Jeffery Robertson, age 9, of Staten island, NY., for his question:

How did Mexico get its name?

Mexico borrowed its name from a much older name for Mexico city. Columbus claimed the new world for the king of Spain. The Spanish called it new Spain when they came to explore it and to conquer the American Indians who were already there. The chief city of the warlike Aztec Indians was named for Mexitli who was their fierce god of war. The Spanish rebuilt it and changed its name a little. The old Aztec city became Mexico City. Hater the city gave its name to the country of Mexico. Both names are borrowed from Mexitli, the fierce old Aztec god of war.

The people of Mexico speak Spanish. The full name of their country is Estados Unidos Mexicanos. In English this means the United States of Mexico. To us, America is short for the United States of America. Mexico is short for the United States of Mexico. The Spanish speaking people spell Mexico as we do, but they call their country meh he ko.