The Mexican Revolution 1910-1930

1. The Mexican Revolution1910-1930 Affects as perceived in Like Water for Chocolate

2. The Revolution • The Mexican Revolution was a violent social and cultural movement which brought the beginning of changes in Mexico. The revolution started as a rebellion against the Mexican President Porfirio Díaz. His regime not only accepted the involvement of the United States in Mexican life but also centered on expanding the Mexican economy. If successful, this would have eventually classified Mexico as a capitalist country.

3. Porfirio Diaz • After the death of Juarez, President Porfirio Diaz was the controlling power in Mexico for nearly thirty years, but the power he brought to bear was that of a dictatorship • In 1860 following his victory in Ixtepeji, north of Oaxaca, he was promoted to Colonel. In 1861 in recognition to his victory in Jalatlaco he was promoted to Brigadier General. • In 1862 during the French intervention he led the cavalry in the celebrated Battle of Puebla

4. Diaz Cont. • In 1863 Díaz was captured by the French Army. He escaped and was offered by President Benito Juárez the positions of Secretary of Defense or Army's Commander in Chief. He declined both but took an appointment as Commander of the Central Army. That same year he was promoted to Divisional General. • 1865 he was captured by the Imperial forces in Oaxaca. He escaped and fought the battles of Tehuitzingo, Piaxtla, Tulcingo and Comitlipa. In 1866 Díaz formally declared his loyalty to Juárez. • In 1867, Emperor Maximilian, offered Díaz the command of the Army and the imperial rendition to the liberal cause. Díaz refused both. He went on to win the final battle for Puebla on April 2, 1867. He remained popular well after the defeat of the French and the death of Juárez in 1872.

5. Francisco Madero • President of Mexico in the crucial period following the overthrow of Diaz, Maduro had faith in democracy that proved ill suited to the political realities of the day • Mexican revolutionary and politician who forced the resignation of Porfirio Díaz and assumed the presidency (1911). Unable to effect reform, he was overthrown and imprisoned by Victoriano Huerta (1913) and was killed while reportedly attempting to escape. • Madero published La sucesión presidencial en 1910, a mild protest against the Díaz regime; the book made Madero a national figure

6. General Venustiano Carranza • Mexican revolutionary politician who was the first president (1915–1920) of the new Mexican Republic after the overthrow of dictator Porfirio Díaz (1911). • Carranza, aided by Obregón, emerged supreme by Aug., 1915, although Zapata and Villa continued their rebellions in the south and north. Carranza was pressed by Obregón to accept the Constitution of 1917, which contained potentially radical reform measures that Carranza opposed and subsequently failed to enforce.

7. Carranza Cont. • In 1920, Carranza attempted to prevent Obregón from succeeding him as president, and Obregón revolted. Carranza fled Mexico City, and was ambushed and murdered by a local chieftain in Tlaxcalantongo.

8. Emiliano Zapata • Emiliano Zapata is the Mexican rebel leader who said "It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." • He organized and led peasants during the battles of the Mexican Revolution, joining forces with Pancho Villa and others to fight the government of Porfirio Diaz. Zapata supported agrarian reform and land redistribution; his rallying cry was "Land and freedom” • Linked him to the theories of Karl Marx • he was ambushed and shot by Mexican troops in 1919. Zapata remains a folk hero in Mexico, where his name has oftenbeen invoked by rebels.

9. Francisco“Pancho” Villa • Mexican revolutionary leader who ran unsuccessfully for the presidency after the Mexican Revolution (1910) and later attempted to oust (1914–1915) President Venustiano Carranza • An advocate of radical land reform, he joined Francisco Madero's uprising against Porfirio Díaz. His División del Norte joined forces with Venustiano Carranza to overthrow Victoriano Huerta (1854 – 1916), but he soon broke with the moderate Carranza and in 1914 was forced to flee with Emiliano Zapata. • His daring, his impetuosity, and his horsemanship made him the idol of the masses, especially in N Mexico, where he was regarded as a sort of Robin Hood. The Villa myth is perpetuated in numerous ballads and tales.

