Exploring the Mexican Independence from Spain

Introduction

To what extent was Mexico’s independence from Spain a “full-scale assault on dependency”? This essay will investigate how the Mexican independence from Spain was only slightly a “full-scale assault on dependency”, due to several political and social conflicts. Firstly, Mexico remained a monarchy (but not under the control of Spain) after the insurgency. Secondly, there was still an official state religion in Mexico. Another reason is because social conflicts reduced the desire for independence .On the other hand, it assaulted dependency because there were some changes within the social hierarchy, and because Mexico was free from Spain.

Narrative

Before the Mexican insurgency, a mass famine struck the Bajio, or lowland region of Mexico, whilst the higher classes of Mexico were making more money than before. To make matters worse, the inability of the lower class to rule in Mexico resulted in anger due to social injustice. Finally, the Crisis of Legitimacy caused the desire to overthrow the corrupt government. The decorated leader Miguel Hidalgo started a revolt against the ruling class of Spain, destroying the profitable lands of Guanajuato, which led to conflict against the creoles. Hidalgo implemented several social reforms to help create equality between the higher and lower classes of Mexico, although not sufficient to give any significant help to them (Keen 170-171). In general, Hidalgo’s efforts were not sufficient, as Mexico lacked an army, eventually leading to his defeat on return to the Bajio (Keen 171-172).

After the fall of Hidalgo, support waned for the independence movement, until Morelos took leadership of the movement. Morelos set up a constitution which included many of the social reforms th...

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...cy because there were some changes within the social hierarchy, and because Mexico was free from Spain. This lack of assaulting dependency is important because it created more wars after the early national period.

Works Cited

"Father Hidalgo Proclaims Grito de Dolores: September 16, 1810." World History in Context. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.

Henderson, Timothy J. The Mexican Wars for Independence. New York: Hill and Wang, 2010. Print.

Huck, James D. Mexico: A Global Studies Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2008.

Print.

Keen, Benjamin, and Keith Haynes. A History of Latin America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. Print.

Kirkwood, Burton. The History of Mexico. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.

Print.

Morelos, “Sentiments of the Nation”

Wood, Gordon S. The Radicalism of the American Revolution. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1992. Print.