Mexico: Independence and Revolution

- The Hacienda system became the Spanish colonial system after Spain colonized much of the Americas. It was similar to a caste system. Basically, the Peninsulares and the Creoles had a high standard of living at the expense of everyone else.

- Natives had to follow Spanish law and convert to Catholicism.Peninsular

es

- From Spain, held highest positions.- 1789 population (in all Spanish colonies): 15,000 ; 0.1%.

Creoles - Creole = ethnic Spaniard born in New Spain (Spain’s American colonies). - Well-educated (often in Europe), later held Enlightenment ideas, many became frustrated with being second to the peninsulares.- 1789 population: 3.1 million; 22.8%.

Mestizos and

Mulattos

- Mestizo = part European and part Indian, (i.e. “Mexican” race).- 1789 population: 1 million; 7%.- Mulattos = part European and part African.- 1789 population: 1.1 million; 8%.

Indians - Native Latin Americans. Very disrespected, often worse than slaves due to less economic value.- 1789 population: 7.9 million; 56%.

Slaves - Slavery abolished in most Latin American countries in early 1800s.-1789 population: 900,000; 6.4%.

Napoleon Shakes Up New Spain - In 1808, Napoleon made his brother Joseph the King of Spain, after ousting the previous Spanish king, King Ferdinand VII.

- When Ferdinand was deposed, the Spanish colonists were furious. The creoles wanted reforms, but they still demanded a Spanish king.

- Many colonists, especially the creoles, argued that when Ferdinand VII left, the power shifted to the people.

- In 1810, rebellions broke out all over Latin America. In 1814, King Ferdinand returned to Spain after Napoleon’s defeat. By now, the creoles did not want to give their power back.

Mexicans Callfor

Independence- In 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo, from tiny Dolores, Mexico, is the “Father of Mexico.” He was poor but well-educated and believed in the Enlightenment’s ideals.

- On September 6, 1910, Hidalgo rang the church bells in Dolores. When the people showed up, he cried for independence from Spain (The Cry of Dolores).

- The next day, Hidalgo led what would become 60,000 Indians and Mestizos towards Mexico City.

Hidalgo’s Rebellion Inspires but Fails

- Alarmed by the uprising and wanting to keep their power, the peninsulares and creoles joined together and defeated Hidalgo’s rebellion by 1811.

- The rebellion would continue again until 1815, but it was defeated again.

- Hidalgo’s movement failed, but inspired many Mexicans to want Mexican independence and a better life more than ever.

Mexican Independence

- In 1820, a Spanish revolution made Spain’s government more liberal.

- This scared the creoles because they feared they would lose their power. They teamed up with the Mestizos and Indians, and declared Independence for Mexico in 1821.

- In 1823, the Central American countries declared their own independence, breaking away from Mexico. Spain tried to re-conquer Mexico but failed.

- These wars devastated the land and brought more poverty. The idea of a united Latin America, once a thought, was now dead. There was lots of corruption and division of wealth.

Problems in TexasAntonio Lopez de Santa Anna, a creole, led Mexico as a general and later as a President 4 times. He was very power-hungry.

- In the 1820s, Mexico encouraged Americans (from US) to move to Texas, then property of Mexico, to grow its population. Land was offered for very cheap, slavery was tolerated at first, and thousands came. “Texians” (Americans) came to be the vast majority of people living in Texas. They later were known as Texans.

- Eventually, tensions over slavery (Mexico abolished it but many Texians had slaves), religion (settlers were expected to become Catholic instead of Protestant) erupted.

The Republic of Texas- Finally, the Texans declared independence from Mexico in hopes of becoming a new state in the US. Santa Anna led a Mexican army north to squash the rebellion.

- After some early victories for the Mexicans (notably the Alamo), the Texans won. Santa Anna was captured and released when he promised to recognize Texas.

- Texas was not admitted into the US due to being another potential slave state and because people did not want war with Mexico. Texas became The Republic of Texas, its own country.

War with Mexico

- Texas was finally admitted into the US in 1845, after 9 years of independence.

- The War with Mexico broke out. The US won in 2 years and won easily.

- As a result, the US received the northern third of Mexico for $15 million!

- Santa Anna rose and fell from power, for the last time in 1855.

Juarez and La Reforma

- Benito Juarez, a poor Zapotec Indian from Oaxaca, became a lawyer who represented the poor. He would rise to have lots of power.

