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The
fight for Mexican independence begins in the small town of
Dolores in September, 1810. Its founders are Ignacio
Allende (an army officer) and Father
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (a criollo
priest) who have been planning to overthrow the Spanish
government. However, they are forced to act when they discover that the authorities
have heard of their plans.
On the night of the 15th of September, Hidalgo rings the
church bell and gathers his parishioners in front of the
town church. Here he issues the Grito (call) for independence of "Mexicanos,
¡Viva México!" to the assembled congregation.
Mexicans still celebrate this event every 15th of September
before Independence Day.
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1810-11 - The struggle begins
Under the banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Hidalgo's
army of mestizos
and indígenas
go on to capture San Miguel, Guanajuato and many other towns
to the north of the capital.
Spring 1811 - Defeat of Hidalgo
Hidalgo's army eventually moves on the capital, but at the
last moment, he throws away his advantage and retreats. He
and the other ringleaders are soon rounded up and executed.
1811-13 - Morelos continues the
fight
Many of the criollos who originally supported the
movement for independence are by this time concerned about
the amount of blood shed in the struggle. However, the mestizos
and indígenas have less fear and less to lose, and
continue fighting under their new chief, the mestizo
priest José
María Morelos y Pavón, who proves to be a better tactician than Hidalgo. Through a series of guerilla
campaigns he fights back against the gachupines.
By 1813, he controls the whole country excepting the capital
and its route to Veracruz.
13th September, 1813 - The
Congress of Chilpancingo
At Chilpancingo, Morelos declares the abolition of slavery
and the equality of the races. This is drawn up into an
Independence Charter declaring Mexico an independent republic.
1813-15 - The
Royalists fight back
Morelos' luck does not last long, however. After a series
of defeats, he is executed in 1815, and his forces then come
under the leadership of Vicente
Guerrero.
1815-21 - Reforms
in Spain
The introduction of liberal reforms in Spain eventually
brings about Mexican Independence. The criollos
switch sides again, fearing such reforms spreading to Mexico.
In 1820, Agustín
de Iturbide (a royalist mestizo general) joins
Guerrero's forces in the increasing criollo panic.
February, 1821 - Mexican
Independence
The Spanish do not have a lot of choice when Iturbide
proposes independence to them and so they sign the Iguala
Plan on 24th February, making Mexico an
independent country. However, this does not mean it becomes
any freer. Although the authorities are no longer Spanish,
the same power structure exists and there are now other
countries to deal with...
