Mexican Independence

World Studies

February 17

I. Mexico struggled for freedom

• Mexico’s independence movement was led by natives– Grows from the countryside rather than the

cities

• In 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo led peasants to march 200 miles– Gathered more and more people as they went

• Had 60,000 by the time they reached Mexico City• Creole landlords fled and Hidalgo declared an end

to slavery

– Spanish gather their forces against Hidalgo• Some one betrays him and he is executed

September 16, 1810 – Grito de Dolores

• Jose Maria Morelos takes up the cause after Hidalgo’s death– By 1813 controls most of Mexico

– Wanted democracy, taxation, land distribution• Creoles supported independence, but not

social reform• Augustin de Iturbide (Mestizo member of the

Spanish army) executed Morelos in 1815

Morelos and Iturbide

• In 1820 Spain’s government changed; creoles feared losing their privileges– Iturbide united creoles with the peasant

groups for independence• Declared independence in 1821• Iturbide tried to make himself emperor

twice, but was finally killed

Turmoil and Change in Mexico

World Studies

February 17

I. Caudillos dominated governments

• By 1830 there were 16 independent countries in Latin America– There were still social distinctions and

few rights for those at bottom

• Most countries were run by caudillos (military dictators)

II. Mexican-American War

• Texas declared itself a republic– Unhappy with Mexico’s government

• More & more US settlers moved in, so the US backed Texas

• In 1846 the Mexican-American War begins– Ultimately Mexico loses nearly half its

territory

Before Mexican-American War

After Mexican-American War

Remember the Alamo!

III. La Reforma

• Began in 1855 under Benito Juarez.– Revised the constitution, took power

from the Catholic Church & made more land available to Mexicans

– Became president in 1861

– Spends most of his presidency fighting a civil war

– Dies in 1872 w/o accomplishing all of his reforms

Benito Juarez

IV. Porfirio Diaz

• A war hero; he rises to power in 1876 – Wins 7 rigged elections

– Harsh dictator

• Mexico developed substantially during his rule, but he allowed foreigners to build/own most of it

• Poor remained very poor under Diaz– Often took out loans from hacienda

(plantation) owners• Peonage kept them trapped there because

it was impossible to pay back loans

– Few were ever educated, worked long days, had very poor health

V. Mexican Revolution• In 1910 poor people started attacking &

killing rich landowners– Bunches of small groups w local leaders

• Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata

• Revolution focused on changing:– Foreign ownership of businesses– Wealth of Catholic Church– Working conditions in the cities

• Diaz fell, but no one had enough support to take his place

• Civil war continued for nearly a decade

VI. Reform• In 1917 Venustiano Carranza took power

– Wrote up a constitution that addressed all the complaints of the people

• Then he ignored it & was mean– Rebellion continued and he was overthrown in

1920• Alvaro Obregon followed in late 1920

– He actually enacted the constitution– Land was redistributed, schools were

established, etc• Poverty and corruption continue, but

stability had arrived

Carranza and Obregon