Disappeared Mexican States: A Mystery Unraveled - Tracing the Fate of Lost Entities.
In the early 19th century, Mexico underwent significant changes in its territorial structure. One of the most significant events was the formation of Coahuila y Tejas as the sixteenth Mexican state in 1824.
Before this, Coahuila was part of the Internal State of the East, which also included Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and Texas. Meanwhile, the Internal State of the North, as per the Constitutive Act of 1824, comprised Durango and Chihuahua, along with New Mexico.
Interestingly, Chihuahua and Durango were initially governed together as the province of New Biscay. However, after the collapse of the First Mexican Empire, they were turned into separate provinces. They were later joined again as the State of the North in 1823.
The state of Sinaloa, known for its rich salt flats, and Sonora, a vast desert region, were once a single state and were governed together since the colonial era. In 1830, Sinaloa and Sonora became the first states admitted to the federation, ever to separate in 1840 when Sinaloa joined the separatist Republic of the Rio Grande.
The Province of the Isthmus, declared in 1823 by General José de Fábrega, played a significant role in local and Indigenous separatism in the region between the Atlantic and the Pacific. The province encompassed the districts of Acayucan and Tehuantepec in present-day Veracruz and Oaxaca, respectively. However, the Province of the Isthmus was abolished in 1824 but was briefly resurrected in 1852 and dissolved again in 1855.
During this period, under Spanish rule, the territories that are now Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica made up the Captaincy-General of Guatemala. Central America peacefully declared independence from Spain in September 1821 and favoured annexation into the Mexican Empire. Guatemala City accepted the annexation, bringing Mexico to its historic territorial extent. However, not all Central Americans agreed, leading to armed rebellions.
Agustin de Iturbide, who later became Emperor of Mexico, invited Central America to join Mexico in January 1822. Despite Iturbide's efforts, Central America ultimately chose to form its own independent federation.
In 1856, Santiago Vidaurri, a military leader from Nuevo León, annexed Coahuila, forming Nuevo León y Coahuila. This state existed until 1864, when it was dissolved after Vidaurri was executed for supporting the Second Mexican Empire. The Constitution of 1857 officially ratified Nuevo León y Coahuila as a state.
These historical events highlight the dynamic and complex nature of Mexico's territorial evolution over time. From the formation of states like Coahuila y Tejas and the State of the North, to the brief existence of the Province of the Isthmus and the separatist Republic of the Rio Grande, these changes have shaped Mexico's modern political landscape.
