Download the Aztec legend of the Mexican Coat of Arms

La historia de la bandera de México
The Coat of Arms
The coat of arms in the center of the flag is inspired by an Aztec legend that predates
today's Mexico by 700 years. Before the founding of Tenochtitlan, the capital city of the
Aztecs (known today as El Distrito Federal), an ancient prophecy told the people how
they would know where to build. The site would be revealed by a sign: an eagle eating
a snake while sitting atop a cactus. That spot, the marshy Lake Texcoco, was drained
and cultivated by the Aztecs and became the thriving civilization upon whose remains the
modern cities of Mexico are now built.
That legend, along with the Mexican's Aztec ancestors, is now pictured in the center of
the national flag. The image of the eagle and the snake comes from their religion, as it
relates to the beliefs of the ancient people, but it also serves as a symbol of triumph and
pride: the proud eagle defeating the evil snake. If you look closely, you'll see the eagle is
on a pedestal which emerges from an unusual blue shape. That shape is the Aztec symbol
for "water". The coat of arms recognizes the swampy terrain from which a rich, thriving
civilization managed to arise.
The Stripes
The stripes of green, white and red, are often thought to be the same as those on the
Italian flag. The Mexican flag has darker shades of green and red, though, and is actually
longer. That means the stripes themselves are also in different proportion, and of course
have their own unique meaning. That meaning, however, has evolved over time.
Green to represent independence from Spain
White for the purity of the Catholic faith
Red for the union between Europe and the Americas.
In the mid 1800s, President Juarez brought modernization to the country, and the colors
were decided to have a more secular meaning:
green for hope,
white for unity,
and red to represent the blood of the country's heroes.
Source: http://www.housecarers.com/mexican_flag.cfm
Adapted by A Fransen