Quintana Roo( where I lived) the population is divided approximately by 50-50 (half foreigners, half native mayas). The natives are extremely hermetic and won’t even talk to you unless strictly necessary.
At the beginning I thought they were extremely rude and backwards, because even me being Mexican they would treat me with distrust and contempt. But after learning a little bit of their history, I literally thought “okay, I get it now. I’m sorry”.
Interesting viewpoint, thank you. But - NEVER apologize to the indigenous my friend!
@ even though my ancestors never did anything to them, I was living in their land as another foreigner. I was literally one more invader to them. I understand if my presence wasn’t welcomed there. Best you could do is not bother them.
@@davidcervantes9336The reality of the world is the land’s yours if you won. Mexico won. It’s theirs. The conquered can assimilate or move on. This has been how humanity has worked since our inception. The Maya did the same to the people before them. The reason why those people aren’t here anymore is because the Maya killed them all. Mexico was nicer to the Maya
I would hesitate to call "foreigners" peoples whose families may have been living in the area for centuries.
@@davidcervantes9336 Mate, that is nonsense. You have invaded nothing. If someone there is looking down on you based on your nationality, culture or skin tone, then he or she is a xenophobic and racist nationalist, not some sort of respectable tribe elder to whom you have to apologize to.
damn, matthew perry the same guy who opened up japan?
Yep!
i think he was on friends too
RIP Chandler
@@rhubarb2301You beat me to it
Also well known for overdosing on ketamine and drowning in a hot tub
Thank you for the lesson. I never knew that Yucatan was its own entity and had so many conflicts, both internally and also externally with Mexico.
If the US had the Yucatan that would've created a chock point for Mexico with trade in the Gulf of Mexico...
Yep and another staging point for Cuba. We should've of taken it.
Not really, teh geography of Mexico naturally strangles international trade. Mexico only has only one decent natural harbor at Vera Cruz and the mountainous geography makes it difficult to get any goods to Vera Cruz. And what little they do manage to get to Vera Cruz, tmost ready market is the US. The Monroe Doctrine was more of a geopolitical action rather than an economic one.
@@blackmatterlives9865agreed
@@blackmatterlives9865Take this chorizo in your mouth instead!
@@blackmatterlives9865Take this chorizo instead!
Trivia fact: Texas' first vice president was born in Yucatan. He was also the guy who drafted the Texan constitution. He had been imprisoned in Veracruz by the Spanish authorities for participating in nome of the early rebellions against the Spanish crown. There, he befriended some English pirates who were in the same prison, atd learned English from them. So well did he learn English that, when he travelled narth after getting his freedom back, he'd mingle regularly among the Anglo colonists of Texas, even married an Anglo woman. His family were fully bilingual, his sons would latter work for the US as official translators it dealings with Mexico and the Spanish authorities in Cuba. During the Texas' revolution, he represented the Hispanic Texans, who were also angry with Santa Anna's cntralism and despotism. As 1st vice president, he represented the interests of Hispanics, who by that point had diminished to just 35% of population. Sadly, he died in an accident while rowing a boat in a river, he liked to do that to relax. Lorenzo de Zavala had a *very* interesting life!!!
Sitting in Cancun right now as an American this is pretty cool to learn lol I never knew about this.
Why r you here though? Don't you have enough with trump deporting illegals? Yet you are here taking advantage
Please, make a video abouth the US didn't annex the Bahamas.
Very good video. I never knew this, thank you for teaching me.
It would have created non stop problems and has very little economic value. Look at the death toll building the Panama canal. Jungles kill.
I've been throughout that area, and there still isn't a big population there. The Spanish figured this out long ago. It's why they didn't take the last Maya city until 1620 and the guy did it to Make a name for himself. He knew no great wealth would be taken from the Maya nor would the lands produce wealth.
Merida and san Cristobal/tuxla are the only decent size cities inland. Antigua Guatemala is the next decent size city south of that but that is in the Guatemala highlands....where the death rate wasnt as bad as in the jungle. It's why almost all the Capitols of Central and warm south America are up in the mountains. MX, Guatemala city, San jose, Bogota, Quito, etc. They went up where it was cooler, less bugs, less diseases, and better water. The native Americans did that before the Spanish.
Us has Florida, they would've done the same to Yucatan, cut down 80% of the trees and make it livable that way
Consequently, over half of Yucatan would be underwater without the trees to keep the ground moist filled and sponged up.
@@dan_38 lol
@celdur4635 ? Florida? 70% of Florida's population live in 4 counties on the east coast. Add Tampa and Jacksonville, and is like 85% of the state.
