IN WHICH CENTURY DID THE INDEPENDENT LIFE OF MEXICO BEGIN? - HISTORY - 2025

The independent life of Mexico began in the nineteenth century, specifically from September 28, 1821, when a Provisional Government Board was installed whose purpose was to organize the process of independence and government of the Central American country.

For 300 years the Spanish empire dominated much of the world colonizing more and more territories. America, from Mexico to Patagonia, paid tribute to the metropolis, providing natural resources without any retribution.

However, the invasion of the peninsula by French troops under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte compromised the stability of the Spanish monarchy.

It was the appropriate moment for the unsuccessful attempts to rise up in the American colonies to take a second wind, and that was how they declared independence one after another, with greater or lesser success, subsequently initiating a war to consolidate the new status of free country.

In some colonies a total rupture with the crown was not made. Rather, a declaration of ignorance of the new French regime was made, and the rights of King Ferdinand VII were preserved in order to achieve greater support and less rejection from the church.

In a short time, the Spanish managed to expel the invaders and that is when the colonies advocated not to return to subjugation, but to start a life as free and independent countries.

The Spanish empire then tries to retake its territories and the battles of the war for independence begin, which it lost almost entirely, remaining only in possession of the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico, which it would later negotiate or lose.

Background to the independent life of Mexico: the Viceroyalty

It begins in 1535, under the mandate of Antonio de Mendoza, first viceroy. Under the name of New Spain, 62 viceroys succeeded each other from its establishment until 1810. It was characterized by a social system based on castes.

The king's vassals were the Spaniards and they enjoyed more privileges than the Creoles (born in the new lands) and the natives. Trade between provinces was only allowed towards the end of the 18th century.

Pain scream

After several failed attempts to seize power, on September 16, 1810, priest Miguel Hidalgo launched his cry for insurrection in the church of Dolores.

The movement was inspired by the discomfort caused by the role in the background played by New World society. The armed insurrection achieved several victories against the Spanish, but little by little they retreated towards the Pacific and the south, suffering successive defeats.

National heroes like Hidalgo and Morelos were jailed and executed. The rebellion was dying down, being reduced to guerrilla warfare.

Later, in 1820, the Spanish empire reinstituted the constitution and decrees of Cádiz, which, due to its excessive bureaucracy, complicated procedures and high power to the crown, was rejected by the viceroyalty of New Spain.

It was then in 1821 when the general of the Mexican army, Agustín de Iturbide, who had achieved important victories for the royalist cause, decided to make a pact with the rebels and join the independence movement.

General Iturbide enters the capital and is appointed president and forms a government that did not faithfully follow the guidelines of those who had died in the fight for freedom.

Iturbide proclaimed his pact of Iguala, thus forming the so-called Trigarante army. Through this pact, it was intended to unite the forces that, on the one hand, represented the independence insurgents, on the other, the monarchists who wanted a Mexico ruled under the crown of Spain but not under the current regime of the Spanish government.

Other of his wishes were to respect the assets and authority of the Catholic Church, freedom and equality for all citizens, the abolition of slavery, reward members of the army and proclaim a constitutional regime.

The Trigarante army, named for guaranteeing the Catholic religion (white color of the flag), independence from Spain (green color) and the union of the warring sides (red color), was made up of the rebels and the royalist troops at the command of Iturbide.

Mexico's independence

Iturbide spread his plan throughout the new nation, obtaining the support of both royalists and insurgents. On the other hand, he fought the royalists who refused to accept the independence plan.

Viceroy Apodaca was dismissed and replaced by another illegitimate since he was not appointed by Spain.

The Spanish courts sent a final representative, Juan O`Donojú, who met with Iturbide, and he made him see that they only had a tenth of his troops and that it was useless to resist.

This is how, on August 24, 1821, the Córdoba treaties were signed, where the Mexican Empire was recognized as independent from Spain. The crown ignored said treaty. However, on September 27, 1821 the Trigarante army entered the capital victorious.

Empire of mexico

The Mexican empire under Iturbide lasted barely six months. The economic crisis produced by years of struggles and the growth of republican groups were determining factors in the defeat of Iturbide at the hands of Antonio López Santa Ana and Vicente Guerrero, proclaimers of the Plan de Casamata.

After the destruction of the empire, the united Central American provinces separated from Mexico. Iturbide was exiled and sentenced to death if he returned to Mexico. This would occur in 1824.

Texas and US Invasion

From left to right: Antonio López de Santa Anna, Stephen Austin, Samuel Houston, proper names of Texas Independence

Santa Ana was president of Mexico eleven times, five for the liberal side and six for the conservative. It repelled attempts at reconquest by Spain, until it recognized the independence of Mexico after the death of Fernando VII in 1833.

The new state convened several constituent assemblies that drafted the form of the new government. Power was debated between the centralists and the federalists, the former who supported a central controlling power, and the latter who opted for regional autonomy.

The imposition of centralism prompted the state of Texas, colonized by slaveholders, to declare its independence from Mexico, supported by the United States.

The war against the USA is disastrously lost in 1836, the year in which Spain recognized the independence of Mexico.

The Mexican state is in ruins, its inhabitants are disunited and everywhere there are separatist wars or wars of groups that want control of the nation.

With the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ends the war with the United States by giving up almost half of its territory to the North Americans.

References

1. Constitution and Decrees. Recovered from: unav.es.
2. Mexican War of Independence. Recovered from: donquijote.org.
3. Harvey, R. (2000). Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence, 1810–1830. London, John Murray.
4. Mexican Independence. Recovered from: tamu.edu.
5. Ontiveros, G. (2005). History of Mexico's trade with the United States during the first 25 years of independent life, 1821-1846, an interpretation. Malaga, University of Malaga.