- La Reforma was a movement in the late 1840s-early 1850s in Mexico about redistributing land, separating the Church and the state, and increasing education for all.

- Santa Anna put Juarez into exile, but Juarez came back after a rebellion ousted Santa Anna in 1855. Now the La Reforma people with Juarez were in power.

Civil War in Mexico

- Civil war broke out (“The Reform War”) between the La Reforma group (liberals) vs. the conservatives.

- The liberals won in 1861, and Juarez was still president since he took office in 1858.

- Mexico was deeply in debt, and still had huge problems which had gotten worse due to war.

France Rules Mexico

- Being vulnerable, France, ruled by Napoleon III, attacked and conquered Mexico in 18 months. He put the Austrian archduke Maximilian on the throne as the Emperor of Mexico!

- Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) celebrates the victory of the Battle of Puebla, even though the Mexicans lost the war to the French (it is not Mexican Independence Day).

- The Mexicans hated the new regime. In 1867, France decided it was not worth it and withdrew. Maximilian was captured and killed. Many historians feel that Maximilian was in fact a very good ruler who reformed things and genuinely wanted to help the Mexicans.

Enter Porfirio Diaz

- In 1867, Benito Juarez became President again. This time many reforms were passed, like more trade, national education, the building of more railroads and roads, etc. Juarez died a hero in 1872.

- In the mid-1870s, another man, a military general, with Indian roots from Oaxaca came to power (by seizing it)– Porfirio Diaz.

The Porfiriato- Diaz ran Mexico like a dictator until 1911. Elections became meaningless, and corruption ran throughout the country. Opponents were punished. This time period was known as the “Porfiriato.”

- Despite hard-fisted ways, there was order. Railroads were built, the economy stabilized, and more foreign investment came.

- Even though some good things happened, the rich grew far richer, and the poor grew even poorer during this time. People grew poorer, more frustrated, and wanted major changes – this was the major cause of the Mexican Revolution.

- Another problem is that the hacienderos (rich land owners), had steadily bought, forced, and tricked peasants off their land, so many peasants found themselves landless and working like a serf for a land owner.

The Mexican Revolution

- Francisco Madero, educated in the US and France, ran for President in 1910. Diaz arrested him and Madero went into exile in the USA.

- From the US, Madero called for an armed revolution against Diaz.

- The Mexican Revolution resulted, but it formed slowly.

Villa and Zapata- The Mexican Revolution’s fighting was led by two leaders: Francisco “Pancho” Villa in the North, and Emiliano Zapata in the South. Both are heroes in Mexico today.

- Pancho Villa (“Centaur of the North”), a poor cowboy, was famous for taking from the rich and giving it to the poor. He was very charismatic. He led an army of 50,000 people during this time.

- Zapata (“Attila of the South”) was more about giving land to the peasants (“peons”).

- Soldaderas were women soldiers. They also cooked and kept the men company.

An Unstable Mexico

- Diaz stepped down in 1911, and Madero was elected President. Unfortunately, he resigned and was murdered.

- General Victoriano Huerta took the presidency next, but was unpopular with the people. After 15 months he was overthrown.

- Venustiano Carranza took power next. Carranza turned the army on former revolutionary allies Villa and Zapata.

- Zapata was lured into a trap and then was murdered. The civil war ended after this. 1-2 million Mexicans died during this time.

Post-Revolution Mexico

- A new constitution was made in 1917. Alvaro Obregon overthrew Carranza in 1920, and supported these reforms.

- Obregon put over 50 million pesos into schools (up from 5-15 million pesos before), made Spanish the only language used in schools, and encouraged nationalism. Obregon was murdered in 1928.

- Lazaro Cardenas, president from 1934-40, made land reforms and passed labor rights. He nationalized oil.

After Cardenas, the PRI party took power, and Mexico would have conservative leadership that mostly benefitted the rich until 2000. It was stable but did not tolerate opposition.

Mexico Today (in 30 Seconds)

- In 1994, Mexico signed NAFTA, a trade agreement for free trade between the US and Canada. The same year, a revolt broke out in the Chiapas region (southern Mexico).

- In 2000, Vicente Fox became president, a non-PRI candidate.Mexico’s last presidential election was so contested that the top two candidates had inauguration ceremonies (Felipe Calderon beat out opponent Andres Obrador in the end)!

- Today, drug cartels are fighting a bloody war, and tens of thousands have died. Mexico’s economy is mostly dependent on oil, tourism, and immigrants in the US sending money back to Mexico.