Incorporated indigenous people into a European-dominated political and economic system. Incorporated indigenous people into a European-dominated political and economic system

Incorporated indigenous people into a European-dominated political and economic system.

• Incorporated indigenous people into a European-dominated political and economic system.

• Exploitation of indigenous people

• Mestizaje

• Spanish political institutions (centralization) and Catholicism shaped colonial history and political/cultural practices that came with independence.

• Experience of La Reconquista shaped Spain’s behavior in New World

Function of poor colonial administration; the Enlightenment; and the Napoleonic Wars

• Function of poor colonial administration; the Enlightenment; and the Napoleonic Wars

• Simon Bolivar, Jose de San Martin, and Padre Hidalgo were leaders of independence

• Compared to Canada, the United States, and India, the former Spanish empire did not create governmental systems that promoted individual liberty and rights.

• Why?

No constitutional tradition

• No constitutional tradition

• Opposition by the Church

• Foreign interference

• Caudillo rule

Popular discontent started revolution in 1810—conservative completed it in 1821.

• Popular discontent started revolution in 1810—conservative completed it in 1821.

• Aristocratic Republic created at end of revolution

• Overthrown by Caudillos—Santa Anna as virtual dictator from 1833 to 1855

• La Reforma led by Benito Juarez failed due to internal opposition and foreign intervention

• Porfirio Diaz (1877-1880; 1884-1911) pursued development but impoverished his people.

• “Poor Mexico, so far from God; so close to the United States.”

• Revolution of 1910 resulted in an extremely liberal constitution (1917) which was ignored in practice.

Much opposition to Porfirio Diaz

• Much opposition to Porfirio Diaz

• Liberals led by Francisco I. Madero wanted to topple Diaz to prevent more radical elements from seizing power.

• Madero compelled Diaz to resign following 1910 election.

• More radical reformers, such as Emilio Zapata, wanted true land reform. Z. abandoned Madero when reforms were not forthcoming.

• Z. crafted Plan de Ayala and mobilized his Ejercito Libertador del Sur.

• Madero was murdered by General Huerta, who seized power as Mexico’s president.

• Henry Lane Wilson, the U. S. ambassador, conspired in the murder fearing the Madero was too radical.

Woodrow Wilson attempted to oust Huerta in favor of Venustiano Carranza.

• Woodrow Wilson attempted to oust Huerta in favor of Venustiano Carranza.

• Zapata attempted to get Carranza to support the Plan de Ayala.

• Carranza placed a bounty on Zapata’s head and Z. was assassinated by General Guajardo in 1919.

• Z. continues to be a symbol for reformers, especially those championing the rights of indigenous people.

• Pancho Villa slew gringos to invite U. S. invasion to discredit Carranza.

• Mexico continued to have political instability until the 1930s.