The Independent life of Mexico begins in the nineteenth century , Specifically since September 28, 1821, when a Provisional Government Board is set up to organize the process of independence and government of the Central American country.
For 300 years the Spanish empire dominated much of the world colonizing more and more territories. The Americas, from Mexico to Patagonia, paid tribute to the metropolis, providing natural resources without retribution.
However, the peninsular invasion by French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte compromised the stability of the Spanish monarchy.
It was the appropriate moment for the failed attempts to revolt from the American colonies to take a second air, and that was how they declared themselves one after another, with more or less success, and then began a war to consolidate the new status of a free country.
In some colonies there was no complete rupture with the crown. Rather, a declaration of ignorance of the new French regime was made, and the rights of King Ferdinand VII were preserved in order to obtain greater support and less rejection on the part of the church.
Soon the Spaniards manage to expel the invaders and that is when the colonies plead not to return to subjugation, but to start a life as free and independent countries.
The Spanish empire then tries to retake its territories and begins the battles of the war for independence, which lost almost in its entirety, remaining only in possession of the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico, which would negotiate or lose later.
Background to the independent life of Mexico: the Viceroyalty
It begins in 1535, under the mandate of Antonio de Mendoza , First viceroy. Under the name of New Spain, there were 62 viceroys from its establishment until 1810. It was characterized by a social system based on caste.
The vassals of the king were the Spaniards and enjoyed more privileges than the Creoles (Born in the new lands) and the natives. Trade between provinces was only allowed towards the end of the eighteenth century.
Pain scream
After several failed attempts to seize power, on September 16, 1810, the priest Miguel Hidalgo Throws its cry to the insurrection, in the church of Dolores.
The movement was inspired by the discomfort caused by the background role played by the society of the new world. The armed insurrection achieved several victories against the Spaniards, but little by little they were withdrawing towards the pacifico and the South suffering successive defeats.
National heroes such as Hidalgo and Morelos were imprisoned and executed. The rebellion was extinguished, reducing to guerrilla warfare.
Later, in 1820 the Spanish Empire reinstituted the constitution and decrees of Cadiz, which, because of its excessive bureaucracy, complicated procedures and high power to the crown, was rejected by the viceroyalty of New Spain.
It is then in 1821 that the general of the Mexican army, Agustín de Iturbide, that had obtained important victories for the realistic cause, decides to agree with the rebels and to join the independence movement.
General Iturbide enters the capital and is appointed president and forms a government that did not faithfully follow the guidelines of those who had died in the struggle for freedom.
Iturbide proclaimed his pact of Iguala, thus forming the call triangularante army. By means of this pact, it was tried to unite the forces that, on the one hand, represented the independentist insurgents, on the other, the monarchists who wanted a Mexico ruled under the crown of Spain but not under the current regime of the Spanish government.
Other desires were to respect the property and authority of the Catholic Church, freedom and equality for all citizens, abolition of slavery, rewarding members of the army and proclaiming a constitutional regime.
The triangular army, called so to guarantee the catholic religion (white color of the flag), the independence of Spain (green color) and the union of the sides in war (red color), conformed of the rebels and the realistic troops to the Command of Iturbide.
Mexico's independence
Iturbide spread the plan for the new nation, achieving the adhesion of both realists and insurgents. On the other hand, he fought the royalists who refused to accept the independence plan.
Viceroy Apodaca was dismissed and replaced by another illegitimate since it was not named by Spain.
Thus, on August 24, 1821, the treaties of Cordoba are signed, where the Mexican Empire is recognized as independent from Spain. The crown did not know the treaty. Nevertheless, the 27 of September of 1821 the trigarante army enters victorious to the capital.
Empire of Mexico
Only six months lasted the Mexican empire to the control of Iturbide. The economic crisis produced by years of struggle and the increase of the republican groups were determining factors in the defeat of Iturbide at the hands of Antonio López Santa Ana and Vicente Guerrero, proclaimers of the Plan of Casamata.
Subsequent to the destruction of the empire, the United Central American provinces separated from Mexico. Iturbide was exiled and sentenced to death if returned to Mexico. This would happen in 1824.
Texas and US Invasion
From left to right: Antonio López de Santa Anna, Stephen Austin, Samuel Houston, proper names of the Texas Independence
Santa Ana was president of Mexico in eleven occasions, five by the liberal side and six by the conservative. Repelled the attempts of reconquest on the part of Spain, until this one recognized the independence of Mexico after the death of Fernando VII in 1833.
The new state convened several constituent assemblies that drafted the shape of the new government. The power was debated between the centralists and the federalists, the first who supported a central controlling power, and the second that decantaban by a regional autonomy.
The Imposition of centralism Pushed the state of Texas, colonized by slaveowners, to declare its independence from Mexico, supported by the United States.
The war against the US is lost disastrously in 1836, year in which Spain recognizes the independence of Mexico.
The Mexican state is in ruin, its inhabitants are disunited and everywhere there are separatist wars or groups that want control of the nation.
With the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ends the war with the US, giving almost half of its territory to the Americans.
References
- Constitution and Decrees. Recovered from: unav.es.
- War of Independence of Mexico. Retrieved from: donquijote.org.
- Harvey, R. (2000).Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence, 1810-1830. London, John Murray.
- Mexican Independence. Retrieved from: tamu.edu.
- Ontiveros, G. (2005). History of Mexican commerce with the United States during the first 25 years of independent life, 1821-1846, an interpretation. Málaga, University of Málaga.