@celdur4635 the Spanish never really had anything south of Jacksonville and Pensacola. To hot and swampy, no agricultural worth. The end of Jim crow laws, modern medicine ending the many epidemics common in the south, and affordable air conditioning has made Florida's population grow. The citrus industry and vegetables farming eventually set up in Southern Florida in the 1910s.
I never knew this story. TY for the video.
Mexico (and nearby states) timeline 1821 independence to 1870:
Independence War:
• 1821 - Yucatan declare independence.
• 1821 - Chiapas declares independence, forms Free State of Chiapas, then joins Mexico.
• 1821 - War of Independence ends with the creation of the short-living Mexican Empire, which includes Central America to the southern border of modern-day Costa Rica, as well as what is now the southwestern US.
• 1821 Independent Panama joins Republic of Gran Columbia, which 1831 devolved into Columbia, Venezuela and Ecuador.
• 1820 - 1875 Extinction of many tribes in Texas, including the Karankawa, Akokisa and Bidai.
• 1821 - 1848 Navajo Wars
• 1821 - 1870 Comanche-Mexico Wars
• 1822 - Santo Domingo declares independence from Spain, then Haiti “unifies” with it, until 1844 when Santo Domingo rebels and becomes independent again.
• 1822 - Agustin de Iturbide is declared the first Emperor of Mexico, including Central America.
• 1822-1823 El Salvador briefly annexed by the Mexican Empire.
• 1823 - Revolts of Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Puebla, and Querétaro put down.
• 1823 - Republic of Yucatan forms, joins Mexico within the same year.
• 1823 - Chiapas declares independence again, now from Mexican Empire.
• 1824 - Guadalupe Victoria takes office as the first President of Mexico after Agustin de Iturbide is removed. Mexico becomes a republic. The United Provinces of Central American secede and form a state in 1825, later devolving into Guatemala, Honduras, San/El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica in 1841.
• 1824, the Soconusco District of southwestern Chiapas split off from Chiapas, announcing that it would join the Central American Federation, while the rest of Chiapas rejoined Mexico (through a rigged election.)
• 1825 - Spain finally gives up Veracruz and fort San Juan de Ulúa, which they still held.
Independent :
• 1826-1827 - The Fredonian independence revolt in Texas defeated.
• 1826 - First civil war in Central American Federation.
• The new Mexican only state is marked by tension between the conservative Spanish-origin landowning elite and the largely indigenous landless minority, resulting in instability and frequent armed conflict.
Second Independence war:
• 1828 - Spain wins naval Battle of Mariel, Cuba defeating the Mexican Navy ships. It is unclear if Mexico was trying to capture Cuba, or just blockading.
• 1829 - Spain tries to recapture Mexico, but defeated by Santa Anna at Tampico.
Struggle centralize vs federalize:
• 1829 - the military in Campeche & Tabasco revolted against Mexico City and proclaimed its own government. Failed due to Cholera plague without fighting.
• 1833 - Santa Anna becomes president for the first time.
• 1835-1841 - Revolts favoring state federalism over the centralizing constitution imposed by Antonio López de Santa Anna in 1836 occur in much of Mexico.
• 1835 - Zacatecas revolt defeated by using all Mexican troops from Texas. This leads to….
• 1835 - The Texas Revolution begins. By 1836 - The Mexican army led by Santa Anna is defeated by the Texans led by Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. Texas declares its independence from Mexico as the Republic of Texas. It is never recognized by Mexico.
• 1836 - brief rebellion of Tabasco.
• 1836 - Spain finally recognized Mexico independence with treaty of Santa Maria-Calatrava.
• 1836-39 - Alta California (Monterey) rebells against centrally appointed governor & declares independence - defeated by negotiation.
• 1837 - Sonora briefly rebels, before governor changes his mind. Also New Mexico has Río Arriba Rebellion/Chimayó Rebellion against the corrupt governor. [Not to be confused with the later Taos Revolt in 1847.]
• 1838 - Second civil war starts in the Central American Federation, which ends in the dissolution of the Federation by 1841.
• 1838-1839 - First Franco-Mexican War or Pastry War. Santa Anna loses a leg.
• 1840 - the independence of Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas that formed the brief 1840 Republic of the Rio Grande. Defeated by Santa Anna.
• 1841-42 - Belgium tries to buy a piece of Texas by Mexican border as a Belgian colony, fails.
• 1841-43 - the independence of the state of Yucatán until negotiations to reunite with Mexico.