10. Zapata Cont • In 1916, to demonstrate that Carranza did not control the north, he raided a town in New Mexico. A U.S. force led by Gen. John Pershing was sent against him, but his popularity and knowledge of his home territory made him impossible to capture. He was granted a pardon after Carranza's overthrow (1920) but was assassinated three years later • In 1920 he came to an amicable agreement with the government of Adolfo de la Huerta. Three years later Villa was assassinated at Parral. In a sense Pancho Villa was a rebel against social abuses; at times he worked a rough justice but he was a violent and undirected destructive force.

11. Lazaro Cardenas • Mexican soldier and politician who as president (1934–1940) distributed land to peasants, instituted social reforms, and expropriated foreign-held properties. • He was governor (1928–32) of his native state, Michoacán, and held other political posts before he was, with the support of Plutarco E. Calles, elected president. • After a bitter conflict Cárdenas sent (1936) Calles into exile and organized a vigorous campaign of socialization of industry and agriculture based on the constitution of 1917. Large landholdings were broken up and distributed to small farmers on the ejido system, and many foreign-owned properties, especially oil fields, were expropriated.

12. Cardenas Cont. • Determined to make Mexico a modern democracy, became anathema to large landowners, industrialists, and foreign investors, but—himself a mestizo—became a hero to native peoples and the Mexican working classes. • Cárdenas was recalled to public service as minister of national defense (1942–45). His political influence as the leader of the Mexican left continued in the years after World War II.

13. Women and the Revolution • Women during the Mexican Revolution (known as soldaderas, adelitas, or coronelas) were held under the shadow of men and occupied the roles of wife and ultimate care givers. • In the cash-strapped armies of Revolution, male soldiers brought their women with them as a matter of course, little or no paid support bureaucracy existed for duties of mess and quartermaster (and sometimes medics), so women filled these roles. • The Constitutionalist Army was somewhat more orthodox in its treatment of women than the Zapatista troops were, however, well-off women such as Col. Juana Flores (widow of a gold-mine owner) literally purchased officer's commissions from Carranza.

14. Women and the Revolution Cont. • The Mexican Civil Code which was passed in 1884, restricted the limitations of women at home and in the workplace. The code created inequalities amongst women and ethnic minorities suffering politically, socially, economically and religiously under the Porfirian regime • myths circulating that portray Mexican women as timid and passive beings whose contribution and involvement in the Mexican Revolution was minimal. The truth however is that Mexican women were active participants in the Mexican Revolution, one of the most recognized social uprisings of the twentieth century.

15. Women and the Revolution Cont • Mexican women were essential to the revolution in a number of ways. They were involved in politics, were strong advocates for the causes they believed in, and participated in life on the battlefields. • The female political figures were probably the most important and influential women in the Mexican Revolution. They were prominent political activists, thinkers, writers, figures, role models, and were fearless in their pursuit of their goals, often resulting in confinement. • The Mexican Revolution had many movements focusing on dealing with the urban and middle class societies, who had finally gained the upper hand resulting in a new Revolutionary Constitution in 1917.

16. La Virgen de Guadalupe • In 1523, just two years after the Aztec capital of Tenochitlan fell to Hernán Cortés and his Conquistadors, the first Roman Catholic missionaries arrivd to begin the religious conquest of Mexico. • Fray Bernadino de Sahagún and his fellow Franciscan brothers immediately immersed themselves in the intensive study of indigenous tongues along with the history, customs and religious practices of the Mexicas, whom they called Aztecs. Soon fluent in Nahuatl, they proceded to translate religious texts and teach the Christian doctrines.

17. Guadalupe Cont. • Among their first converts was a man baptized with the Christian name Juan Diego • On the chilly morning of December 9, 1531, Juan Diego crossed the barren hill called Tepeyac to attend Mass. He was brought to a sudden halt by a blinding light and the sound of unearthly music. Before him appeared an astounding vision--a beautiful dark-skinned woman who, calling the Indian "my son," declared herself to be the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ • She told Juan Diego it was her desire to have a church built on Tepeyac hill, and asked him to relay that message to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga.

