Emiliano Zapata, Morelos facts for kids

Emiliano Zapata is a city located in the central part of the Mexican state of Morelos. It's an important city and the main town for the area around it, which is called the municipality of Emiliano Zapata.

This municipality is one of the largest in Morelos. In 2020, over 107,000 people lived there. The city itself had about 64,000 residents. The area used to be known by different names like San Francisco Zacualpan and San Vicente Zacualpan. It was later renamed to honor Emiliano Zapata, a famous leader from the Mexican Revolution.

Some smaller towns nearby are also part of the municipality. These include Tres de Mayo, which is well-known for its beautiful pottery and ceramics. Tezoyuca has a cement factory and a fun water park. Other towns are Tetecalita and Tepetzingo.

History of Emiliano Zapata

Ancient Beginnings

Stories passed down through generations say that the first people who settled in Tzacualpan came from other towns like Tepoztlán and Jiutepec. The legend tells of a young man who fell in love with a princess. Her father, a powerful ruler, was very angry. He made the young man pay high taxes and forced him to leave. The young man eventually found a new home on a flat area between two hills. Over time, this place grew and became part of a strong kingdom that fought against the Lord of Cuauhnahuac in 1389.

Colonial Times

After the Spanish arrived in 1521, Hernán Cortés was given a large area of land, which included what is now Morelos. By 1534, the area became part of Mexico City's control. The land that is now Emiliano Zapata was called Tzacualpan. The Spanish added the name San Francisco to it. Because it was close to a monastery in Xiutepec, it became known as San Francisco Tzacualpan. A large farm, called a hacienda, named San Vicente Tzacualpan, was also started around this time.

Later, in 1618, a man named Diego de Alarcón received a lot of land. He built a rich sugar cane hacienda there. This hacienda became the main center of the town.

The 1800s

Mexico became an independent country in 1821. The area that is now Morelos was part of the State of Mexico. In 1840, the town's name was changed to San Vicente Zacualpan. This was to honor the hacienda owner at the time, Governor Vicente de Eguia.

In 1856, the San Vicente hacienda got new owners. There was a disagreement between the hacienda manager and a local farmer. This led to a conflict where some people were killed. Morelos officially became its own state in 1869.

The 1900s

Many local people from Emiliano Zapata fought in the Mexican Revolution (1910-1921). Some of these heroes included General Modesto Rangel and soldiers like Ricardo Catalán and Francisco Mariaca.

In 1930, the government decided that towns could no longer use saint's names. So, San Vicente Zacualpan was renamed Emiliano Zapata to honor the famous revolutionary hero. An important visit was made by President Álvaro Obregón in 1922. Land was divided among the people after the revolution, a process that finished in 1927.

On December 15, 1932, Governor Vicente Estrada Cajigal created the municipality of Emiliano Zapata. The town of Zapata was chosen as its capital. Other villages like Tezoyuca, Tepetzingo, and Tetecalita became part of this new municipality.

Important services were added to the community over the years. Drinking water became available in 1935. The old San Vicente hacienda was given to the people in 1942. Farmers also formed groups like the Rice Cooperative in 1944 and the San Vicente Agricultural Association in 1963 to help each other.

The 2000s

In 2017, two big earthquakes hit Mexico. The first one on September 7 did not cause damage in Morelos. However, the second one on September 19, which was closer to Morelos, caused a lot of damage. In Zapata, 142 homes were completely destroyed, and 248 others were damaged.

In July 2018, Ana Olivia Albarran Salazar from the Green Party was elected as the new mayor, known as Presidente Municipal.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico in 2020, schools and many businesses in Emiliano Zapata had to close. The community worked to manage the spread of the virus.

Famous People from Emiliano Zapata

Here are some well-known people who came from Emiliano Zapata:

• Modesto Rangel, a general who fought in the Mexican Revolution.
• Gilberto García, who held important roles like municipal president and local deputy.
• Gontran Rodríguez, who was a commissioner for the ejido (community land) of Tezoyuca and held political jobs.
• Diego Álvarez, another commissioner of the Tezoyido ejido and president of a sugar refinery board.
• J. Jesús Vega Basurto, a commissioner of the Zapata ejido and president of a sugar refinery board.
• Feliciano Catalán A, who was a commissioner, municipal president, and led rice growers in the state.
• Vicente Peralta G, a commissioner for Tezoyuca and a local deputy three times.
• Teresa Peralta R., a doctor who directed the IMSS Zapata clinic.
• Antonio Aguilar C., who served as a commissioner for the ejido and as municipal president.

Geography

Location and Land Use

Emiliano Zapata is one of 36 municipalities in the state of Morelos. It is located in the center of the state. It shares borders with other municipalities like Temixco, Jiutepec, Yautepec, Tlaltizapán, and Xochitepec. The municipality covers an area of about 68 square kilometers. This is about 1.4% of all the land in Morelos.

The land in Emiliano Zapata is used for different purposes. A large part is used for farming, and some areas are for raising animals. There are also forests and some land for factories. Much of the land is ejido property, which means it is owned and managed by the community.

Climate

Emiliano Zapata has a tropical climate. This means it's generally warm all year round. Summers have a lot more rain than winters. The average temperature is about 23.2 degrees Celsius (73.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The area gets about 917 millimeters (36 inches) of rain each year. May is usually the hottest month, and January is the coolest.

Hills and Rivers

The municipality is located between two hills: Montenegro to the east and Texcal to the west. The highest point is Cueva del Aire hill, which is about 1,650 meters (5,413 feet) above sea level. Another important hill is part of the Sierra Madre del Sur, which is about 1,240 meters high.

Several rivers flow through Emiliano Zapata from north to south. These include the Las Fuentes River and a branch of the Apatlaco River. The Agua Salada River and the Yautepec River also cross the area. There are also smaller streams and five large wells that provide water.

Plants and Animals

The plants in Emiliano Zapata are mostly from a type of forest that loses its leaves in the dry season. You can find trees like higuerilla, black amate (a type of acacia), guaje, and jarilla. Cactuses are also common. Other beautiful trees like Jacaranda, tabachin, casahuate, ceiba, and colorful bougainvillea flowers are often seen.

Many different animals live here. Mammals include skunks, rabbits, hares, cacomixtles, opossums, bats, badgers, armadillos, and coyotes. Some of these, like badgers, armadillos, and coyotes, are becoming rare. Birds you might see include flag birds, chachalacas, magpies, buzzards, crows, and owls.

Natural Resources

Limestone is an important natural resource found in Emiliano Zapata. It is used as a raw material to make lime and cement in factories.

Economy

The economy of Emiliano Zapata relies a lot on farming. There are many hectares of land used for growing crops, both with irrigation and with just rainwater. The most important crops grown here are sugarcane, rice, corn, beans, peanuts, squash, and alfalfa. Flowers are also grown, often in special greenhouses.

Another important part of the economy is raising animals. Farmers here raise cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and horses.

In recent years, the industrial sector has grown a lot. Many factories and businesses have opened in the municipality. This has made Emiliano Zapata an important place for trade and services. The construction industry has also grown, with many new homes and apartment buildings being built.

There are over 400 shops and businesses of all kinds. These include grocery stores, furniture stores, pharmacies, clothing stores, hardware stores, stationery shops, and many places to eat like restaurants. While tourism is not a major industry, local ceramics and handicrafts are sold.