alternatehistory.com
Yucatan
So here's another Mesoamerican post done in a more normal style. Of course, this post will probably be updated later as I delve into more Spanish-language resources.
Federated States of Yucatán/Estados Federados de Yucatán.
A Brief History
While the area that currently makes up the FSY has a long and proud history ranging back to the peak of the Mayan civilization and beyond, the modern foundations of the Yucatán state can be traced to its establishment as a Captaincy General within New Spain in the early 1600s. As with the Mesoamerican nations to its south and southeast, this political arrangement (not to mention being the center of Mayan culture) would lead to the Yucatán developing a identity distinct from Mexico proper. Over two centuries later, the Captaincy General of Yucatán with join with the rest of mainland New Spain to break away from Spanish Rule and establish the first Mexican empire. Unlike the other Mesoamerican nations though, Yucatán remained a part of Mexico after the first few chaotic years, although patience amongst the populace towards the government in Mexico City would grow increasingly thin.
Growing differences between the Yucatán and Mexico City over issues such as taxes, language, culture, and more eventually led to a boiling point. An alliance of Europeans, Mestizos (both groups who considered themselves distinct from their fellows in the rest of Mexico [1]), and indigenous Mayans would manage to successfully throw out Mexican troops in a short but still bloody war. The following decades would be prove to be turbulent but a growing national identity successfully prevented a split between the Spanish West and the Mayan East.
The arrival of the 20th century would see massive changes in Yucatán as Mexican corporations, made rich by the oil boom in the country's Northern half, would come to dominate the country. Corporate control of the country would decline over the 20th century due to changes in global economic trends and the rise of socialist/labor groups across Mesoamerica, but much to the FSY's chagrin, the country is considered by many to still be a part of Mexico's sphere of Influence.
Language
Like Mexico, bilingualism is considered the norm in the FSY and is generally used as a way to promote national unity. Unlike Mexico though, the FSY is officially Spanish-(Yucatec Standard) Maya bilingual.
Despite a majority of the population being fluent in both languages, and nearly everyone knowing a few basic sentences of both languages, both Spanish and Mayan have what could be called their "home turf." In the western states of Tabasco, Campeche and the Western half of North Yucatán [2], the Spanish language is generally the mother tongue while in the states of Petén, Tekax [3], and the rest of North Yucatán, that honor belongs to Yucatec Maya.
The Nahuatl language historically had a larger presence in the country due to New Spanish colonial policies. Post-independence though, the language was heavily discouraged and became stronger associated with Mexican loyalists [4].
Religion
As with the rest of Mesoamerica, Roman Catholicism continues to be the most popular religion in the country. Interestingly enough, the second largest religion is the Mayan Revival (but heavily Christian influenced) faith know as "Cult/Church of the Talking Cross". Originating from the state of Tekax, the faith is the most popular religion in the states of Tekax and Petén while large minorities also exist in the other FSY states and the neighboring country of Valiz. Other religious groups include various Protestant groups, the non-affiliated, and those who practice non-Cross varieties of indigenous/syncretic beliefs.
Flag
Unlike the other Mesoamerican nations that seceded from Mexico, the FSY opted to keep the same color scheme as Mexico [5]. As with the Mexican flag, the color green represents Freedom/Independence and the (top) red stripe represents the color the unification of different people (Spanish and Indigenous) [6]. Unlike Mexico later on though, the FSY opted to keep the religious significance of the color white (In this case Heaven Blessing the FSY) while the bottom red stripe has the additional meaning of Sacrifice (life/blood) made in service of the FSY. In the modern day, there's been a push to change the colors meaning - typically having Green also signify nature while replacing the religious symbolism of the white stripe with something more secular, so far, these proposals haven't made much progress in the national legislature.
And of course, the stars represents the five states.
[1] Compare/Contrast to the ASB's English Stocks.
[2] Typically considered the Yucatán portion of the Spanish Coast - a region consisting of the Mexican and Yucatán portions of the Gulf Coast where (due to various reasons) Spanish was the predominate language instead of Nahuatl or other local indigenous languages during colonial rule. Shallow similarities incidentally lead people from Mexico and the FSY to refer to the part of ASB's Eastern Seaboard stretching from Carolina to New Hampshire as the English Coast (Or Germanic Coast if they want to be inclusive of Swede and Dutch Speakers).
[3] the Mexican state of Quintana Roo
[4] Incidentally, this policy also had the unintended side effect of greatly decreasingly the presence of other Mayan languages in the country. This is still a sore talking point among certain groups.
[5] The irony that the Mesoamerican nation most critical of Mexico and its foreign policy in the region is the only nation whose flag kept Mexico's color scheme is not lost on anyone in the region.
[6] In OTL, the colors of the Mexican flag represented Independence (Green), Religion (White), and the Union of the Spanish/Indigenous people (Red), but by the modern day the colors would be redefined to mean hope, unity (among others), and the blood of fallen heroes. ITTL, Mexico and the Yucatán both keep the original meanings for Green/Red while Mexico replaces the white stripe's religious symbolism during the more secular 20th century and the Yucatán basically adopts the modern red meaning for the second red stripe.
