Answer: Over the next few years, Mexico’s new government commissioned a number of artists to paint large scenes, or murals, on the walls of many schools, churches, and museums. These murals were meant to present Mexico’s history in a way that could educate a largely illiterate population. (At the time, only about 10 percent of Mexicans could read). The artists used bright colors and a bold figural style to depict scenes from ancient and modern Mexico.