Historical Perspective Mexico -rich, captivating, tumultuous, gracious, exciting!!!
Turn of the century revolution and some of the events leading to the upheaval.
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I have been a lifetime student of the Mexican culture, albeit a relaxed/part-time study. The study started at age 8 when on my first trip south of the border, my father made a lasting impression on me about appreciating Mexico for what it is, and not being an "ugly American". What follows is offered with the utmost respect for the people, tradition and history of this most interesting country.
Information provided is believed to be garnered from reliable sources. However, source info can vary widely, in that opinions and interpretations of historical events vary widely. So please don't take this too terribly literally. It is meant to be a "lite" read, an overview. Enjoy.
Please email me with your Suggestions| 1810 | 1850 | 1880 | 1910 | 1915 | 1920 | 1925 | 1930 | 1935 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 |
1810 September 16, Father Miguel Hildalgo a parochial priest urges his parish near Mexico City to throw off Spanish colonial rule and declares by grito de Delores the proclamation of independance from Spain. The resulting war lasted nearly 11 years.
1821 February 24 the Plan de Iguala marks the end of 300 years of Spanish domination and war. Unlike the U.S. Constitution, the plan was conciliatory toward the former mother country and embraced the Catholic church in order to win conservative and powerful favor.
1835 American population in Texas is 30,000, Mexican poopulation is 7,800. 3,336
1836 Sam Houston routs Santa Anna near San Jacinto River. Texas remains independant as The Loan Star Republic until 1845. 3,336
1845 President John Tyler introduces legislation to annex Texas into the union, this and the border dispute involving the area between the Nueces and Rio Grande Rivers precipitates war. 3,342
1846 Generals Stephen Kearney, Alexander Doniphan, Zachery Taylor and Winfield Scott, and Commodore John Sloat invade Mexico through Chihuahua, Monterrey, Tampico,Verecruz, Puebla and ultimately Mexico City. 3,350
1848 February 2 a treaty was signed ending the Mexican-American War in the town of Guadalupe Hildalgo. This ceded Texas, (the areas now known as) New Mexico, Arizona, part of Colorado and part of California to the U.S. in return for $18,250,000. Mexico lost about one half it's land mass and also it's respect for the U.S.. There would be left in the wake of the treaty a legacy of hostility and distrust to last many generations. 3,351
top ^1853 Through the Gadson Purchase President Santa Anna sold southern Arizona and New Mexico to the United States for $10,000,000. The U.S. purchased the 30,000 acres to run a rail line through the area. Although the Mexican Treasury was in dire need, the sale caused tremendous political difficulty for Santa Anna. 3,353
1857 Benito Ju'arez (1806-72). The presidential terms of Mexico's most noteworthy polititian of the 19th century were disrupted by civil war and foreign interventions.(3,386)
Ju'arez plays a key role in formulating the Constitution of 1857 (modeled after the Constitution of 1824).
1858 The War of the Reform engulfed Mexico from 1858 to 1861. He also drafted the "radical" Reform Laws 18??. 2,317
1861 In the spring of 1861 the Mexican monthly treasury deficit amounted to $400,000. Ju'arez declares a two year moratorium on foreign debt payments to the consternation of England, Spain and France. The three countries agreed to make accomidations. The ambitious Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (nephew of famous uncle Napoleon I) striving to gain notoriety and favor with "the church", (France had a strong Catholic element then) spearheads a tri-country invasion of Mexico. While the other two countries seemed poised for a low key collateral protection plan, France had come with designs of conquest. 3,389
1862 May 5,(Cinco de Mayo) victory over a larger French force at Puebla. Acting on poor intelligence, French General Charles Latrille attacked recklessly and was soundly defeated by General Ignacio Zaragoza and under him a young brigade commander named Porfirio Di'az. Despite the defeat, France prevails and rules Mexico until 1867.
1867 Ju'arez refuses to stop the fight and with the aid of noteworthy Generals Terrazas, Di'az, Escobedo, among others, and the U.S. government, the French are ousted May 15, 1867. Emporer Maximilian executed by firing squad in Quer'etaro.
top ^1894 At the age of sixteen, Doroteo Arango (a.k.a. Francisco "Pancho" Villa) shoots Don Augustin Lopez Negrete (apparently over the shooting of Pancho's father). Augustin' Arango (Pancho's father) is the illegitimate son of Don Jesus Villa and so takes his mothers name Arango. Arango's son has to protect his identity after the felony and changes his name to Fransisco "Pancho" Villa. 1,3
1900 Founding of Regeneration, revolutionary journal of Ricardo Flores Mag`on. First published in Mexico City, later in San Antonio, Texas, St. Louis, Mo., Los Angeles, Calif.. 2,430
1906 Strike at Consolidated Copper Company, Cananea, Sonora; 23 dead; first series of pre-Revolution labor disturbances
Publication of program of Liberal party by Mexican exiles in St. Louis, Mo.; forerunner of all the "plans" of the Mexican Revolution.
First attempt of Flores Magon to Launch rebellion in Sonora and Chihuahua.(Sept.) 2,430
1907 Strike in the mills at Rio Blanco, Verecruz; 200 killed. 2,430
1908 Publication in Pearson's Magazine of James Creelman's interview with Porfirio D`iaz in which latter says he would welcome formation of opposition party.