• 1842 - Mexico, Santa Anna seizes Soconusco District from Guatemala without a declared war, adds it back to Chiapas. Also Mexican general Ráfael Vásquez, with 700 soldiers, occupied San Antonio, Texas for a time. Then Mexican militia and regular troops led by Antonio Canales Rosillo marched to the Nueces River and skirmished with Davis's small army of several hundred men at Fort Lipantitlán, Texas on July 7. On September 11, 1842, a Mexican army of 1,400 men under the command of Gen. Adrián Woll again captured San Antonio. In December, an army of Texan volunteers sacked Laredo, Mexico, and briefly held the town of Guerrero, Mexico.
• 1843-1844 - Texas tries to have Great Britain intervene with Mexico. Also Great Britain tries to buy N California to Utah in exchange for debt reduction, fails.
• 1843-1854 - Belgium Company of Colonization gets a commercial position in Santo Tomas, Guatemala. They finally left due to high yellow fever deaths.
• 1845 - Alta California revolts, removes centrally appointed governor for native Pio Pico. Also Texas joins United States. US and Mexico have trouble over disputed western border of Texas.
• 1846 - USA signs treaty with Great Britain dividing Oregon Territory. Also Alta California (Monterey) again rebels, forms Bear Flag Republic for 25 days before…..
The Mexican-American War, Filibuster invasions, & War with France:
• 1846 - The Mexican-American War begins. (California Alta & Baja Indian population now 150,000 total down from 1 million.)
• 1846 - Mexico breaks treaty with Yucatan, which declares independence - again.
• 1847 - The United States Army occupies Mexico City. Jan 1847 Taos revolt in New Mexico vs occupying US governor (killed) was put down.
• 1847-1848 -1901 Yucatan Caste War begins between the Mayans and the Hispanic Mexicans, will cost 40,000 to 50,000 deaths, with many Maya refugees going to Belize/British Honduras. Republic of Yucatan tries to become annexed by USA with support of US Pres Polk, but fails when a temporary peace is made with the Mayans - it soon breaks but the USA lost interest. Yucatan also tried join Great Britain and Spain, but failed. 1848 Republic of Yucatan rejoins Mexico in desperation. Mayans then suppressed, but continue intermittent guerrilla war until 1915 !
• 1848 - The Mexican-American War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The U.S. gains territory including California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.
• 1851-1852 - French Marquis Charles de Pindray invades from USA into Sonora where he thinks there is gold to try and make it independent.
• 1852 French Count Gaston de Raousset-Boulbon invades from USA into Sonora to try and make it independent.
• 1853 - Mexico sells portions of New Mexico and Arizona to the United States as part of the Gadsden Purchase.
• 1853 - 1854 William Walker conquers Baja California and tries to invade Sonora to form a independent slave republic. Defeated.
• 1854 - 2nd time French Count Gaston de Raousset-Boulbon invades from USA
into Sonora to try and make it independent.
• 1854-1861 - Benito Juárez and other liberals overthrow Santa Anna (Revolution of Ayutla). The liberal reforms they inaugurate encourage division of Indian and church lands into private holdings, subject clergy and military to regular courts, and establish religious freedom. Also known as the "La Reforma" period.
• 1854 United States Navy destroys San Juan del Norte (aka Greytown), capital of pirate & Indian Mosquito Coast/Kingdom. The event gave rise to a USA federal court opinion by Justice Samuel Nelson who believe that the president wields vast unilateral power to use military force. This is the power that led to other countries intervention/occupation in later years.
• 1855 - William Walker takes over Nicaragua in the middle of a civil war between PLC Liberals and Conservatives as a Liberal, defeated in 1857 war with Costa Rica.
• 1857 - Santa Anna is exiled from Mexico.
• 1857 - William Walker tries to invade Nicaragua again, but is stopped and surrenders to US Navy.
• 1857 - Joseph C. Morehead and Henry Alexander Crabb invades from USA into Sonora to try and make it independent, fails.
• 1857-60 Mexico has Reform War, liberals vs conservatives & Roman Catholic Church. The defeated Conservatives then join the French invasion in 1861.
• 1859 - The pirate & indian Mosquito Coast/Kingdom loses British support, and is ceded: the north part to Honduras, 1860 the south part falls to Nicaragua. Belize stays British.
• 1860 - William Walker tries to invade through Honduras to enter Nicaragua again, fails and is captured by British, who turn him over to Honduras government, he is executed.
• 1860-1865 United States fights Civil War vs Confederates.
• 1861 - The French invade Mexico and install Maximilian of Austria as president (later emperor in 1864). Benito Juárez leads resistance in this second Franco-Mexican war.
• 1863 - The Swan Islands off Honduras were taken by the USA under the Guano Islands Act, until 1972 when they were returned.
