Emiliano Zapata

The Mexican Revolution brought multiple parties and movements out of the woodwork. In John Womack’s Zapata and the Mexican Revolution, a story of one state’s drive for agrarian reform and its people’s evolving mission was told, with Emiliano Zapata as a pivotal leader. The dynamics of the revolution, however, reach deeper than Womack’s account portrays. While Womack documents the revolutionary path of the Zapatistas from the southern state of Morelos, the story of Pancho Villa, an arguably parallel character fighting for states in the North against the repressive powers of General Victoriano Huerta, reads more as a subplot. The writings of Samuel Brunk, Ana Maria Alonso, and Mariano Azuela shed light on the less simplistic dynamics of

For example, some of his reforms were the following: 1. That America is free and independent of all nations; 8. The salaries of the representatives will be enough for sustenance; 13. That the general laws apply to everyone, without excepting priviledged bodies, along with other radical reforms (Morelos). Unfortunately, none of them were actually implemented, as Morelos’ guerilla warfare tactic, resulting in many defeats. Finally, his movement ended as he was executed in 1815 by the Spanish Inquisition ("Father Hidalgo Proclaims Grito de Dolores”).

Hidalgo’s following grew from 300 to over ½ million people and in not time Hidalgo’s enraged revolutionaries tore through Mexico. After moderate success Hidalgo was defeated by a band of Royalists and while fleeing the country for the US he was disowned by one of his fellow companions and killed. Another priest named Jose Morelos from then on would lead the fighting. He would finally accomplish what Hidalgo had set out to do, lead Mexico to independence, from Spain in 1821.

After Diaz had won by a landslide, he released Madero from prison. Madero promptly fled to San Antonio, Texas to plan a revolution. There he wrote the Plan of St. Luis Potosi, which said that the election was fraudulent and that he was the provisional president of Mexico. The plan was purely political and Madero planned to have a completely democratic government. The plan said nothing about changing the situation for farmers and peasants. However, rural peasants latched onto the plan, thinking that Madero would also reform the country economically and socially. There were many revolutions carried out under Madero's flag, specifically revolutions carried out by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.

During the Mexican Revolution there were many prominent figures that emerged during the long struggle. Some of the figures had a positive impact on the region, and some others a very negative impact on the people of Mexico and their quest for an uncorrupted government. One figure that stands out in the border region between Mexico and The United States during this time is General Francisco “Pancho” Villa. To understand Pancho Villa’s significant role during this uprising it is important to understand who Villa was prior to the revolution, and what acts lead to his rise to power.

Since Francisco “Pancho” Villa had strong relations to Pablo Valenzuela, who had allegedly stolen goods by Francisco “Pancho” Villa and Ignacio Parra, Francisco “Pancho” Villa was spared from the death sentence which was enforced on some captured bandits. Francisco “Pancho” Villa was forced into the Federal Army which was a common practice adopted under President Porfirio Diaz regime to deal with troublemakers. Several Months after Francisco “Pancho” Villa was arrested, Francisco “Pancho” Villa deserted the Federal Army and fled to the state of Chihuahua. In 1903 Francisco “Pancho” Villa killed an army officer and stole his horse, this is when Francisco “Pancho” Villa got his nickname Pancho Villa. For the next seven years Francisco “Pancho” Villa didn’t do many outstanding or horrible acts, other than stealing and some cases of

José de la Cruz Porfirio Diaz Mori, the 29th president of Mexico, opened Mexico to foreign investors and companies who exploited Mexico’s resources such as land, copper, gold, silver, water, and cheap labor for corporate gain. This caused economic instability in the way that Mexico placed power in the hands of large corporations and Mexican politicians.

