Resources of Mexico in 1500 (Pre-Contact)

In 1500, the diverse civilizations of Mesoamerica and Aridoamerica (modern Mexico) utilized a rich resource base:

Agricultural & Food

• Staple Crops: Maize (corn), beans, squash (the "Three Sisters"), amaranth, chia.
• Specialty Crops: Cacao (currency & drink), vanilla, tomatoes, chiles, avocados, sweet potatoes, cassava, agave (pulque, fiber).
• Domesticated Animals: Turkey, dog (xoloitzcuintli), Muscovy duck, stingless bees (honey, wax). No large draft animals.
• Wild Harvest: Nopal (cactus), tunas (prickly pear), mesquite, wild greens, insects (chapulines, escamoles).

Mineral & Geological

• Precious Metals: Gold (placer & vein), silver (major deposits in Zacatecas, Guanajunto—later exploited).
• Base Metals: Copper, tin, lead.
• Ornamental Stones: Jade (Motagua Valley), turquoise, obsidian (tools, mirrors), quartz.
• Construction: Limestone, volcanic stone (tezontle), adobe clay.

Forest & Marine

• Timber: Cedar, mahogany, pine, oak (temperate highlands); rubber, resin (tropical lowlands).
• Coastal/Marine: Fish, shellfish, sea turtles, salt (solar evaporation), mangrove wood.

These resources sustained complex states (Aztec, Tarascan, Mixtec, Zapotec, Maya remnants) and extensive trade networks (pochteca).