• 1867 - Benito Juárez expels the French and becomes president, executes Maximilian.
• 1870 - Dominican Republic tries to get USA State membership, fails by a tie vote in US Senate.
Busy times, eh?
Holly shit; Busy times inded
Mexico did not sell its states, they were stolen
Solo entendi que todos quieren invadir Mexico 🤔🙁
Why didn't The U.S Annex the Yucatan Peninsula?
My first tought is why would the US WANT the Yucatan? The terrain is terrible, tropical lands tend to have tropical deseases, transport inland is margenal, and the natives hostile. Give then aid to keep out the Europeans, but don't take the land.
The US seem to wish to have it now. They just can’t stay out of it. 🤷🏻♂️
Henequen rope was an important industrial/naval supply in those days and a significant supplier for it was the Yucatan.
The USA couldn’t deal with the two clashing forces in the peninsula back then, the extremely wealthy Yucatec and the Mayan. Yucatán had a higher concentration of wealth than the USA and they were extremely imperialist, which would’ve create several issues for the USA.
@@aaronm3185
True, but I don't think it would have been worth the trouble. lol
Doesn't matter how terrible it is look at Alaska lol 😂
Wow, i didn't know this, thank you
Can you imagine Mexico without Cancun? Nah
Cancún was founded in 1974 an it's the disease of the peninsula, that place an the Riviera Maya (it has nothing of maya or yucatecan)
Much better. Less crime, less corruption. The Yucatecos are not as violent and corrupt as the people from the rest of Mexico.
Ignorant !!!
Mexican Goverment created Cancun in 1974 as Touristic destination
@@eugeniofernandez8101Que idioteces dices, te recuerdo que de Cancún son los taxistas todos indios que te cobran más de 2 mil varos y que además no te dejan abordar Uber o Didi, ellos son un problema para México porque no aportan nada a pesar de su turismo.
@@eugeniofernandez8101 says who.?
The US was far more interested at the time in populating the western territories it had just acquired. Even if it had gotten involved, I think the result would be like other intervention in Latin America - occupation for a few years, then leave after a friendly government was set up. The US didn't even have Hawaii or Alaska at this stage, there would be little appetite for holding a hostile area that was not contiguous to the future 48 states. I also think the House of Representatives at the time would not vote for annexation, for the risk of Yucatan becoming a slave-holding state and tipping the balance in the Senate.
Acquired… yeah 😂
Yes but at least for the people of Yucatan, that would have meant being independent from Mexico.
US couldn´t capture Tabasco in October of 1846. Yucatán?, impossible.
The war could finish in Feb 1847 easily favorable to Mexico. Strange agreements, and decisions.
Angotura!
A fantastic book on the subject matter is The Caste War of Yucatan by Nelson Reed.
It mentions that Justo Sierra O Reillys brother was captured and killed by the Maya during the war, which adds to the sentiment. Also, the Maya used to cross into Belize, then British Honduras, and “trade” all of its loot for guns, powder, and supplies. Which fueled the movement. That’s what Justo Sierra was using as an excuse for European Involvement. There’s correspondence available between the governor of British Honduras at the time reporting back to England about the situation.
A fascinating side movement that rose back then as well was the cult of the speaking cross in nowadays Carrillo Puerto in Quintana Roo by the Maya people who displaced there during the War.
Great video!
The British had been meddling the region since colonial times through Belize, they armed the Mayas and wanted instability in the region to undermine Spain and later Mexico...
Exactly
Living in Yucatán, I did not know about of Mayan rebels. Very good research, an interesting viewpoint.
Got some alternate history questions right there. If the Yucatans declared and maintained independence, will it be just another small nation in Central America, or would Mexico seek to reacquire it? If the US intervened would the Yucatan become part of the US, or an ally in the area?
It was the country with the highest concentration of wealthy people on the world while independent.
Meanwhile, Canada took control of Lake Champlain ?
Yesssssssssss 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦
This documentary doesn't highlight that almost 10,000 Mestizos, whites and Maya fled down to #Belize and stayed forever. This also solidified the Belize-Mexico border. The rebels were "pushed to the southeast". Um, you mean to Belize. That's important information
Belize was a disputed, later stolen area by the English to Spain. The north part belonged to Yucatan by the way and it was Maya for thousands of years, therefore they returned to their land.