Federated States of Yucatán/Estados Federados de Yucatán.
A Brief History
While the area that currently makes up the FSY has a long and proud history ranging back to the peak of the Mayan civilization and beyond, the modern foundations of the Yucatán state can be traced to its establishment as a Captaincy General within New Spain in the early 1600s. As with the Mesoamerican nations to its south and southeast, this political arrangement (not to mention being the center of Mayan culture) would lead to the Yucatán developing a identity distinct from Mexico proper. Over two centuries later, the Captaincy General of Yucatán with join with the rest of mainland New Spain to break away from Spanish Rule and establish the first Mexican empire. Unlike the other Mesoamerican nations though, Yucatán remained a part of Mexico after the first few chaotic years, although patience amongst the populace towards the government in Mexico City would grow increasingly thin.
Growing differences between the Yucatán and Mexico City over issues such as taxes, language, culture, and more eventually led to a boiling point. An alliance of Europeans, Mestizos (both groups who considered themselves distinct from their fellows in the rest of Mexico [1]), and indigenous Mayans would manage to successfully throw out Mexican troops in a short but still bloody war. The following decades would be prove to be turbulent but a growing national identity successfully prevented a split between the Spanish West and the Mayan East.
The arrival of the 20th century would see massive changes in Yucatán as Mexican corporations, made rich by the oil boom in the country's Northern half, would come to dominate the country. Corporate control of the country would decline over the 20th century due to changes in global economic trends and the rise of socialist/labor groups across Mesoamerica, but much to the FSY's chagrin, the country is considered by many to still be a part of Mexico's sphere of Influence.
Language
Like Mexico, bilingualism is considered the norm in the FSY and is generally used as a way to promote national unity. Unlike Mexico though, the FSY is officially Spanish-(Yucatec Standard) Maya bilingual.
Despite a majority of the population being fluent in both languages, and nearly everyone knowing a few basic sentences of both languages, both Spanish and Mayan have what could be called their "home turf." In the western states of Tabasco, Campeche and the Western half of North Yucatán [2], the Spanish language is generally the mother tongue while in the states of Petén, Tekax [3], and the rest of North Yucatán, that honor belongs to Yucatec Maya.
The Nahuatl language historically had a larger presence in the country due to New Spanish colonial policies. Post-independence though, the language was heavily discouraged and became stronger associated with Mexican loyalists [4].
Religion
As with the rest of Mesoamerica, Roman Catholicism continues to be the most popular religion in the country. Interestingly enough, the second largest religion is the Mayan Revival (but heavily Christian influenced) faith know as "Cult/Church of the Talking Cross". Originating from the state of Tekax, the faith is the most popular religion in the states of Tekax and Petén while large minorities also exist in the other FSY states and the neighboring country of Valiz. Other religious groups include various Protestant groups, the non-affiliated, and those who practice non-Cross varieties of indigenous/syncretic beliefs.
Flag
Unlike the other Mesoamerican nations that seceded from Mexico, the FSY opted to keep the same color scheme as Mexico [5]. As with the Mexican flag, the color green represents Freedom/Independence and the (top) red stripe represents the color the unification of different people (Spanish and Indigenous) [6]. Unlike Mexico later on though, the FSY opted to keep the religious significance of the color white (In this case Heaven Blessing the FSY) while the bottom red stripe has the additional meaning of Sacrifice (life/blood) made in service of the FSY. In the modern day, there's been a push to change the colors meaning - typically having Green also signify nature while replacing the religious symbolism of the white stripe with something more secular, so far, these proposals haven't made much progress in the national legislature.
And of course, the stars represents the five states.
[1] Compare/Contrast to the ASB's English Stocks.
[2] Typically considered the Yucatán portion of the Spanish Coast - a region consisting of the Mexican and Yucatán portions of the Gulf Coast where (due to various reasons) Spanish was the predominate language instead of Nahuatl or other local indigenous languages during colonial rule. Shallow similarities incidentally lead people from Mexico and the FSY to refer to the part of ASB's Eastern Seaboard stretching from Carolina to New Hampshire as the English Coast (Or Germanic Coast if they want to be inclusive of Swede and Dutch Speakers).
[3] the Mexican state of Quintana Roo
[4] Incidentally, this policy also had the unintended side effect of greatly decreasingly the presence of other Mayan languages in the country. This is still a sore talking point among certain groups.
[5] The irony that the Mesoamerican nation most critical of Mexico and its foreign policy in the region is the only nation whose flag kept Mexico's color scheme is not lost on anyone in the region.
[6] In OTL, the colors of the Mexican flag represented Independence (Green), Religion (White), and the Union of the Spanish/Indigenous people (Red), but by the modern day the colors would be redefined to mean hope, unity (among others), and the blood of fallen heroes. ITTL, Mexico and the Yucatán both keep the original meanings for Green/Red while Mexico replaces the white stripe's religious symbolism during the more secular 20th century and the Yucatán basically adopts the modern red meaning for the second red stripe.
- Venusian Si
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