Mexico

Impact of the Past

• Olmec

• Mayas

• Aztecs (Mexica)– Northern Mexico pushed into valley– Eagle and snake in the beak– 1376 1st King crowned– King had absolute power – Subordinate people did not like Aztecs

Impact of the Past

• New Spain– Ferdinand and Isabella – Columbus’s voyage

• Native called Indians – “gold, GOD, and Glory” – Conquistadors

• Believe lives of Natives were NOTHING• vs. Aztecs

– Natives• 20 million to 1 million by 1600• Death by disease swords, and guns• Never seen anything like it before• Betrayed own people (connection…like authoritarian gov’t

surveillance and terror)

Impact of the Past: Spain

• Spanish– Based in Cuba and explored Mexican coastline– Great wealth– Cortes

• With 500 Spaniards and thousands of Indians• Moctezuma (Montezuma)

– Welcomed Spaniards to Tenochtitlan – Arrested

• Returns in 1521 captured and killed last emperor, Cuauhtemoc (connection….name that appears in politics today)

– Celebrate Aztec heroes today – Pre-Columbian traditions remain

Impact of the Past: Spain

• Spain takes over Southern Mexico– Mexico was built upon the remains of

Tenochtitlan– Sliver Mines– Began movement to central Mexico (1600)

• Expanded past the present Boarder• Led to war later with United States

Impact of the Past: Spain

• Encomiendas– Spanish Soldiers/Settles

• Land grants• People who worked on it• Feudal Manner

– Lord and master: work for him in return received protection

– Christianized the people– Created social stratification – Peninsulares, crillos, mestizos

• Indians worked land/stayed in mountains

Impact of the Past: Spain/French

• 1707 French Bourbon becomes king in Spain– Spanish Bourbons

• Improved administration • Divided “New Spain” into intendencias supervised

by an intendente • Economic liberalization boosted Mexico’s Economy • Helped wake up Mexico

Impact of the Past: Mexican Independence

• Affects of Enlightenment and US and French Revolutions– Napoleon’s occupation – 1812 Constitution

• Spread French Liberalism and atheism?• Mexico’s direction was conservative not liberal• Impulse of revolution

Impact of the Past:Mexican Independence

• Miguel Hidalgo– Parish priest– September 16, 1810: Declared Mexican

Independence• Led to nothing….

– Demanded equality for All Mexicans– Redistribution of land– Fought against for French Liberalism and

atheism

Impact of pastMexican Independence

• Hidalgo– Out of Control

• Massacred Spaniards and Creoles

– Captured and executed

• Jose Maria Morelos– 1814-1815 led a uprising in Southern Mexico– Captured and shot

• Both were considered revolutionary heroes – Founded nationalism – Mexico’s states named after them

Impact of the Past:Monarchy and Republic

• 18th century: Conservative Monarchy– Mexican Elite/Politics

• Conservative Centralizers and Liberal federalists• Split never healed

• 19th century: Rule by Caudillos• Republic

– Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna • On off president/general/dictator• Played both sides • Biggest problem: Texas• 1821: gave American Settlers land in Mexico (backfired) • Mexico outlawed slavery in 1828

Impact of the pastMonarchy and Republic

• 1833:– Americans in Texas demand state rights– Santa Anna rejects the idea– Texas declares Independence in 1836 (Republic of

Texas)– Alamo– Santa Anna captured by Texans– Texas is annexed by United States in 1845– War with Mexico 1846-1848

• US occupies Mexico City• US pays Mexico $15million dollars • US takes over the southwest• Mexico was humiliated

Impact of the Past:Monarchy and Republic

• Occupation by France– 1861-1867– Napoleon III

• Mexico would be the base for French led-”Latin American”• Mexico’s debt = French installation of Austrian Habsburg Maximilian

(new puppet emperor)• Collapsed b/c it cost to much• French leave and Maximilian was shot

• Failure b/c tried to make it Europe– Latin American:

• chaotic and rebellious• Few obey and plans seldom worked• Only thing left from French: mariachi (hiring a musicians for a

mariage)

Impact of the Past:Monarchy and Republic

• Benito Juarez (1806-1872)– Background:

• Born to Indian parents who died• Educated in Law• Experience in State and National Politics

– Political Platform (President in 1858)• Redistribution of the land• Institute a market economy• Federalism• Separation of church and state• Was not in power long he set new standards of modesty and

honesty

Impact of the Past;Monarchy and Republic

• Porfirio Diaz:– Background

• Born in Oaxaca (who-haw-ka)• Studied law, fought the French

– Political Platform (followed Juarez as president)• Military dictator • Turned on Juarez platform• “elected” 17 times (1877-1910)• Centralized control over all branches of government• Los cientificos pushed economic growth/debt• 1910: 95% of rural Mexican families were landless and

looking to a new leader: Zapata– Pan y Palo (bread and bludgeon)

• Prominent in Mexico’s government philosophy ever since

Impact of the Past:The Mexican Revolution

• Mexico is few genuine revolutions in Latin America – Had more than one side – Russia and Chinese Revolution (two groups)– Revolution of 1910

• Build up of problems

Impact of the Past:The Mexican Revolution

• Erupted over discontent: unfairness and cruelty of the Diaz regime

• Anarchist and socialist ideas• Many Fled to the United States• Labor unrest crushed by military• Mexican group Regeneration called for

– One term president– Civil rights– Public education– Land reform– Improved pay – Better working conditions – Ending Power of the Catholic Church

Impact of the Past;The Mexican Revolution

• November 20, 1910 start of the revolution

• Francisco Madero– Presidential candidate– Urged Mexicans to revolt over reelection of

Diaz – Supported revolution with own money– Diaz resigned and fled to Paris– Madero was proclaimed as New President

Impact of the PastThe Mexican Revolution

• General Victoriano Huerta– Arrest Madero and had him shot– Assumed the presidency

• Led to full fledged revolution

– President Wilson • Sends Navy to Veracruz in 1914• General Pershing and Pancho Villa 1916• “went down to Mexico to serve Mankind”• These actions solidifies Mexican opposition to US

intervention

– Huerta falls in 1914 = 4 armies fight for control of Mexico

Impact of the Past The Mexican Revolution

• Zapata (south) Villa (north)

• Carranza and Obregon fight to est. order

• four collaborated/fought with each other

• 1919: Zapata is assassinated

• 1920: Carranza is assassinated

• 1923: Villa is assassinated

• 1928: Obregon is assassinated

Impact of the PastRevolution Institutionalized

• 1917 constitution– “the Perfect Dictatorship”– Obregon president 1920

• Implements rural education • Land reform

– Grants of ejidos to poor villagers – 1924 arranged election of Plutarco Elias Calles

– Cristero Rebellion(1927-1929)• Assassinated Obregon

– Calles implemented anticlericalism• Banned foreign priests and clerical garb• “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” (long love Christ the King)• Catholics rebelled/government troops crushed them• Will not be healed till 2000

Impact of the Past The Revolution Institutionalized

• Calles – Helps est. 6 year presidential term

(nonrenewable)– Organizes the Revolutionary Party (PRN)

• Coalition of state bosses, generals, union chiefs, and peasant leaders

• 1946-renamed Institutional Revolutionary party• Brought stability • Led Mexican Politics through the 20th century

– “Soft-Authoritarianism” was not bad

Impact of the Past The Revolution Institutionalized

• Lazaro Cardenas – Implemented 1917 promises– Had Calles exiled to California– Background

• Mestizo decent• Little formal education• General became a general • One of founders of PRN and 1st president

Impact of the Past The Revolution Institutionalized

• Cardenas– Nationalized US owned Oil Companies

• Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex)

– Land redistribution – National Revolutionary Party

• Organize peasants and workers

– Left office in 1940 • Keep a very watchful eye on the government

– Remains a legend (son Cuauhtemoc Cardenas now head of the leftist Party of Democratic Revolution)

Impact of the Past The Revolution Institutionalized

• Cardenas– Corporatism was riding high– Organized the PMR

• Peasant, labor, military, and “popular” sector• Small/Big businesses

– Clientelism– Seemed to solve the problems– Overtime became rigid and unstable