After the bloody assault into the Mexican heart land and capture of the Mexican Capitol, The Mexican government had little choice but to accept the

Emiliano Zapata, born on August 8, 1879, in the village of Anenecuilco, Morelos (Mexico), Emiliano Zapata was of mestizo heritage and the son of a peasant medier, (a sharecropper or owner of a small plot of land). From the age of eighteen, after the death of his father, he had to support his mother and three sisters and managed to do so very successfully. The little farm prospered enough to allow Zapata to augment the already respectable status he had in his native village. In September of 1909, the residents of Anenecuilco elected Emiliano Zapata president of the village's "defense committee," an age-old group charged with defending the community's interests. In this position, it was Zapata's duty to represent his village's

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera was born on April 4, 1957 in Sinaloa, Mexico. He was born into a poor family in a rural community. His parents are Emilio Guzman Bustillos and Maria Consuelo Loera Perez. For numerous generations, his family’s legacy lived and died in La

Cortez temporarily left the city leaving Pedro De Alvarado in charge. Pedro ended up murdering several priests and religious leaders which caused the Aztecs to revolt. Cortez then arrived back in the middle of the revolt. He had Montezuma talk to them and made them calm down, but the Aztecs still considered him a traitor. Montezuma was killed by the protesters throwing stones.

However, tensions between the United States and Mexico had been rising as Mexico was in a state of almost civil war. In 1914, Victoriano Huerta, leader of Mexico, resigned from his position, leaving his successor undetermined. Two men, Francisco “Pancho” Villa and his former ally, Venustiano Carranza, fought each other for the leadership position. The U.S. government supported Carranza, who eventually drove Pancho Villa to Mexico’s northern mountains and became leader of Mexico by late 1915. Angered over U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s support for Carranza, Pancho Villa brutally executed sixteen American citizens in Santa Isabel, Mexico, in January 1916.

This is largely due to the fact that Diaz gave away the country's wealth to buy the loyalty of some, by gifts of haciendas (large estates), concessions or cash. Under his leadership, the gap between the rich and the poor grew undoubtedly larger due to his disregard of democratic principles and the common folk, and his acute determination to keep his dictatorship by any means possible. One of the most renowned opposition leaders of Diaz at the time was the European-educated Francisco Madero. Madero led a series of strikes in resistance to Diaz across the country and eventually ran against him in the election for presidency in 1911. Although Madero had a significant number of votes, Diaz had him imprisoned because he felt the people of Mexico were not ready for democracy, and feared the loss of his own presidency. Madero was not released until after the election so that votes could be tabulated in favour of Diaz. When released from prison, Madero continued to fight against his former adversary. Madero led the first phase of the armed revolution which resulted in Diaz's defeat and to his own presidency reign until 1913. It was during this time that many of the folk heroes of the Revolution emerged, including Francisco "Pancho" Villa of the North, and Emiliano Zapata of the South. In 1913 Madero was assassinated by A Mexican general by the name of Victoriano Huerta. Victoriano and his federal army was defeated in a coalition of armies led by Alvara Obregon, who took

On January 1, 2004, over one thousand people in the mountain hamlet of Oventic, Chiapas, celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) rebellion with song and dance. Thus, it seems a fitting time to take stock of the successes and failures of the Zapatista movement in the context of its original goals. While the EZLN has been able to establish thirty eight autonomous indigenous communities in Chiapas, it has failed to weaken the Mexican government's commitment to neo-liberal economic policies. In the following pages, we will explore those factors which enabled the Zapatistas to establish regions of autonomy and extrapolate from Theotonio Dos

An interview given by Diaz in 1908 was read by Francisco I. Madero and he was inspired to gather supporters to defeat Diaz in the 1910 election. In the interview Diaz said that he thought Mexico could handle free elections by 1910 (Summary 4). Madero was a strong believer in democracy and realized that Diaz had a monopoly with the government. Madero thought that Diaz should step down from office (Consul General 1-2). By the time 1910 came around Madero had inspired many citizens and had quite a group of followers. His chances for election were very good and Diaz got scared. Right before the elections in 1910, Diaz falsely accused Madero and had him thrown in jail. Diaz is once again elected as president. Madero was soon released and, learning of Diaz’s reelection, he fled to Texas (Summary 4). While there he stated that the elections were illegitimate and that he was the President Pro-Temp until new elections could be held (Consul General 2). He also wrote a document, which called for a revolt on November 20, 1910 which marks the start of the Mexican Revolution (Summary 5).