The Mexican RevolutionPart I: Background and Causes

Venustiano Carranza37th President of Mexico 1914-20

Porfirio Diaz29th President of Mexico 1884-1911

Victoriano Huerta35th President of Mexico Feb 1913-July 1914

Francisco Madero33rd President of Mexico 1911-1913

Alvaro Obregon39th President of Mexico 1920-1924

Francisco “Pancho” VillaMost prominent Revolutionary General

Assassinated July 20, 1923

Emiliano ZapataLeader of the peasant revolutionAssassinated on April 10, 1919

Background of Mexico

• Great civilizations: Mayas, Olmecs, Toltecs and the wealthy Aztec empire.

• Conquered in 1521 by Hernando Cortes.• Spain ruled Mexico as a viceroyalty for 300

years.• Sept 16, 1810 the first Mexican revolution• Independence was finally achieved in 1821.

Background Continued…

• From 1821-1877 there were two emperors, several dictators and at least 50 presidents.

• There was a new government on the average of every 9 months!

• Lost territory in war with U.S (1846-48)• French invasion of Mexico in 1861, Benito

Juarez overthrew French government and became president in 1867.

Porfiriato Diaz Regime

• Came to power in 1876 and ruled for 35 years.• Gained support from the military and caudillos

(military/political leaders)• Relied on the guardias rurales (rural police) to

maintain authority.

Causes of the Revolution: Social

• Land reform: fewer than 1,000 families owned half of the country’s best land.

• Land ownership concentrated in the hands of the wealthy Mexican elite.

• 3 million or 96% of the farmers did not own the land on which they lived and worked.

Causes of the Revolution: Social

• There was a huge gap between the rich and poor and little chance for upward mobility (once you were poor, you stayed that way!)– Little to no middle class because of the Hacienda system

(large estates)• Recession in 1907-hit farms especially hard• Famine of 1908-09 caused crops to fail, leading to

food riots.• Shows the instability of society and the growing

dissatisfaction with Diaz.

Causes of the Revolution: Social/Economic

• Unpopular local leaders (jefe politicos) fostered unrest and resentment toward the government.

• Living conditions continued regressed to the point that in 1900, 29% of all male children died within the first year.

• Only ¼ of the population was literate.• Labor protests/strikes began in 1906-08-over

wages, lack of land ownership and the poor economy in general.

Causes of the Revolution: Economic

• Diaz encouraged foreign investment heavily.• 90% of the incorporated value of Mexican

industry was held by foreign investors by 1900.• Between 1908-09 the silver market crashed

causing the demise of the mining industry in Mexico.

• Mexican sugar industry fell apart because of U.S tariffs placed on Mexican sugar (to protect U.S. interests in Cuba)

Causes of the Revolution: Political

• Diaz was interested in supporting the Mexican elite

• Neglected the rural population and poorly distributed the land.

• Poor working class lost many ways of making money

• Censorship of the media to protect the Diaz regime

U.S Involvement

• In the outbreak/development: 80% of all foreign investments came from the U.S. The U.S controlled the Mexican economy.

• Motivations: “Informal Imperialism” U.S corporations were alarmed with the Diaz regime

• Methods of Intervention: U.S military interventions would safeguard interests.

• U.S Ambassador to Mexico helped plot a coup to overthrow Madero and installed Victoriano Huerta.– Known as la decena tragica

U.S Involvement

• President Woodrow Wilson issued a series of directives, including the Tampico Affair.– U.S. sailors were arrested and Wilson demanded their

return to U.S soil• Pancho Villa raided Columbus NM and other

boarder attacks-Wilson sent in General John J. Pershing to capture Villa, but only managed to destabilize his forces after 11 months.

• WWI: from 1914-1918 and U.S troops were withdrawn from Mexico in 1917

Conclusions

• Dictatorship-like rule of Porfirio Diaz for over 30 years.

• Exploitation and poor treatment of workers• Great disparity between rich and poor-

including the ownership of land.

• Mexican Revolution officially began on November 20, 1910 as Diaz is overthrown.