JOIN THE YEAR-LONG BICENTENNIAL PARTY
Taking place throughout Mexico and in Puerto Vallarta
El Grito in 2009 reenacted by
Mexico's President Felipe Calderon
The nation-wide party will be marked by numerous world-class events such as the most extravagant fireworks display in the history of the country on September 16, a spectacular tall-ship regatta and the creation of the largest outdoor “virtual” museum in the world.
Watch Mexico’s official 5-minute video about the Bicentenario. If you are doing research for school work see our Additional Readings. Or get a FREE a copy of this article when you register as a visitor in our website (must be 18 years or older).
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
RentalsInVallarta.com offers rental condos, vacation villas and resort hotel accommodations for your stay in Puerto Vallarta
GREAT PLOT
The War for Mexico’s Independence could have been a Hollywood story
The story about Mexico’s fight for independence could be a star-studded Hollywood movie, as it includes secret basement meetings, national treason, family betrayal, a king and his colonies, an emperor, martyrs, near defeat, and, of course, the eventual victory of the white-hats. But what exactly happened on Cinco de Mayo? Where did the main events take place? Where should you travel to visit Mexico during the celebrations?
SETTING THE STAGE
Peninsular War between France and Spain
At the beginning of the 1800’s, French and UK armies were battling for control of Portugal and Spain during the Peninsular War (1807-1814). This war occupied all the attention of the Spanish monarchs distracting their attention from the colonies.
Meanwhile in Mexico, “Criollos”, who were Mexican-born children of Spaniards, began to consider independence from Spain. Criollos were unhappy with the Spanish Crown’s imposition of “unfair” taxes, the privileges granted to old-continent Spaniards and the appointments of recent Spanish immigrants to top positions in Mexico who knew nothing about the country.
The representative of the Spanish Crown in Queretaro was “Corregidor” Miguel Dominguez where the movement for Mexico’s independence began to brew.
DOÑA JOSEFA
Secret planning meetings
Miguel Dominguez’s wife, Doña Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, sympathized with dissidents and organized secret revolutionary conspiracy meetings in the basement of the Corregidor’s own house.
The revolutionary meetings were spearheaded by General Ignacio Allende, resident of what is now known as San Miguel de “Allende”, Guanajuato in his honor.
The revolutionary group was betrayed by a supporter who informed the Spanish authorities about the rebel activities taking place in the Corregidor’s own house. Josefa Ortiz, was locked up by her husband, but managed to send an emissary to alert the conspirators that their plan had been discovered.
EL GRITO OF 1810
The Call for independence
Alerted by Doña Josefa on the night of the 15 of September of 1810, Miguel Hidalgo declared war against the Spanish colonial authorities at his parish in Dolores, Hidalgo and called all Mexican people to arms.
This event is recognized officially as the onset of the War of Independence and is known as the “Grito de Dolores” (Cry for Independence).
The “Grito” is re-enacted every September 16 by the mayor of each city, state governors and the President of Mexico at the cry of “Viva Mexico” in celebration and homage to Miguel Hidalgo’s call to for independence.
Pst, pst… this event is not the same as Cinco de Mayo.
ALHONDIGA IN GUANAJUATO
End of the initial uprising
After many victories, Hidalgo and his followers, took over the Spanish bastion in Guanajuato known as “La Alhondiga de Granaditas” This building was used by the Spanish Crown to store gold and silver mined in Guanajuato and to manage the interests of the Spanish monarchy in the region.
A very tall and strong local indian miner known as “El Pipila” (I imagine him like the “Chief” in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) strapped a heavy stone to his back and set fire to the main door of the Alhondiga, letting the insurgents take over the building in a bloody Spanish massacre.
Hidalgo continued onward to Mexico City and along the way he issued a declaration abolishing slavery in Mexico in 1810, a full 50 years earlier than Abraham’s Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation.