Video idea: how many surviving populations by absolute numbers and percentages of Native Americans in Canada, USA, Mexico, and all countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean @knowledgia
This case is curious, if you want an interesting fact Lorenzo de Zavala was vice president of the Republic of Texas in 1836 and died in channelview
I can't imagine why the US would have even considered such a scheme. It would have been costly both in political and military terms. The US had everything we needed at that point. Getting involved in a war in the Yucatan at that time would have been absurd.
it was a racial war, just like with the natives genocide programs in north america(also australia and anywhere with anglo disease), plus US is always keen on mass murder hence why they are at war for over 95% of its existence.
Polk is a democrat, democrats only care about slavery and states south of the Mason\Dixon line so they can have more pro slavery senators.
True, the annexation of Yucatán could have been a tipping point for the United States, creating a secessionist movement far riskier than the Southern states alone. The combination of Yucatán’s wealthy elite, ongoing Maya uprisings, and cultural incompatibility with the U.S. would have destabilized the union. A successful Yucatecan secession might have inspired other regions to break away, potentially fragmenting the United States into smaller, rival entities before it could solidify as a continental power.
So the US government wanted to do to the Mayans what they did to the North American Natives. Not surprised at all. And some people think is cool that that Yucatan was gonna be part of the US, disregarding the way of obtaining it
It would have been better is the U.S. had just annexed Cuba. Would have averted a lot of trouble.
Nah
@@joshuafrimpong244 Yah.
It also would've made our baseball team better, and actually win against Japan.
actually would’ve been worse. If the us was interested in averting trouble they wouldn’t be interested in starting it
What a difference it would be to vacation in Cancun if it was in the US
The city of Houston is named after Sam Houston, the Texan general and president. At the time of your graphic(starting at 1:54) he was fighting against Mexico in the Texas Revolution, and the town of Harrisburg(Originally Allen's Landing) was at the site of what is now called Houston. Galveston was the major Texas coastal city...the largest on the entire Gulf coast at the time. It remained that way many years after the war until 1900, when it was destroyed by a hurricane, the greatest natural disaster in US history.
This was all a long winded way to say your graphic is historically inaccurate. It should have depicted Galveston, and not Houston, as that city name did not yet exist. Other than that quibble, this is a very interesting video. Thanks!
Dallas was also very tiny at the time. The map should have shown Galveston and San Antonio as the two principal cities in Texas, not Houston and Dallas.
@@amosbatto3051 Agreed. Such errors cast doubt on the entire video's accuracy, which is a shame because I did enjoy it. I just can't be sure what is actually true.
Many thanks for this piece of history ! It is not evoked in touristical guides when you visit Yucatan, and I suppose it is not much in Mexican school programs of history.
In my opinion, US anexing Yucatan would have been perceived by Mexico as a first US step to annex whole Mexico...
Sitting here in Northern Belize we have a lot of Mayan Belizeans who are descended from Mayans who fled to Belize or British Honduras during the Caste Civil War.
There was no upside to annexing it at the time. The land had no economic value and wouldn't until it brought in tourism 100+ years later.
That’s not true at all, yucatec were richer during the heneken boom than any American. In fact as an independent nation Yucatán was the country with the highest concentration of wealth in the world.
How many Americans have heard of Yucatan for the first time?
Because the US gave it back just like when the US Army and Texas Rangers captured Mexico City and then gave it back.
😂😂 they couldn't hold it .
They didn't capture they couldn't fight anymore......
Even I had no idea that happened. But, again It was an issue that eventually didn't keep the interest of the U.S. Which means it isn't covered until the University level and only with those classes which Central America is the focus. A shame!
Interesting video
Thanks man! More to come!!
@@Knowledgia---Your welcome
Informative, insightful & to the point: TOMANY info videos like this from others, are WAY to long with rambling & it's VERY nice to see a CONCISE report :}
It just goes to show how ephemeral all modern borders are, even of the US, and how quickly they could disappear.
The US stole 55 percent of Mexican territories with unjustified agression wars... And you complain of not annexing Yucatan? You should feel ashamed! Disgusting.😡
Well, I'm from Campeche and I wouldn't mind depending on the US government. That's why the US won the war at the end; the popular opinion was that it was better to surrender to US forces than trusting Santa Anna, and for very good reasons. Mexico lacked the leadership they needed to thrive at the time, such as the part of Yucatán where I'm from does now.
Calmate wey, eran otro tiempos; ya lo pasado pasado
Tomas, what are you talking about? Who is complaining?
And it’s 170yrs ago. The world was very different. How do you think Mexico was formed?? Europeans came in
Vendepatrias, por sabandijas como tú estamos tan jodidos en este país @@Ednilson131
@@Ednilson131 Has visto como tratan a Puerto Rico? Sabes que solo los ocuparian militarmente? Los gringos detestan a los latinos. Mil veces mejor estan actualmente.
