San Salvador Atenco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
(San Salvador) Atenco
|
|
|---|---|
|
Town & Municipality
|
|
| Country |  Mexico |
| State | State of Mexico |
| Founded | 968 BC |
| Municipal Status | after 1820 |
| Area | |
| • Municipality | 84.9 km2 (32.8 sq mi) |
| Elevation
(of seat)
|
2,250 m (7,380 ft) |
| Population
(2005) Municipality
|
|
| • Municipality | 42,739 |
| • Seat | 14,995 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (US Central)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central) |
| Postal code (of seat) |
56300
|
San Salvador Atenco is a town in the State of Mexico, a state in Mexico. It is the main town of the Atenco municipality. The name "Atenco" comes from an old language called Nahuatl. It means "place on the edge of water."
Contents
Exploring the History of Atenco Town
Ancient Life and Early Settlers
Archaeologists have found amazing things in Atenco! They have dug up bones from huge mammoths and old stone tools. These discoveries show that people lived here at least 7,000 years ago.
Around 968 BC, groups who spoke Nahuatl, sometimes called "pre-Aztecs" or Chichimeca, moved into this area from the north. Some stories say that one of their leaders married the last king of the Toltec people, named Topiltzin. From this family line came a famous king named Nezahualcóyotl. He was one of the three leaders who started the powerful Aztec Triple Alliance. Later, in 1428, Atenco became part of the city of Texcoco.
Spanish Arrival and Changes
When the Spanish, led by Hernán Cortés, conquered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, the people of Atenco kept fighting. They supported the lord of Texcoco. But by 1521, the Spanish took control of this area too.
After the conquest, the Spanish made the people pay a "tribute" (a kind of tax) and follow Spanish laws. In 1571, they built a church called the Chapel of Cristo de Esquipulas.
The Chapel of Cristo de Esquipulas
The Franciscans, a group of Catholic priests, built this chapel. They wanted to teach people about Christianity. The chapel is made of stone and a special kind of volcanic rock called "tezontle". Inside, it has a beautiful, golden altar piece called a "retablo." This retablo is the original one from when the chapel was first built. People celebrate the chapel's saint's day on the second Monday after Carnaval.
Important Protests in Atenco
San Salvador Atenco became well-known in the news in 2002 and 2006. During these years, there were large protests against the government. In 2002, people protested against plans to build a new international airport for Mexico City in their area. Because of these protests, the airport project was stopped.
Understanding the Atenco Municipality
Communities and Geography
San Salvador Atenco is the main town of the Atenco municipality. This means it helps govern many smaller communities nearby. Some of these communities include San Cristóbal Nexquipayac, Santa Isabel Ixtapan, and Zapotlán.
The Atenco municipality shares borders with other municipalities like Acolman, Texcoco, and Ecatepec. It covers an area of about 94.67 square kilometers (about 36.5 square miles). This land is part of a large volcanic area in Mexico. Even though most of the municipality is flat, there are two small hills, Huatepec and Tepetzingo, in the south. There is also volcanic activity deep underground, under what used to be Lake Texcoco.
Local Economy
Most people in the Atenco municipality make a living through farming. Many families own farmland and grow food mainly for themselves. They usually don't sell much of their crops in markets.
See also
In Spanish: San Salvador Atenco para niños
