Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About the Mexican Culture

Mexico is an interesting yet important country that has helped shaped the history of humanity. Here are 10 things that you may not have known about this incredible country and its contributions to the world:

 

1.  Mexico and its rich agriculture

Without Mexico and its rich agriculture, there would be no pizza! The colonization of Mexico by the Spaniards introduced many products to the world. Among those delightful contributions are tomatoes, peanuts, vanilla, avocados, corn, and hot peppers. Just imagine our favorite dishes without these yummy ingredients!

 2.  A Mexican created the world’s first-ever birth control

We have to give credits to the then-25-year-old chemist Luis Ernesto Miramontes Cardenas for creating the world’s first-ever birth control. In 1951, he came up with the chemical compound called norethisterone that would make up these birth control pills. Take note. He was just 25 years old!

 3.  Mexico is the world’s second “biggest” country

When we say “biggest,” we mean in size. Yes, Mexico has a high obesity rate. Its rival, the U.S., is number one on the list. Unfortunately, 1 in 6 adults in Mexico has heart disease and diabetes, and other weight-related health problems. Many people blame the country’s continued industrialization, making sugary drinks, fatty, and processed foods more available than healthier ones.

 4.  Mexico has 68 indigenous languages

Lawyers and policymakers from Mexico have recognized 68 official indigenous languages, and they have put them into law. Within these languages, there are also dozens of indigenous dialects and variations. Many of these languages are considered in danger of extinction, surviving among small communities and spoken mostly by the older generation.

 5.  Mexico has one of the world’s most unique agricultural systems

The Valley of Mexico has been a fertile and habitable region, thanks to an agricultural system developed by indigenous groups and Aztecs when they came to power. Floating gardens and a system of canals found in the south of the city are credited to these tribes as they developed these renowned systems to control flooding, feed its masses, and transport goods. The so-called chinampas have been compared to the rice paddies of China and the Nile river valley in terms of uniqueness and significance in global agriculture.

 6.  Mexico has 59 corn varieties

Mexico possesses a rich diversity of corns with over 59 varieties. The Mexicans have made investments in cultivating this essential crop for centuries already, despite threats from genetically modified imports and international trade agreements. Farmers have continued the tradition of collecting seeds, growing corn, and preserving varieties for generations to come.

 7.  Mexico has one of the Seven Wonders of the World

The Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza are included in the list of Seven Wonders of the World. The ruins are what’s left of the ancient Mayan ceremonial city, and it gained a degree of fame for its design of a snake’s shadow sitting on the steps of the pyramid El Castillo.

 8.  Color TV was invented in Mexico

Inventor Guillermo González Camarena created the chromoscopic adapter for TV equipment, a color transmission system, which happened in 1942 and to think he was only 17 years old!

 9.  Mexico’s capital is sinking every year

Mexico City was built atop lake beds by its ancient tribes and expanded by the Aztecs when they gained power in the Valley of Mexico. The Spanish also insisted on draining the lakebed to maintain their watery existence. Most of Mexico City’s water nowadays is pumped from the aquifer below the surface or flooring, and because of the soil’s sandy component, the city and its buildings sink deeper into the ground.

 10.  America’s first printing press was used in Mexico City

Juan Pablo utilized North America’s first printing press in 1539 to create 35 books. His original workshop was converted into a museum in Mexico City’s Centro Historico.