This is the first I had ever heard of the Yucatan War.
Can u do a video of what If William walker successfully was able to make “Baja Sonora” a us state
US has many obtions in the past as it would allow to annex this place and Mexico but would face problems later (with Spanish cultures and poverty) so no Cuba and more; yet, it got Alaska, Hawaii, Guam (even Phillipine), but has prospered since than, and it will do more with Puerto Rico, Panama Canal, Greenland, and even Canada.
I am sick and tired of videos asking why the USA did not annex (put here any place around the globe). Why did'nt the imperial hegemon leave people ALONE
Can you make a video on why the United States did not annex Europe
Because it was the Europeans who annexed the American continent.
Because you'd bring diseases to america 😂😂😂😂😂
Wow, what a great surprise of history of my Motherland, Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, known as México! 🇲🇽
They didn’t need to bc Yucatan is basically an American resort area anyway 😂
I just came back from there and its mostly french and german tourists now
Infelices, nos les basto con todo lo que nos robaron todavía quieren mas
El gobierno estadounidense es como el gobierno de (((ya sabes quiénes)))
If the United States had annexed Yucatán during the henequen boom, it would have faced significant challenges in managing the region. The extreme wealth and influence of the Yucatecan elite, combined with the ongoing tensions with the Maya population, would have created a volatile and complex situation. Here’s why:
1. The Wealthy Yucatecan Elite
• Autonomy and Resistance: The henequen elite were accustomed to autonomy and wielded immense economic and political power. They were unlikely to cede this influence to an external power like the U.S. without significant resistance.
• Cultural Differences: The elite identified strongly with European traditions and values, which would have clashed with the more Protestant and egalitarian ideals of 19th-century America.
• Economic Disputes: The U.S. government would likely have sought to regulate or tax the henequen trade, potentially undermining the economic interests of the elite and causing friction.
2. The Maya Resistance
• The Caste War (1847-1901): The Maya population was already engaged in a violent and prolonged uprising against the Yucatecan elites, seeking autonomy and redress for decades of exploitation.
• Exploitation and Debt Peonage: The U.S. would have inherited a deeply entrenched system of exploitation, where Maya laborers were essentially enslaved under debt peonage. Attempting to reform or enforce new policies could have sparked further uprisings.
• Geographic Challenges: The rugged and isolated terrain of Yucatán would have made it difficult for the U.S. to maintain control and suppress rebellion effectively.
3. U.S. Limitations at the Time
• Resource Strain: In the mid-19th century, the U.S. was already grappling with territorial expansion, conflicts with Native American tribes, and tensions leading up to the Civil War. Adding Yucatán’s complexities would have stretched its military and administrative capacity.
• Slavery Debate: Incorporating Yucatán, with its Maya labor system resembling slavery, would have exacerbated the already heated debate over slavery in the U.S.
• Distance and Isolation: Yucatán’s relative geographic isolation would have made it challenging to govern and integrate into the U.S. effectively.
4. Clashing Forces
• Elite vs. Maya: The U.S. would have faced the challenge of balancing the interests of the powerful elites, who would demand protection and support, against the demands of the Maya, who sought freedom and equality. Attempting to appease one side would likely antagonize the other.
• Potential for Violence: Any misstep could have led to widespread violence, as the region was already a tinderbox of social and economic tensions.
Conclusion
The annexation of Yucatán would have been a daunting task for the U.S., involving not only political and military challenges but also cultural and social conflicts. The combination of an entrenched elite and an oppressed indigenous majority would have been nearly impossible to reconcile, especially given the U.S.’s limited capacity and internal divisions at the time. It’s no wonder that the U.S. ultimately decided against annexation despite its initial interest in the region.
What about the fact that the Yucatan would have been a slave state if conquered by the US along with racism as barriers to entry?
The annexation of Yucatán could have been a tipping point for the United States, creating a secessionist movement far riskier than the Southern states alone. The combination of Yucatán’s wealthy elite, ongoing Maya uprisings, and cultural incompatibility with the U.S. would have destabilized the union. A successful Yucatecan secession might have inspired other regions to break away, potentially fragmenting the United States into smaller, rival entities before it could solidify as a continental power.
Do why didn't US annex Canada next.
Annex is another word for stealing.
Yeah.. why didn't they stole that land to???
Read about the Caste War of Yucatan. It lasted 54 years.
Yucatán was for a while an independent country with its own flag separated from the Mexican government
Lost me at "few navigable rivers" there are no rivers here
The U.S. annexation of the Yucatan peninsula could have eventually led to the annexation of all of Central America and Panama.