Later in 1811, the Spanish army captured and beheaded the four leaders of the independence movement, Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama and Jose Mariano Jimenez. The four heads were hung outside the Alhondiga, to discourage more uprisings for independence. However it made martyrs of the insurgents, and this has a tendency in history to backfire… Read on.
CADIZ CONSTITUTION
The colonies get a taste of independence
Only a year later, in 1812, Spain signed the “Constitution de Cadiz”, which incorporated very advanced democratic ideas for the time.
The major advances of the “Constitucion de Cadiz” included:
» Giving ALL the people the right to vote (sufragio universal),
» Removed powers from the King in favor of the government (monarquia consitucional vs. monarquia absoluta),
» Instituted a system of checks and balances (separacion de poderes),
» Gave some freedoms of self-government to the colonies (soberania nacional),
» Guaranteed freedom of the press (libertad de prensa), and
» Recognized private land ownership (propiedad privada de las tierras).
The Constitution of Cadiz was quickly repealed by Spain a couple of years later, but the damage was done, the colonies had tasted freedom.
HIDALGO’S STUDENT
Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon
A student of Miguel Hidalgo, and also an ordained priest, Jose Maria Morelos proved to be a great military strategist and decimated the Spanish troops at every battle.
While still fighting, he formed the first national congress and issued his draft of the “declaration of independence” (Sentimientos de la Nacion), recognizing a new independent nation with inalienable rights for its citizens and a governing structure based on checks and balances (poderes legislativo, ejecutivo y judicial).
All of Morelos’ principles became the basis for Mexico’s subsequent Declaration of Independence and first Constitution.
At the request of Texan land owners, and to avoid starting a war with the Tejanos up north, Morelos reinstated slavery in the lone-start state but maintained freedom in the rest of Mexico.
Morelos was captured and executed in 1815.
RESTART OF HOSTILITIES
Guadalupe Victoria
The Mexican Independence movement had slowed down to a crawl by 1917 until General Pedro Moreno, Francisco Javier Mina and Guadalupe Victoria restarted the revolt for independence.
Pedro Moreno was a native of our State of Jalisco and many of his most famous actions took place relatively close to Puerto Vallarta. The city of Lagos de “Moreno”, in the border with Guanajuato, is now named in his honor.
Francisco Javier Mina was a Spaniard who attacked Spanish ships in the Gulf of Mexico from his base in Galveston Island, which was part of Mexico at the time. Mina later joined the fight for Mexico’s Independence with Pedro Moreno.
Guadalupe Victoria’s real name was Jose Miguel Ramon Adaucto Fernandez y Felix. He chose the name “Guadalupe” in homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and “Victoria” which means ‘victory in Spanish. He later became president of Mexico. Several cities are named in his honor including “Vitoria”, Texas and Ciudad “Victoria” Tamaulipas.
PLAN DE IGUALA
End of War for Independence & birth of the Mexican Empire
The War for Independence culminated in 1822 when Agustin de Iturbide, representing the Spanish crown, and Vicente Guerrero, a freemason representing the rebellious factions, signed the Plan de Iguala in what is now the State of “Guerrero”.
The Plan de Iguala outlined the rights of three parties, the independent Mexican government, the Spanish Crown and the Catholic Church under the new republic.
The form of government was chosen as a Monarchy with Agustin de Iturbide as Emperor Agustin I. Vicente Guerrero became the supreme commander of the Mexican Army “of the Three Guarantees” (ejercito tri-grarante) created with the express purpose to uphold the Plan de Iguala.
This Plan de Iguala was later ratified by Spanish Viceroy Juan O’Donoju in Cordoba, Veracruz officially ending the War of Independence.
OFFICIAL BICENTENNIAL VIDEO
About Mexico’s Independence (in Spanish)
ADDITIONAL READING
For more information about events in your area visit Mexico’s Official Bicentennial Website with hundreds of events taking place throughout the year. For more information about Mexico’s Independence visit Wikipedia Mexico’s War of Independence
