First settled by Basque conquistadors, Guadalajara flourished after the discovery of considerable silver deposits in the region. Mexico's second largest city has been at the forefront of many tumultuous events in its history, being the birthplace of the first revolutionary government of Mexico during the War of Independence, among other things.

The city and its surrounding region have spawned several mainstays of Mexican culture such as the alcoholic drink Tequila and the iconic music genre of Mariachi, and it remains an important cultural and economic hub to this day.