No Battle of Campeche? For those who aren't aware The battle of Campeche was a naval battle between Texian/Yucatan naval fleet against Mexican Iron hulled steamships (First of their kind in America) with British Seaman commanding them. The Texian fleet managed to Eek out a win surprisingly enough with wooden hulled Sailing ships.
Long live the Texas Navy
The Yucatecan navy defeated the Texan navy during a conflict in the 1840s, specifically in the context of the Caste War of Yucatán and the struggles for Yucatán’s independence.
1. Background: The Texan Involvement
• After gaining independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas sought to secure its position in the region. By the 1840s, Yucatán had declared its own independence from Mexico (several times) and was embroiled in internal conflicts, including the Caste War and disputes with the Mexican central government.
• The Republic of Texas saw an opportunity to exert influence in the region and secure economic benefits by supporting Mexico in suppressing Yucatán’s independence. In 1841, Texas loaned its navy to the Mexican government in exchange for financial compensation.
2. Yucatecan Navy vs. Texan Navy
• The Yucatecan navy, though small, was well-prepared and commanded by capable officers who understood the Gulf of Mexico’s geography and conditions. Yucatán also had the financial resources to maintain and equip a competitive naval force, thanks to its henequen exports.
• In contrast, the Texan navy was underfunded and poorly maintained. By the 1840s, it had become notorious for internal disputes, lack of discipline, and outdated ships.
3. Key Engagement: The Battle of Campeche (1843)
• In 1843, the Yucatecan navy faced the combined forces of the Mexican navy and the Texan navy near Campeche, a key port city.
• Despite being outnumbered, the Yucatecan fleet, supported by privateers and foreign mercenaries, managed to decisively defeat the Texan navy. Their superior tactics, local knowledge, and better ship handling proved critical.
• The defeat marked the only time in history when steam-powered warships (used by Texas) were defeated by sail-powered ships (used by Yucatán).
4. Impact of the Defeat
• The defeat severely weakened the Texan navy and diminished its reputation, leading to its eventual disbandment in 1846 when Texas joined the United States.
• For Yucatán, the victory demonstrated its resilience and military capability, allowing it to maintain a degree of independence until Mexico reintegrated the region during the late 1840s and early 1850s.
Conclusion
The Yucatecan navy’s defeat of the Texan navy at Campeche is a remarkable historical event. It underscores Yucatán’s naval strength and strategic importance in the Gulf of Mexico during the 19th century. The engagement also highlights how regional powers like Yucatán could successfully resist larger but poorly organized forces like the Texan navy.
Most people don't know about it, glad you mentioned it. Give credit to Yucatan too, it was a joint venture, even though Texas helped so much. Both were independent republics fighting against a common enemy: Mexico. They won by the way. Colt designed a revolver highlighting the Battle of Campeche.
@@eugeniofernandez8101 I have here with me the original book from 1868 abut Yucatán secession and the necessity to make peace with the Mayan left by one of my ancestors.
@@eugeniofernandez8101 I have here with me the original book printed by the independent government of Yucatán printed in 1868 left by my ancestors from generations to generations.
@@eugeniofernandez8101I would love to own a "Campeche" Colt and yea it is a shame that this battle is basically next to unknown. Heck from most of the readings about it until recently made it seem like nothing of interest happened.
Petition to fill in Lake Champlain with concrete and sell it to Canada
There's a mistake on your map: Cancun (as a population center) did not exist until the 1970s
It wasn't until a hundred years later that it became of geographic importance. Sort of. Go Navy 🇺🇲
why in the hell would we have selectively annexed just that? Stupid question to begin with.
They absolutely should have back then and took Canada.
Cancun should not be shown on the map as a city. Cancun was formed as late as 1970s. It was a tiny fishing village with little significance in the period the map shows.
Yucatan could have been a Venice style country
and would have probably ended like Puerto Rico or pre-revolution Cuba
In Civilization VI it would be part of the city-state of La Venta.
Cancún wasn't even a village back then. It would be better to draw on the map the city of Valladolid.
It’s kinda already has with Cancun being extremely Americanized 😂
Thanks for 66... More Enjoy & More Subscribe 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
There's still time we'll get around to it 😂
Why didn't they annex Cuba or more islands in the Caribbean? They're closer.
The US should have annexed everything and made the land territory Status below the current border like the part of the country outside Texas that the US took. In time a workable organization of States would have emerged in the Southern part like the northern and the US would have all of the resources in the land. Because of the Congress only the upper 50% of the country was added
So if Yucatán would had have his Chit together maybe we would have won the Mexico would have won the American invasion .. wow ….😮
Yea the us want to be the nice people the “savors of the hole world”
Would've been an even better vacation spot than it is today if it was part of the U S.
