Following Mexican independence, the next major political change for the valley was in the mid-19th century, when the State of Mexico was divided into various new states, and the Mexico City area was designated as the Federal district. This process gave the State of Mexico is current shape. Its political and cultural center was moved to the Toluca Valley, where the city of Toluca was made its capital. Since then, the political, economic and cultural development of the valley has focused on this city.