Second attempt of Magonistas to launch a revolution; Liberal party members arrested throughout Mexico.
Francisco I. Madero finishes writing "The Presidential Succession in 1910", but does not distribute until the following year. 2,430
1909 Publication of The Great National Problems by Andr`es Molina Enr`iquez, a thorough study of land questions. 2,430
top ^1910 Madero nominated for presidency by Anti-Reelectionist party.
Halley's comet interpreted as evil omen.
Madero arrested, imprisoned; 5000 of his supporters arrested.
Mexican Congress declares Porfirio D1iaz elected for eighth term.
Madero flees to Texas, publishes "Plan of San Luis Potosi" calling for revolution; first attempt at revolution fails. 2,430
Pancho Villa meets Don Abraham Gonz'alez who recruits him into the Revolution.
On 10/4/10 he is installed with revolutionaries in the city of Chihuahua. 1,21
1911 2/7/11 Pancho Villa conquers the city of Camarga with few casualties. 1,32
5/8/11 Villa, Orozco, and Jose Orozco attack and control Juarez against the wishes of General Viljoen (a Boer general) and unbeknownst to President Madero.1,46
Victory of Madero's forces at Ju`arez forces D'iaz resignation who goes into exile. Francisco Le`on de la Barra provisional president.
Madero assumes presidency after winning 99% of vote in free election.
Emiliano Zapata breaks with Madero. Publishes "Plan of Ayala". 2,430
1912 Pascual Orozco rebels against Madero, is defeated by Victoriano Huerta.
Abortive rebellion of Felix D`iaz against Madero government. 2,430
1913 Decena Tr'agica, a reign of terror in Mexico City, ends in Huerta's takeover of presidency, murder of Madero and Vice President Jos`e Mar`ia Pino Su`arez.
Venustiano Carranza assumes leadership of resistance to Huerta, draws up "plan of Guadalupe" as charter for Constitutionalist movement. After military reverses in Coahuila Carranza goes to Sonora to lead revolutionary movement there, already progressing under military direction of Alvaro Obreg`on.
Francisco Villa has a series of great victories at Torre`on, Ju`arez, Tierra Blanca and Ojinaga. 2,430
1914 United States lifts arms embargo, thus aiding rebels.
Carranza leaves Sonora for Chihuahua; beginning of rift with Villa.
Villa retakes Torre`on.
U.S. troops landed a Veracruz; 19 Americans and 300 Mexicans killed; Shipload of German munitions for Huerta escapes interception; ABC conference (Argentina, Brazil, Chile) attempt to solve Mexican-U.S. crisis.
Villa's victory at Zacatecas and Obreg`on's at Guadalajara seal fate of Huerta's army.
Huerta resigns; Francisco Carvajal becomes interim president. Torre`on conference tries to heal Villa-Carranza split.
Obreg`on takes control of Mexico City.
Carranza assumes title of First Chief in charge of the executive power, summons a junta of generals and governors to plan future.
Military Convention of Aguascalientes elects Eulalio Guti`errez provisional president, calls for Carranza's resignation; Villa becomes military arm of the Convention.
Carranza flees Mexico City, makes Verrecruz-just evacuated by U.S. troops-his capital; Obreg`on commands Carranza's forces.
Villa and Zapata control Mexico City. 2,430
top ^1915 Carranza acknowledges need for land reform, issues moderate agrarian decree.
Eulalio Guti`errez unable to control Villa, flees Mexico City.
Obreg`on takes Puebla, then Mexico City, then defeats Villa in battles of Celaya; Villa suffers further defeats at Le`on, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Agua Prieta, Hermosillo, and by end of year is no longer a major military force.
Convention government is dissolved.
Carranza, claiming control of seven-eights of Mexico, is recognized on de facto basis by U.S. 2,430
February 3, Carranza hints at writing an enttirely new constitution which was ironic because from the beginning he describe his revolutionary movement as Constitutionalists dedecated to restoring Mexico's Constitution of 1857. 2,317
1916 Villa, with Santa Isabel massacre and raid on Columbus, N.M., provokes crisis; U.S. sends Punitive Expedition into Mexico.
Carranza calls constituent congress in Quer`etaro. 2,430
German and the Kaiser were openly friendly with Mexico. They had unsuccessfully sought to buy or lease Magdalena Bay in the west coast of the Baja peninsula, a natural naval base. Carranza elected to remain neutral after an embarassing wire was intercepted by British intelligence which exposed the degree of German and Mexican interest in an alliance. 2,325
1917 Quer`etaro congress finishes new constitution with radical provisions for land reform, labor welfare, education, control of Catholic Church and state ownership of resources.
German foreign minister's efforts to enlist Mexico on side of Germany cause international scandal. Carranza decides to remain neutral.
May 1,Carranza elected president of Mexico. 2,430
February 5, Carranza orders the promulgation of the new constitution. THsi date is significant in that it was the anniversery of the Constitution of 1857 and also the same day the last troops of the U.S. Punitive force where withdrawn.
