FIRST FEDERAL REPUBLIC (MEXICO): CAUSES, CHARACTERISTICS - HISTORY - 2025

The First Mexican Federal Republic, officially known as the United Mexican States, was a federation that governed Mexico for a period of 11 years: from 1824 to 1835. Its official formation was in 1823, from the decision of the Constituent Congress after the fall of the First Mexican Empire, led by Agustín de Iturbide.

The life of the first republic in Mexico was not stable. It was marked by several conflicts between the two main political parties in the country. These sides were made up of the conservatives, who advocated a centralized state after having supported the monarchy.

On the other side were the liberals, who wanted a government federated by states and a nation where power was held by the people. The republic lasted until October 1835, when the federalist state was dissolved to establish a centralized republic.

Causes

The Casa Mata Plan

When the Casa Mata Plan was devised, Mexico was under the control of the monarchy headed by Agustín de Iturbide. However, there were many sectors that disagreed with this empire.

The Casa Mata Plan was formulated in 1823 by Antonio López de Santa Anna and Guadalupe Victoria. Its objective was to establish a new constituent congress, which had been dissolved in 1822 by Iturbide, and to turn Mexico into a republic.

Iturbide had created the Plan of Iguala in 1821, with which he established himself as emperor of Mexico and created the First Mexican Empire. Iturbide eliminated Congress and sought to rule on his own, which made his stay as emperor quite short.

As soon as the agreement was signed, several Mexican regions began to mobilize troops against the government, but the army of the Empire easily stopped them.

However, Santa Anna had devised a plan with the army leader that became effective on February 1, 1823. The army leader declared against the Empire, which triggered the fall of Iturbide.

The fall of the Empire

The military movements that occurred in Mexico caused Iturbide to have no choice but to leave the Crown. Before doing so, he reinstated the country's Constituent Congress that had been dissolved two years earlier.

In March 1823 he left Mexico to go into exile in Italy, where he was promised 25,000 pesos a year if he stayed there. This left Mexico without a monarch or governor, prompting the new Congress to establish a new federal Constitution and declare the establishment of the First Mexican Republic.

characteristics

Constitution of 1824

The way in which Mexico was organized during the period of the first republic was marked by the laws established in the Constitution of 1824. Originally, after the collapse of the Empire, Mexico was led by three soldiers: Guadalupe Victoria, Pedro Negrete and Nicolás Bravo.

However, after Congress called for elections, two distinct political camps emerged: the conservatives, who were seeking a centralist republic; and the Liberals, who were inspired by French and American policies to favor a federal country.

The main reason the Federalists were victorious was because of the recent presence of a centralist government (the Empire) with little approval from the people. So, the country was divided into three branches: the Legislative, the Judicial and the Executive.

Presidency of Guadalupe Victoria

The presidency of Guadalupe Victoria was the only one during the life of the First Republic that successfully completed the corresponding constitutional period.

Victoria's real name was José Miguel Ramón Fernández and he was a prominent military man with few skills to lead a nation administratively or politically.

However, his government characterized the First Republic as a Latin American standard in international relations.

During his presidential term, Mexico was recognized by world powers as an independent nation (with the exception of Spain). In addition, the border with the United States was established.

He remained in office from 1824 to 1829, although in 1827 there was an attempt to overthrow him. It was not successful thanks to the military capabilities of Santa Anna, who was now a general in the government army.

Characteristic events

A series of violent clashes broke out within Mexican territory between conservatives and liberals. The conservatives sought the establishment of a centralist republic through armed movements, while the liberals defended the Mexican Constitution.

Consequences

Creation of the Centralist Republic of Mexico

On October 23, 1823, General Santa Anna rose up against the government and eliminated the Constitution of 1824. He established in Mexico a series of laws that were recognized as the Seven Laws.

This event turned Mexico into a centralist state with a Santa Anna switched sides. Power returned to the conservatives and remained that way until 1846, when the president decreed a return to federalism with the restoration of the 1824 Constitution.

Texas Independence

The end of the First Republic also brought about the declaration of Texas as an independent nation, after Santa Anna's forces failed to repress the locals.

The establishment of a centralist state further agitated the waters in the then Mexican state, which had a population dissatisfied with belonging to Mexico and was seeking to become an independent country. The instability caused by the dissolution of the First Republic was the perfect opportunity for Texas to achieve its goal.

Prominent figures

Guadalupe Victoria

Guadalupe played a key role in the establishment of the First Republic after allying with Santa Anna to overthrow the imperial regime. In addition, he was the only president during this period who held office for the five years dictated by the Constitution.

Antonio López de Santa Anna

Santa Anna was key both in the establishment of the First Republic and in its dissolution and conversion to a federalist state.

He was in charge of eliminating the Constitution established in 1824 by his colleagues to impose seven laws that changed the political course of Mexico and made it a centralized republic.

Agustín de Iturbide

Iturbide is credited as the creator of the flag of Mexico. He was one of the patriots with a fundamental role in the independence of the country, but his dictator policies and the establishment of his person as emperor caused a political collapse that resulted in the creation of the First Republic.

References

1. The Early Republic, Mexican History Online, (nd). Taken from mexicanhistory.org
2. The Era of Santa Anna, History World, (nd). Taken from historyworld.net
3. First Mexican Republic, Wikipedia in English, April 6, 2018. Taken from wikipedia.org
4. Agustín de Iturbide - Emperor of México, The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, (nd). Taken from Britannica.com
5. Centralist Republic of Mexico, Wikipedia in English, April 4, 2018. Taken from wikipedia.org