18. Guadalupe Cont. • Bishop demanded that he be provided with some proof of the unlikely encounter. Confused and fearful, Juan Diego avoided Tepeyac for several days, • The Virgin once again appeared and Juan Diego told her of the Bishop's request. The Virgin instructed him to pick roses from the usually sere and desolate hill and deliver them to Zumarraga as the sign. • Juan Diego gathered up the miraculous blossoms in his mantle and hurried off to complete his mission. Once again before the Bishop, he let the roses spill out before him. To the wonder of all assembled, a perfect image of La Virgen Morena (the Dark Virgin) was revealed emblazoned on Juan Diego's cloak.

19. Guadalupe Cont. • By order of the Bishop, a small church was soon constructed on the site designated by the Virgin. Skeptics are quick to point out the unlikely coincidence of the Virgin's appearance on Tepeyac, the very site of an Aztec temple dedicated to Tonatzin (earth goddess, mother of the gods and protectress of humanity) which had been devastated by order of Bishop Zumarraga. • The Miracle of Guadalupe was officially recognized by the Vatican in 1745. The second sanctuary was declared a Basilica in 1904, but by then it had begun to slowly sink into the soft, sandy soil beneath it. A new Basilica, of modern design and enormous capacity, was dedicated in October of 1976.

20. Beliefs & Religion • Mexicans are overwhelmingly Catholic, and religious symbolism and meaning have an important place in their day to day lives, especially in rural Mexico, but also in the big cities. • Catholic iconography is to be found everywhere, from street corners and restaurants to taxi cabs and hotels. Sometimes one may find displays of pious devotion that may seem extreme to many foreigners, such as approaching the altar on knees or scenes of flagellation. • According to anthropologist Eric R. Wolf, the Guadalupe symbol links family, politics, and religion; the colonial past and the independent present; and the Indian and the Mexican. It reflects the salient social relationships of Mexican life and embodies the emotions they generate. It is, ultimately, a way of talking about Mexico.

21. Mexican Traditions • December 12, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe • December 24, Nochebuena. The night Jesus was born, family dress up and get together. • The next day (not as important but still a Holiday) is December 25, Navidad (Christmas) (It is for us as important as Thanksgiving to Americans)

22. Mexican Traditions • September 16th, Our Independence. Everybody celebrates at the City Hall of every town. • Our Revolution November 20th, Military parade in front of the President

23. Mexican Traditions • 5 de Mayo  (May 5th) • La Batalla de Puebla is to my opinion a minor Holiday. We do celebrate it, but not as much as the others. • The Day of the Dead: It is a way that people show respect for the dead. Some people believe that the dead come for food during The Day of the Dead, so at night they set out food. 

24. Mexican Traditions • This celebration is three days long.  On the first the living relatives go to the cemetery and show their respect.  On the second day, they have celebrations at his/her house serving the dead's favorite food.  On the third day, there are parades with floats, bands, and even little fake coffins with fake skeletons in them.  • Families also create special altars that honor the memories of their dead relatives. 

25. Mexican Traditions • January the 5th is called LA NOCHE DE LOS REYES MAGOS (The night of the King Wizards).  Family and friends get together in a very casual way and have a ROSCA DE REYES (like a big doughnut in an oval shape) and HOT CHOCOLATE for dinner. Everybody gets a chance to cut their piece of the ROSCA and inside it has a plastic baby (Jesus) and who ever finds the baby is supposed to invite everyone present to eat TAMALES on February 2nd, (Day of the CANDELARIA, 40 days after Jesus is born). Normally you can find 2 to 8 babies inside the bread, and we do it more for the fun of it than really for making another party.

26. Mexican Traditions • What is most important here is the next day, children go to sleep on January 5th and leave a shoe next to the NACIMIENTO, (A Nativity, a small representation of the birth of Christ) Nowadays, we also have adopted the Christmas tree and we decorate them both before Christmas, but the Nativity is very Mexican. Children leave their shoe and receive presents the next day (Just like Americans receive from Santa Claus). • AKA The Epiphany/Three Wise Men

27. Mexican Traditions • Quinceaneras • Piñata • Name change at marriage by adding “de”