Factors Contributing to Mexico's Independence

Kathy Szelag

History 241

Due Date: 12/17/15

Final Exam

There are many factors that may have contributed to the Independence of Mexico like creole-peninsular hostility, a growing creole self-consciousness, trade restrictions, the Enlightenment, the precedent of the American Revolution, and the revolutionary ideology of the French Revolution. A historian that was the first professor of Latin American studies in the United Kingdom and the founder of the Institute of Latin American Studies at University College London made an argument regarding this statement. His name was Robert Arthur Humphreys and his argument stated, "The French Revolution in its Napoleonic aspect was the occasion, if not the cause, of the emancipation of Spanish America”

(R. A. Humphreys, p. 382). He is correct because foreign invasion of France in Spain made it possible for the crown to fall apart along with its power over the colonies and instill imperial destruction. The Revolution accelerated the rise of republics and democracies while also becoming the focal point for the development of political ideologies.
Citizens of Haiti took a look at these philosophies and overthrew French rule to become an independent Latin American country. In Colonial Latin America, 9th edition, it stated, "This conflict, marked by reprisals and brutality, provided the slaves with an opportunity for a general uprising. Their rebellion began on the rich plantations of the north and then spread across the colony. Within weeks many of the richest plantations were destroyed and hundreds of masters and overseers killed"(Burkholder & Johnson, p. 342). News of the Haitian rebellion spread through out the hemisphere. In fact, many slave owners in regions of Spanish and Portuguese America were afraid that their slaves would react the same way. Spain's involvements in Napoleon's French Revolution led Mexico to make a similar decision and rebel.
Spain like Britain under took in the eighteenth century the task of imperial reorganization and reform.

This created new viceroyalties and captaincies-general and natural trade routes were opened up. Humphreys stated, "The natural trade routes of the indies were opened up, where once Cádiz and Seville had enjoyed a monopoly with in a monopoly and the fleets and galleons had divided between the commerce and treasure of Mexico and Peru, step by step the ports of America and the ports of Spain were opened, the age old restrictions on inter-colonial commerce were light ended, and the tariff's and duties hampering trade revised"(R. A. Humphreys, 383). The reasons that these innovations were made were for efficiency in administration and to rehabilitate the colonial trade. It was a strategic plan where in the end there was imperial defense, protection of the empire against foreign factors, and to eliminate competition. In places like Buenos Aires, the economic life was completely altered where the exports, shipping, and even population began to rapidly

increase.
Mexico grew dissatisfied with the Spanish rule because they began to levied taxes on Catholic Church holding to refill the revenue that was lost by Spain's involvement in the French Revolution. And in 1808 with Napoleon placed his brother Joseph on the throne many upper class creoles resented that. Mexican born creoles and Spanish born peninsular united to gain more control of the Mexican government. That is how the Mexican Independence was categorized into two movements and two different stages. The first involved the upper classes, American-born Spaniards(known as creoles), typified by Father Miguel Hidalgo and his conspirators in 1810. And the second, "was a broad raging revolt of the lower classes in the countryside" (Martin and Wasserman, 141). This rebellion continued throughout south-central Mexico led by another priest known as Father Jose Maria Morelos, after Hidalgo's execution. In the end this provided the ," "Three Guarantees": Independence, the equality of creoles and Spaniards; and continuation of the preeminent role of the Roman Catholic Church" (Martin and Wasserman, 142).
New Spain or Mexico took this by example and basically repeated the act. Their revenues began to swell and they started to gain more shipping and exports. Humphrey's mentioned, "At the 18th century closed the people of Spanish America were probably more prosperous than at any time in their history" (R. A. Humphreys, 387). The reason the timing of the French revolution heavily affected the Mexican Independence was because while everything was happening in Spain the colonies had no idea. It took a long amount of time for news to travel back in the eighteenth century so when the news finally got to them they were able to establish a sense of control. Which is when domestic manufacturing became more widespread and by 1800 Mexico City was the leading city in the western hemisphere. Therefore this allowed for intellectual activity in universities and academics.
Therefore, the French revolution was the greatest influence of the Mexican Independence movement.

The timing of the invasion of Spain benefitted the colonies. By creating juntas, they were able to find a way to respond to the invasion. There became opportunities and trading opened up, ports opened, prices dropped and most places. The colonies were benefitting from this and the economy was doing well. New Spain in particular took up arms in order to gain some momentum and power in government. New Spain wanted to revolt in order to become the Americas instead of the Spanish. This allowed for the people of New Spain to drift away from the Spanish rule and set up their own

systems.