1. Topic 17: The World Between the Wars (1910-1939)

2. Section 1: Revolution and Nationalism in Latin America

3. Revolution and Nationalism in Latin America
By 1910: Dictator Porfirio Diaz ruled Mexico for almost 35 years
Mexico enjoyed peace and economic growth
Diaz welcomed foreign investors who developed mines, built railroads, and drilled for oil

4. Porfirio Diaz
Porfirio Diaz gained power from 1876 to 1880 & 1884 to 1911 he ruled as dictator
strengthened the army, local police and central government in the name of “Order and Progress”
Under harsh rule – economic advances
Capital from investments came from foreign investors – granted special rights
Rich prospered – majority in poverty
Peonage System
Middle class Mexicans demanded democracy
1910 – Mexico plunged into revolution

5. The Mexican Revolution
Discontent rippled through Mexico
Prosperity only benefitted a few
Majority of Mexicans were mestizos who lived in desperate poverty
Some peasants moved to cities- found jobs as factory or mine workers
Middle class liberals opposed Diaz’s dictatorship
Primary Causes of the revolution:
North – Pancho Villa – fought for personal glory, but won many followers
South Emiliano Zapata – Indian tenant farmer demanded land reform for peasants

6. Mexican Revolution
1910: Francisco Madero (liberal reformer) demanded free elections
Imprisoned Diaz
Revolutionaries from all over Mexico joined Madero's cause
Diaz resigned in 1911

7. Complex Struggle
Madero became president of Mexico but he was considered too liberal for conservatives
1913: Madero was murdered by one of his generals, Victoriano Huerta
Huerta ruled as a military dictator- also faced rebellion
Complex power struggle, several radical leaders emerged

8. Zapata and Villa Emiliano Zapata- led a peasant revolt
Was an Indian peasant farmer; understood their miseries
Wanted “land and freedom”
Francisco “Pancho” Villa- rebel from the north
Fought mostly for personal power but won the backing of peasants
Villa and Zapata formed a coalition with Venustiano Carranza (Carranza wanted political reform)

9. A Complex Struggle
Fighting flared across Mexico for a decade- killing as many as a million Mexicans
Peasants, small farmers, ranchers, and urban workers were drawn to the violent struggle
Soldaderas (women soldiers) cooked, tended to the wounded, and fought alongside men

10. The US and Mexico
During the revolution, Woodrow Wilson sent troops to Mexico twice
1914: US forces helped overthrow Huerta
1916: tried to help the hunt of Pancho Villa
After the overthrow of Huerta, Carranza turned on Villa and Zapata and defeated them
1917: Carranza was elected president of Mexico
Signed a new constitution

12. Effects of the Mexican Revolution
Bloodshed and death
Constitution (1917)
Addressed 3 major issues: land, religion, and labor
Nationalization- government take over of natural resources
Broke up large estates
Limits foreign ownership of Mexican land
Returns some Indian lands
Gives government control of church land
Sets minimum wage for workers
Protects the right of workers to strike
Gives all men the right to vote
Grants women some new rights
This constitution still is used today

13. Carranza
1920: rival revolutionaries arranged for his assassination

14. The Constitution of 1917
Strengthened government control of the economy
Permitted the breakup of large estates
Church land was made “property of the nation”

15. Effects of the Mexican Revolution
3. Social Reforms
Schools and libraries were set up
Helped some Indian communities regain lands
Supported labor unions
4. Economic nationalism – emphasis on domestic control of the economy
Determined to develop own economies and end economic dependence.
After WWI trade fell off with Europe
Great depression – no demand for LA goods – price of imports rose
Local entrepreneurs set up factories
Urged government to raise tariffs
Other LA nations follow Mexico’s lead
Limited success
5. Cultural Nationalism
Pride in ones own culture – Murals on buildings – Diego Rivera

16. The PRI Takes Control
1929: government organized what became the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)
Tried to appeal to many groups in Mexican society including: business and military leaders, peasants and workers
Leaders backed social reform
Boosted Mexican industry
Brought stability to Mexico- carried out many desired reforms

17. Social and Economic Reforms
1920s and 1930s: government finally restored order and carried out reforms
1920s: government helped some Indian communities regain land that had been taken
1930s: President Lazaro Cardenas- decided to redistribute millions of acres of lands to peasants under a communal land program
Government supported labor unions
Tried to combat illiteracy

18. Nationalism Spreads in Latin America
Issues facing Mexico were echoed in other Latin American nations
Early 1900s: Latin America's economy boomed because of the exports
Stable governments helped to keep Latin America’s economy going
Military dictators or small groups of wealthy landowners held the real power
Growing middle class and lower classes had no say in their own governments

19. Economic Nationalism Trade with Europe fell after World War I
Great Depression spread
Prices of Latin American exports plunged, demand dried up
Cost of imported goods rose
Latin American economies- dependent on export trade- declined

20. Economic Nationalism
Economic nationalism- emphasis on home control of the economy
Wanted to end economic dependence on the industrial powers- especially US and Britain
Set up factories to produce goods at home
Urged governments to raise tariffs, taxes on imports, to protect the new industries
Mexico and Venezuela benefited from growing demand for their oil

21. Political Nationalism
Great Depression: people lost faith in their rulers and ideas of liberal government
Authoritarian governments with strong nationalist goals
Authoritarian rulers imposed stability and supported economic nationalism- suppressed opposition to political parties

22. Cultural Nationalism
1920: Nationalism on the rise led to writers, artists, and thinkers to reject European influence
Took pride in their own culture
Mural paintings

23. The Good Neighbor Policy
During the Mexican revolutions the US supported leaders who it thought would protect its investments
In the 1930’s, Franklin Roosevelt abandoned the Roosevelt corollary
Which had been used to justify American intervention
US withdrew troops in Haiti and Nicaragua
Lifted the Platt amendment in Cuba – Pro-American Sentiment