What does Mexico's Coat of Arms mean?

Answer 1

The Mexican Coat of Arms, which also appears on the Mexican national flag, illustrates the fulfillment of a prophesy describing where the Aztec people would found their first city. It shows a golden eagle perched on a cactus while devouring a rattlesnake.

Before 1325 AD, the Aztec (or Mexica people, as they called themselves) were a nomadic tribe who wandered throughout the land, looking for a place to settle and build their capital. Their state religion awaited the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy: that the wandering tribe would find the destined site for a great city whose location would be signaled by an eagle eating a snake while perched atop a cactus.

The Aztecs saw this vision on what was then a small swampy island in the middle of lake Texcoco, after which they founded their capital city, on March 13, 1325. Not deterred by the unfavourable terrain, they set about building their city, using the chinampa system (misnamed as "floating gardens") for agriculture and to dry and expand the island. That city was Mexico-Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City (19° 25' 57.85'' N, 99° 07' 59.71'' W).

Answer 2

The green stripe symbolized independence, white was for the Roman Catholic religion and the red is for the union of Americans and Europeans. The coat of arms is based on legend. The Aztec's supreme deity told the people to settle in a place where an eagle settled on a prickly pear cactus eating a snake. They did find such a spot. The city they build was destroyed by the Spanish but Mexico City was built on the ruins.

Answer 3

The coat of arms and the Mexican flag have an eagle sitting on a cactus eating a snake. It is about the legend of Mexico City.