1919 Zapata lured into ambush and killed; his killer rewarded by Carranza. Carranza chooses Ambassador Ignacio Bonillas as his successor.
Obreg`on announces his candidacy, has difficulty campaigning. 2,430
top ^1920 Obreg`on flees into Guerrero and calls for rebellion. Calles issues Plan of Agua Prieta disavowing presidency of Carranza. (April 23.)
Carranza, deserted by most of his followers, flees Mexico City hoping to reestablish his capital in Verecruz. He is ambushed and killed at Tlaxcalantongo. (May 21.)
Under interim presidency of Adolfo de la Huerta there is period of reconciliation among revolutionary factions: Villa accepts amnesty, retires to Canutillo.
Obreg`on elected President. 2,430
1922 Secretary of Treasury De la Huerta goes to New York, negotiated Lamont agreement regarding Mexican debts. 2,430
1923 Obreg`on recognized by U.S. after completion of Bucareli pact dealingwith debts, land expropriation and oil.
Villa assassinated at Parral.
De la Huerta, supported by conservative and much of the army, rebels against government, shortly afterward goes into exile. 2,430
1924 Calles becomes President, inaugurates ambitious program of land distribution, public works and fiscal reform. 2,430 To keep the agrarians happy Calles began expropriating and distributing land at a record pace. By the end of his administration he distributed 7.63mm acres, compared with Obregon's 2.4mm and Carranza's 326m. 3,387
top ^1925 Calles supports schismatic Mexican Catholic Apostolic church. 2,430
1926 Calles issues anti-Catholic decrees; Catholics in retaliation suspend church services throughout Mexico. 2,430
1927 Catholics launch guerrilla war.
Obreg`on decides to run for presidency again; his supporters amend constitution to permit reelection, also extending presidential term from four to six years.
Presidential aspirants Francisco Serrano and Arnulfo G`omez and their followers are executed.
Four men accused of bomb attempt on Obreg`on's life are executed without trial. among them Miguel Pro, a Jesuit priest active in the Catholic underground.
Dwight Morrow, new U.S. ambassador, exercises strong influence on Calles. 2,430
1928 Obreg`on, only candidate and winner in presidential election, is assassinated a La Bombilla Restaurant by Jose` de Le`on Toral, a Catholic zealot.
Emilio Portes Gil Named provisional president; Calles, out of office, retains great influence as Jefe Maximo.
Formation of Partido Nacional Revolucionario (PNR). 2,430 In 1938 PNR renamed PRM (Partido de la Revoluci`on Mexicana and in 1946 once again renamed PRI Partido Revolucionario Institucional. The PRI domination of Mexican politics has never been relinquished (as of this reference 1968). 2,408
1929 Calles, increasingly conservative, declares both agrarianism and the Revolution failures.
Pascual Ortiz Rubio elected to complete Obreg`on's presidential term; opposed by Jose` Vasconcelos. 2,430
June 30, limited Catholic church services were resumed after previously being strickly prohibited.
top ^1930 Attempt on life of Ortiz Rubio on his inauguration day.
More than 100 bodies of followers of Vasconcelos, all victims of strangulation, found in shallow graves at Topilejo. 2,430
October, Governor of Michoac`an, C`ardenas chosen national chairman of PNR. 2,409
1932 Ortiz Rubio, discouraged by interference of Calles in his administration, resigns and leaves Mexico. Abelardo Rodr`iguez, and businessman-general, is appointed to complete term. 2,430
1933 Calles supported C`ardenas given the nomination of the PNR for President at the party convention in Quer`etaro, December. C`ardenas promises to seek counsel of the leaders of the party (meaning Calles continued control) and also promised to uphold the Six Year Plan, a program of government drafted by the PNR convention. 2,412
1934 PNR adopts Six Year Plan as a program of government.
L`azaro C`ardenas, young but experienced revolutionary general from Michoac`an, is nominated by PNR, campaigns vigorously and wins presidency. 2,430 He was "pro"; ejidos, agragain reform, peasants, Socialism, students and modernization of school systems. He was "anti"; church, Capitalism, hacienda systems, and the traditional trappings of high office in Mexico.
top ^1936 Calles expelled from Mexico for interference with C`ardenas administration. 2,430
1938 PNR becomes PRM (Partido de la Revoluci`on Mexicana).
C`ardenas expropriates foreign-owned oil companies.
Saturnino Cedillo, last of the caudillos, rebels against government, is killed in skirmish with federal troops. 2,430
1940 Election of Manual Avila Camacho; C`ardenas sets precedent by retiring completely from exercise of authority and power. 2,430
1946 PRM becomes PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional).
Election of Miguel Alem`an. 2,430
top ^1952 Election of Adolfo Ruiz Cortines. 2,430
1958 Election of Adolfo L`opez Mateos. 2,430
1964 Election of Gustavo D`iaz Ordaz. 2,430
1. Memoirs of Pancho Villa, Martin Luis Guzman translated by Virginia H. Taylor.
2. Heroic Mexico, The violent emergence of a modern nation. by William Weber Johnson.
3. The Course of Mexican History, Michael Meyer and William Sherman.