One of the most influential political leaders in Mexico was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, clever politician who was president of Mexico four times. In the battle with english-speaking colonists over Mexico, Santa Anna led Mexican forces in order to hold on to their territory. His military skills had already served him to win at the Alamo a few years earlier, but his luck had changed this time: he was captured and his troops defeated. Then in 1845, the United Sttes annexed Texas which led to a conflict between the two countries, which was resolved by signing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which gave the United States the northern part of Mexico including present-day California.
A few years later in the early 1900s, Mexicans started protesting agains Porfirio Diaz's harsh treatments as a dictator. They had liberal ideas and were hungry for liberty. One of the people who started the revolution in attempts to make reforms was Francisco Madero, which was later arrested by Diaz. In the same way as Madero, other leaders rose in other parts of Mexico, such as Pancho Villa in the north and Emiliano Zapata in the south. They both came from poor families and had goals of having land returned to poor peasant farmers. Madero became president in 1911, but unable to take the lead, he resigned in 1913. After, Victoriano Huerta took charge and was overthrown by V. Carranza, who was allied with Villa and Zapata. However, after Carranza took charge, he turned his back on Villa and Zapata, and murdered Zapata on 1919, bringing the Mexican Civil War to an end.
Political, economic, and social inequalities triggered a period of revolution and reform in Mexico. One imporant political reformer was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, he played a leading role in Mexico's fight for independence from Spain in 1821. Santa Anna's fight for independence was very unstable, he would regain power on and off and was sent to exile a couple times too. In 1855, he remained in exile for 20 years, when he returned to mexico in 1874, he was poor, blind, powerless, and forgotten. as Santa Anna's power rose and fell, a liberal reformer, Benito Juarez, stronlgy influenced the politics of Mexico.
Juarez was quite different from Santa Anna, he was a poor orphan while Santa Anna came from a well-off family, while Santa Anna put his own personal power first, Juarez worked primarily to serve his country. throughout the late 1840s and early 1850s, Juarez worked to start a liberal reform movement called La Reforma. its major goals were redistribution of land, separation of church and state, and increased educational oppotunities for the poor. In 1853, however, Santa Anna sent Juarez and other leaders of La Reforma into exile. just two years after Santa Anna's government was down Juarez and the others returned to Mexico to finish what they started. the result from his war was a positive one, even though Juarez died on a heart attack in 1872, he left his country a legacy of relative peace, progress, and reform.
By: Michelle Pelletier
In Mexico’s history we can find many important influential people such as Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, one of the most influential caudillos. We have Benito Juarez, who strongly influenced the politics of Mexico and developed La Reforma, were its major goal was the redistribution of land, separation of church and state, and increased educational opportunities for poor people. Then we have Porfilio Diaz, who became a noted general in the civil war and the fight against the French. We also have influential characters that took place in revolutions, also known as revolutionaries such as Francisco Madero, believed in democracy, Pancho Villa, took money from rich to give it to poor’s, and Emiliano Zapata, who raised a powerful revolutionary army. After many revolutions and fights against French, Carranza came to power and created a New Mexican Constitution.
Political instability and the legacy of Spanish colonialism caused problems for South American nations and Mexico. Mexico also had problems because of its shared border with the United States. When Mexicans refused to grant Anglos, English-speaking colonists, grater self-government they revolted in 1835. Santa Anna led the Mexican army but was captured and Texas became independent to later annex to the United States. After Santa Anna lost more land to the United States he was sent into exile and eventually died poor and powerless. Benito Juarez, a liberal reformer, started La Reforma which major goals were redistribution of land, separation of church and state, and increased educational opportunities for the poor. After a civil war that lasted three years Juarez became president in 1861. In 1862, French troops invaded Mexico but after many years of costly fight the French decided to withdraw and Juarez became president again.
In the mid-1870s, a new caudillo called Porfirio Diaz rose to power through army and became a noted general. Diaz opposed Juarez. During Diaz’s rule voting was meaningless and he offered land, power or political favor to any supporter. Under Diaz’s rule the railroads expanded, banks were built, the currency stabilized, and foreign investment grew. In the early 1900s, people began to protest Diaz’s rule. The Mexican Revolution began slowly by many leaders n different parts of Mexico. Some were “Pancho” Villa and Emiliano Zapata. After the revolution ended multiple Mexican leaders struggles for power. In 1917 Carranza reformed the Mexican constitution, promoting education, land reforms and labor reforms.
One of the greatest political Mexican was Santa Anna that led Mexico to fight for independence from Spain in 1821; he fought until the end to reject the regain control of the country. He was a wise and clever politician in which he gave up the presidency twice in order to server Mexican army in an effort to retain the territory of Texas. But at the end he didn’t complete the mission, his luck changed at the Battle of San Jacinto, his troops were defeated and he was captured.
After the lost of Texas, Mexico had a great impact of civil revolution in which leaders began to struggle for power, but Carranza adopted a new Constitution in which finally most of the battle stopped and concentrated more on their affairs, thanks to this Constitution Mexico started to unite the various regions and people of the country. Also in the publics school they taught a common language (Spanish) and stressed nationalism.
By: Diango Liu
Mexico had many problems to deal with, such as political instabiliy, the legacy of Spanish colonialism, and a shared border with the United States. One of the most important person that led the Mexican War for independence was the clever politician and caudillo Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, or just Santa Anna to be short. After Mexico won its independence he became the president of Mexico, up to four times in total. However after Santa Anna's defeat during the Texas Revolt which gave independence to Texas, he began to lose power. Santa Anna fought against the United States due to Texas, but once again he was defeated and in 1848 they signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave the United States the territory of California and American Southwest. After Santa Anna's defeat, he was no longer as powerful and was sent to exile.
Other important Mexican figures that brought change was Benito Juarez,who started the movement "La Reforma" in an attempt to solve Mexico's problems. After a series of events, Juarez became president of Mexico in 1861 since then initiated certain reforms. After his death in 1872, he left Mexico in a much better state than before. However after Juarez died, many other caudillos and powerful people rose to struggle for power in Mexico, causing revolutions and civil war. Eventually, a new Mexican Constitution revised by Venustiano Carranza was adopted.
Santa Anna Helped the mexicans gain thier freedom in 1821, he fought until he was sure nobody was going to mess with thier country unforunately , today people are still Fooling around with the mexicans. He was president of Mexico , twice and both times he quited to serve the army so they could fight for Texas but the lost of it made up a civil revolution. Politicians fought for power.
By: Haresh Khemlani (:
Mexico faced many challenges in their fight for independence. The legacy of Spanish colonialism and long term political instability were major problems. Too add to their difficulties, the United States wanted to extend its territory all the way west to the Pacific Ocean. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was the main politician in Mexico in the 19th century. He led Mexico in their fight for independence from Spain in 1821. He fought them again eight years later as Spain tried to regain control of Mexico. In 1833, Santa Anna was named Mexico’s president. Santa Anna wasn’t very loyal, he changed his opinion on different topics each year if it meant that he would stay in power, this system worked for him because he was elected Mexico’s president four times. American citizens were encouraged to move to the Mexican territory to help populate the country. In return for inexpensive land, they pledged to follow the laws of Mexico. As the Anglo population grew in Mexico, tensions grew over several issues such as slavery and religion. Texan colonist demanded greater self government, but when Mexico refused to grant them, the Anglos had a revolt against Mexico in 1835. The most famous fight occurred at the Alamo, in which Santa Anna came out victorious, but in the end, the colonist won and the United States annexed Mexico.
