Extra Credit: Mexico 2010

Lecture/Event Log
15 September 2010

Jay Hargis, History Professor.
"Mexico 2010: The Birth of Mexican Independence in Myth, Memory and History 200 Years Later"

The Mexico we have grown to know today is dramatically different from the Mexico that existed two hundred years ago. On the 16th day of September in the year 1810, the father of Mexico Miguel Hidalgo ultimately decided that a rebellion against the colonial government was needed. He assembled the people of Dolores, near the church, to overthrow the New Spain government. The rebellious army marched to strike for their independence, later to be shared with all the criollos (people born on that land).

This independence didn't occur overnight though. A long chain of events led to the all famous Grito de Dolores. Events tracing back all the way to the French Revolution in 1789 which abolished the French Monarchy and in place established a new republic. After that, the Peninsular War of 1807, fought between Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom against France for the Iberian Peninsula urged Hidalgo to take action. Henslin's text says that colonialism was a widespread process that affect many less established countries for sources of goods and materials, mainly through the use of the less powerful country's labor force. This was the case with Mexico and Spain. The people of Mexico were not treated equally. Also, Spain misused too much Mexico's resources like petrol, gold, and precious gems, all harvested for the benefit of Spain. The people of Mexico did not want to follow a king that was isolated from them, so they decided to be break away and become a new independent. (Henslin 190)

Labels: ,