1. Turmoil and Change in Mexico
28.4 Notes

2. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Main Mexican Politician during early 19th century
President four times between
Led the army during Mexican-American War

3. Texas Revolt
1820s Mexico encouraged American citizens to move to Mexican territory of Texas
in exchange for cheap land the Anglos promised to obey Mexico’s laws
tensions grew over slavery and religion
Mexico refused to grant self-government
Stephen Austin, a leading American, encouraged a revolt in 1835

5. Santa Anna won early battles
Alamo
At Battle of San Jacinto Santa Anna was defeated and captured
Texan leader Sam Houston released Santa Anna after he promised independence for Texas
Santa Anna returned to Mexico in 1836 and was ousted from power

6. Mexican American War
Santa Anna regained power and fought the US again in 1845, when the US annexed Texas
Dispute at the border led to Mexican-American War=over in 2 years!

7. 1848 signed Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, gave the US the northern third of Mexico including California, American Southwest

8. Benito Juarez
During mid-19th century Benito Juarez strongly influenced Mexican politics
He was a liberal reformer, came from poor Zapotec Indian family
Opened a law office in Oaxaca
Elected to city legislature
1847 served as governor of the state of Oaxaca

9. Juarez Works for Reform
Late 1840s and early 1850s Juarez worked to start a liberal reform movement called La Reforma: goals were
redistribution of land
separation of church and state
increased educational opportunities for the poor
1853 Santa Anna sent Juarez and other leaders in to exile
1855 rebellion brought Santa Anna down, Juarez and others able to return to Mexico

10. Major issue was that rich landowners kept everyone else in cycle of debt and poverty
Liberal government spoke out about redistributing land, alarmed conservative upper- class Mexicans
These upper class Mexicans launched a rebellion against the liberal gov’t in 1858
After 3 years of civil war the liberals won, Juarez became president after his election in 1861

11. The French Invade Mexico
Exiled conservatives plotted with Europe to reconquer Mexico
1862 French ruler Napoleon III sent a large army to Mexico, within 18 months had taken over
Napoleon appointed Austrian Archduke Maximiliam to rule Mexico as emperor, Juarez continued to fight
1867 Napoleon ordered army to leave, Maximilian was caught and executed
Juarez reelected president in 1867, returned to reforms, rebuilt the country, promoted foreign trade, opened new roads, set up ntl education system, etc.
1872 Juarez died, but left his country a legacy of relative peace, progress, and reform