But Yucatán became the country with the highest concentration of wealth in the world during the henecken boom. The USA didn’t want to deal with these too powerful clashing entities the Yucatec and the Mayan. Also the Yucatec were extremely imperialist.
So we use "annexed" for stole, now???
And.... what flavor would you like your ice cream?
The USA;should have annexed Yucatan,Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador,Honduras,Nicaragua, Costa Rica,Panama,Cuba ,Jamaica,Dominican Republic and all the Caribbean Islands. What language would be spoken English or Spanish ?
It was a desperate move by the Yucatan government to give its independence to the US but it would have been good in the long run. Mexico basically destroyed and divided Yucatan. Too bad that Spain, who had historical ties with Yucatan, did not send troops but that was because they didn't want a war with the US, who wasn't going to let a European power intervene. In the end, the US didn't help nor let others help the Yucatecan government.
Mexico should take back all it lost to us ...cal Utah Arizona Colorado New Mex and Texas ....talk about that
You mean why the US STOLE Yucatán. They Stole the other part
We'll get around to it don't worry
@ lol 😂
Do you do something because you can? Is this your approach? Why don’t Mexico recover California, Texas, Nevada, etc. the change of language could be easy.
How odd that American had a chance to get more land and monopolize the Gulf of Mexico but choose not to. Could have a big win
The annexation of Yucatán could have been a tipping point for the United States, creating a secessionist movement far riskier than the Southern states alone. The combination of Yucatán’s wealthy elite, ongoing Maya uprisings, and cultural incompatibility with the U.S. would have destabilized the union. A successful Yucatecan secession might have inspired other regions to break away, potentially fragmenting the United States into smaller, rival entities before it could solidify as a continental power.
Can America buy it or give them citizenship
I'm not sure but it does make me wonder if people who have relatives that are still alive from say when the US controlled the PI and Cuba if they would have Citizenship if their line is still around.
Mexico wouldn’t accept an US purchase of Yucatán
@@Najdowski referenda
@@NajdowskiMexico can’t even stop the cartel.
the mayas still the most braves warriors of the americas
The Yucatecos would have ven desapered like the natives of the planes in North America
Didn’t the Maya die out centuries before this??
The U.S. might have annexed Canada, Mexico and all of Central America (and all Caribbean islands) so that the only U.S. border = ~ 50 miles between current-day Panama and Columbia. Also, we should annex Greenland 🙂
if the european settlers didn't have that stupid mentality about race and color the offer seems reasonable.
Columbia is a city in South Carolina. COLOMBIA is a country in South America. Sorry for being the cop, but SO many people get this wrong. It irritates me. Again, sorry.
Too bad the Chinese didn't show up in the early 1400s. I'd imagine they'd be more sympathetic to Native Americans. Given the cultural similarities and the good relationship they had with Sub-Saharan Africans, aka Black people.
@@vNightSuNv, yea, right. Just look at all of the wonderful things that China has done with Tibet! Thank G-d that Europeans brought Western Civilization to the Americas.
@henry-bo3np Mm.. possibly. But the chances of them wiping out an estimated 56 million Indigenous Americans directly or non-directly would have been less likely or less intentional. Given their religions.. Taoism ☯️ and Confucianism. Historical patterns. When they did engage with expansion, it was often in pursuit of trade and diplomatic ties. Yes, Western civilization relies heavily on Americas resources. European civilization is an offshoot of the Mesopotamia civilizations.
Now make a video in 🇺🇸 call ilegal to mexican when the half county was mexican labd stolen by Washington government when mexican government they can defend our country from the enemy our neighbors
strange... Would the Maya has suffered any less under the Anglos?
No. Absolutely not. Look at the US as an example. Best interest is always independence. They had to pick between two evils
@@joshuafrimpong244 Where are the indigenous North Americans?
@@Larkinchancethey don’t exist as no one is indigenous to the americas
@Larkinchance more or less gone
They would’ve probably seen their numbers outrageously reduced, but by this time they would probably be a tiny bit better off.
Hello, people of Yucatan. I want to know your opinion. And please do not get mad.
Would you guys prefer to:
1. Remain part of Mexico 🇲🇽
2. Become a republic for a third time
3. Become part of Guatemala 🇬🇹
4. Become part of Belize 🇧🇿
5. Become part of the United States 🇺🇸
1. Obviously.
2. The thidrd republic. We're freaked with Mexico
Being from Mexico