The history of the conquest of the Aztec land is told in the doings lof that greatest of conquistadores, Cortes, who landed at Vera Cruz in 1619, and gave to Spain what for centuries remained her richest province. Before his energy the native empire crumbled. In 1540 Mexico was united with other American territories—at one time all the jeountry from Panama to Vancouver's Island—under the name of New Spain, and governed by viceroys (57 in all) appointed by the mother-country. Even at that time, however, the Mexican people had developed their penchant for revolttions. The first half of the last Jeentury was a record of almost chronic disorder and civil war, and within that period the country had fifty-two presidents or dictators, one emperor and 2 regent, and in nearly' tie ndvieblty, Pot patting Cheat, dried ie pyro,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.