Presented By: Breanna Lent

1806 Juárez was born on March 21, He was born in the small village of San Pable Guelatao, Oaxaca in Mexico located in the mountain range now known as the "Sierra Juàrez." His parents, Marcelino Juárez and Brígida García, were peasants who died when he was three years old. So he went to live with his grandparents. This information was found at

This is a picture of the Sierra Juárez Mountains, close to where Juárez was born.

1818 He worked in the corn fields and as a shepherd until the age of 12, when he walked to the city of Oaxaca to attend school. At the time, he was illiterate. He could not speak Spanish; he only could speak Zapotec. This information was found at

This is a picture of a Sheppard boy. Juárez was a Sheppard when he was 12.

1827 A lay Franciscan, Antonio Salanueva, was impressed with young Benito's intelligence and thirst for learning, and arranged for his placement at the city's seminary. He studied there but decided to pursue law rather than the priesthood. He graduated from the seminary in 1827 and went on to gain a degree in law. This information was found at

He got a diploma from when he graduated from the seminary.

Juárez had various different jobs. He became a lawyer in 1834 and a judge in In 1843, Benito Juárez married Margarita Maza (a girl from Oaxaca). In 1847 he became governor of the State of Oaxaca and in 1848 was reelected for four more years. This information was found at

When he was a judge he probably used a mallet like this.

1853 Intervention of Juárez in the political life was at a very important moment for the country, besides his ideas against a close relationship between State and Church, he opposed the monarchy. In 1853 when General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna regained power in Mexico and many liberals were exiled, including Juárez. They were sent to New Orleans. This information was found at

This was New Orleans, where he was exiled, today. It would have not been the same back then, though.

1855 He returned to Mexico in 1855 for taking part in the liberal revolution that overthrew Santa Anna. Soon after, between October and December of that year, he was Minister of Justice during the short government of Juan Alvarez. He carried out one of the most important reforms for the country, suppressing the privileges of the clergy and army, declaring all citizens equal under the law. This information was found at

This is a symbol for equality which he made all citizens equal under the law.

1857 He helped to institute a series of liberal reforms that were embodied into the new constitution of During the French occupation of Mexico, Juárez refused to accept the rule of the Monarchy or any other foreign nation, and helped to establish Mexico as a constitutional democracy. I found this information at

This is Mexico’s flag today. Today they are a democracy.

1861 In 1861, Benito Juárez was elected president of Mexico. As the treasury was practically empty Juárez made the decision to suspend payment on all foreign debts for a two year period. Mexican congress rejected an agreement Juárez had made with the British Prime Minister to protect the interests of European countries. I found this information at

This is a picture of Mexican money. This is the money they would have used to pay off foreign debt if he didn’t decide to suspend payment on all foreign debts for a two year period.

He was president from 1861 till his death. During his presidency, in 1871, his wife, Margarita, died. On July 18, 1872, he suffered from a stroke and died at his desk. I found this information at and

This is Juárez’s office where he died. They made a statue of him next to it.