1. Bullet 1 & 2
Causes of the Mexican Revolution: social, economic and political; the role of the Porfiriato regime
The revolution and its leaders ( ): ideologies, aims and methods of Madero, Villa, Zapata, Carranza; achievements and failures; Constitution of 1917: nature and application

2. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 1
The Beginning – 1910 election
Diaz
Diaz retires in France
- Diaz arrests Madero
- Plan of San Luis Potosi Nov 20,1910
- U.S. Involvement
- May 1911: Treaty of Ciudad Juarez
1908 Diaz announces he’ll welcome open elections
Francisco Madero = opposition candidate, a wealthy hacendado into textiles, cattle, farms, vineyards, mines and factories
Fears peasant revolt if Diaz continues; democracy means control by elite, policy of modest concession to peasants, to check growth of revolutionary ideals, democracy as social control, accept capitalism
Diaz arrests Madero and supporters in June…election rigged as always
Madero flees across border and declares Mexico’s election null and void
The Plan of San Luis Potosi: Will hold free and open elections, vague indications of land given to peasants
Taft allows him to stage revolution in US in hopes he will be more favorable to US – Diaz had been too pro-British
Treaty of Ciudad Juarez – Diaz agrees to step down & new elections scheduled.
Who sided with Madero?
Francisco Madero – wealthy hacendado of Coahuila

3. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 2
Pancho Villa – Robin Hood of the North
- Outlaw, miner, cattle rustler, & bank robber
- Bandito to Revolutionary joins Madero
- Division del Norte Army of Chihuahua
Pancho Villa, originally from Durango (real name: Doroteo Arango) – classic folk hero – outlawed for avenging the rape of his sister by a hacedado
(Depending on which historian got it right, ranch owner Agustin Lopez Negrete made a tender, loving pass at Villa's younger sister, persuaded her to elope, or raped her. Depending on which author you choose to believe, Vila took up his trusty or rusty revolver and killed Lopez dead as a rock. Or, maybe he just shot him in the foot… stories conflict)
Flees to Chihauhau – brief stint mining – supplements income thru cattle rustling ("wholesale meat-seller“ official bios)
Adds bank robbing to list of offenses. From hides in mountains evading federal police (Porfiriato’s rurales)
Once he proclaims his forces for Madero – from 28 – 3,000 by 1913
Impressive – so thought the film industry – 1914 Mutual Film Company of New York. Contract called for $25,000 for exclusive rights to the revolution.
Hero or Villian?
Pancho Villa

4. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 3
Emiliano Zapata – Revolutionary Idealist of the South
- Son of a small farmer of Morelos
Influenced by Mexican Liberal Party (PLM)
PLM founder Ricardo Flores Magon
Emiliano Zapata
Motto: Tierra y libertad “Land & liberty”
Emiliano Zapata – Revolutionary Idealist of the South
Son of a small farmer of Morelos
Influenced by Mexican Liberal Party (PLM)
PLM founder Ricardo Flores Magon
Motto: Tierra y libertad “Land & liberty”
Land to be returned to the ejido, communal holdings
- Land to be returned to the ejido, communal holdings

5. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 4
Madero’s Presidency:
Oct 1911 – Feb 1913
Change:
Trade union support
Casa del Obrero Mundial
- Vision of democracy - limited
No Change:
- Leaves much of Diaz political & military structure in place for stability
Interim president:
Francisco León de la Barra
After treaty of Cuidad Juarez - Interim president, selected de la Barra, Diaz’s foreign secretary – served until after 1911 election
Democracy: “The ignorant public should take no direct part in determining who should be the candidates for public office.” A strong advocate for education – change must take place thru steps
Opened labor to organize & collective bargaining & strikes – much to foreign investor distress
Diaz structure in place – stability – must rely on those who hate him. Example: Huerta sent north to put down rebellion.
Denies Zapata’s land redistribution – feel betrayed (Plan of Ayala response)
Neither group satisfied
Foreign support fades as Madero does not show favoritism to US after their support for him – not good…
- Opposed to radical land reform
Caught between reactionaries & radicals
- Madero loses American support … ,000 troops on border

6. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 5
Victoriano Huerta’s Dictatorship
Feb 1913-
July 1914
- Backed by U.S.
- Overthrows Madero
- Wealthy land owners, capitalists, Church
- RIP Madero
Victoriano Huerta
Backed by U.S. Ambassodor Wilson – grown weary of Madero
Overthrows Madero and becomes provisional president
Mexican Congress intimidated – accepts Huerta as provisional president
Assassinates Madero
Ambassodor Wilson said he should do “What was best for the country”
Continued Madero’s labor policies for a while
Eventually began to arrest labor leaders as it became evident they were allying against him
Closed down the Casa del Obrero Mundial (labor union established while Madero was president)
- Labor unions shut down
Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson

7. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 6
US Intervention
- Taft out Wilson in
Huerta suspends interests payments on national debt
- The Excuse: Arrest of US soldiers
- April - Nov, 1914 US invasion of Veracruz
Moral Diplomacy
Taft(Prez when war started) - $ diplomacy – support of Madero vs Diaz
Aid + advice – Madero and Huerta
Wilson – moral diplomacy – Pres Wilson refuses to acknowledge Huerta. Suspension of debt disturbs creditors, England & Germany vying for US support as pre-WWI alliances are sought.
Arrest of US soldiers while on leave from Ship off the coast provides Pres. Wilson an excuse to invade Veracruz to cut off Huerta from supplies & income of his major port
April 21, 1914 US attacks Veracruz -> anti US sentiment, Carranza denounced US action and demanded immediate evacuation of US troops
June Wilson holds conference at Niagara Falls gets Argentina, Brazil and Chile to mediate the conflict
Hopes to overthrow Huerta and put Carranza in as provisional president. --
- Carranza refuses to recognize mediation. Mexico will fix own problems.
Armies on the Move: Huerta leaves for Europe July 15.
What forces are left behind are over run by Álvaro Obregon (fight for Carranza) who takes Mexico City Aug. 15th.
Nov US evacuates Veracruz even though Carranza would not accept US demands – could be interpreted as a victory for Carranza and a step towards maintaining sovereignty
- U.S wanted more say in Mexican foreign and domestic policies but Carranza Refuses. Doesn’t want Mexico to suffer same fait as Cuba, Nicarauga, Dominican Republic
Expect Mexicans to rejoice – instead united in resentment of US invasion; a bit embarassing; ABC countries must mediate
Ultimately Huerta steps down
American ships at Veracruz

8. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 6
Two New Contender s: Venustiano Carranza
- Previous supporter of Diaz then Madero
- Leader Constitutionalist Army in Coahuila
- March 1913 Plan of Guadalupe
& Alvaro Obregon
Carranza
Conflicts between Villa and Carranza because of failure to define agrarian, political, and church issues. Lack of trust.
Who was Carranza? Part of the Elite
Break with Zapata: refused to recognize Carranza’s supremacy and says Plan of Ayala must triumph.
Backing up a moment remember Carranza devised the Plan of Guadalupe
March 26, 1913
Huerta and his government are not recognized
Constitutional Army, is formed. Carranza is commanding officer
Once army occupies Mexico City, Carranza will be interim president and will call for elections.
October 1914 Convention of Aguascalientes to smooth out conflicts (called by Carranza at first then Carranza refused to go). Zapata invited at Villas insistence
Endorsed Plan of Ayala
Assumed supreme authority
Called for resignation of Carranza as first chief
Appt General Eulalio Gutierrez as provisional pres. (compromise)
Villa named commander in chief of conventionalist army
Carranza refuses to acknowledge legitimacy of convention
Villa and Zapata occupy capital and push Carranza out. Gutierrez, who is provisional president in the minds of Villa and Zapata is secretly negotiation with Obregon to help Carranza regain control (many feel he betrays the revolutionaries)
In order to gain popular support, Carranza adopted program of social reform, promise agrarian reform, improved worker conditions, minimum wage reform, while simultaneously promising hacendados that they would get back land taken by revolutionaries.
January 1915, Obregon’s troops hold Mexico City. Carranza is able to turn workers and peasants against each other…shifts balance of power
Gutierrez defects with 10 mil pesos from treasury. Roque Gonzalez Garza named provisional pres by Conventionalists.
Back and forth control of the city. April 1915 Obregon has control of city.
Obregon defeats Villa – flees back to Chihuahua with his people, defeated.
Zapatistas chased into Morelos
1915, Woodrow Wilson acknowledges Carranza’s ascendancy. De facto recognition, arms embargo against his enemies. (recognizes that he is leader by fact not by law)
US tries to make Carranza let them determine Mexico’s foreign policy, role of the church, elections, etc.
Villa gets ticked at arms embargo…raids into Texas. General Pershing pursues Villa into Mexico. Carranza denounces this action. Pershing is unsuccessful
Wilson accepts Carranza’s offer to negotiate settlement. Wilson backs away from Mexico as involvement in WWI becomes more likely
- Chick-pea farmer of Sonora
Talented military leader
- Army of the Northwest, allies with Carranza over Villa
Obregon

9. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 7
Fighting amongst Revolutionaries
- Villa/Zapata vs Carranza/Obregon
Oct 1914 Convention of Aguascalientes
Zapata – Plan of Ayala – land reform.
Gutierrez, Carranza’s general selected president - not Carranza
- Carranza flees to Veracruz, promises social reforms to ALL
- January 1915, Obregon’s troops hold Mexico City
Fighting amongst Revolutionaries
- Villa/Zapata vs Carranza/Obregon
Oct 1914 Convention of Aguascalientes
Zapata – Plan of Ayala – land reform.
Gutierrez, Carranza’s general selected president - not Carranza
Carranza flees to Veracruz, promises social reforms to ALL
- January 1915, Obregon’s troops hold Mexico City
1915, Woodrow Wilson acknowledges
Carranza’s ascendancy
1915, Woodrow Wilson acknowledges
Carranza’s ascendancy

10. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 8
Constitution of 1917
- Article 3 and the Church
- Articles 34 and 35
- Article 123
- Article 27
Caranza calls for convention in fall of 1916
First draft didn’t include agrarian reform
Radical left wingers created commission to revise Carranza’s first draft to include radicals ideas
Article 3 restricted the churches control of education
Articles 34 and 35 dealt with citizenship and voting rights
Article 123 dealt with women’s labor rights
Article 27, dealt with property rights
Ultimately the constitution weakened the power of the church, weakened the latifundio, and the operations of foreign capital in Mexico
Asuncion Ocotlan Church
“Fruits of Labor” Diego Rivera
Hermila Galido de Topete – Women’s equality leader

11. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 9
Carranza’s Presidency
- May 1, 1915
- Independent judiciary
- Land reform
- What to do about Villa and Zapata?
- "Red Battalions"
First was head of pre-constitutional government after Huerta
Carranza formally took charge of the executive branch on May 1, 1915
Introduced reforms to ensure an independent judiciary for Mexico
Forms a plan to return some land (formally public land) to villages
Reality very little returned
What to do about Villa and Zapata? - February 1915, the Constitutionalist Army signed an agreement with the Casa del Obrero Mundial “House of the World Worker” (Large labor union)
six "Red Battalions" of workers formed to fight alongside the Constitutionalists against Villa and Zapata
after the defeat of Villa and Zapata, relations between Carranza and organized labor soured
January 1916, the Red Battalions were dissolved

12. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 10
Carranza’s Presidency
August 1916, the Casa del Obrero Mudial
forcibly disbanded
- Did not implement reform articles of constitution
- Foreign policy
- Zapata killed April10, 1919
August 1916, the Casa del Obrero Mudial forcibly disbanded by the police
September 1916, Carranza called for a Constitutional Convention
In May 1917, Carranza became the constitutional President of Mexico
Did not implement reform articles of constitution
Returned land to Hacendados, gave to friends…widespread corruption
Ignore free public education
Shut down Casa del obrero mundial
Foreign policy
Refused to guarantee that article 27 would not be used against foreigners
Neutral in WWI
Demand independent political position in W Hemisphere
Continuing struggle: Zapata: killed by treachery April10, 1919.

13. The Revolution and its Leaders (1910-17) 11
Election of 1920
- Puts forth Ignacio Bonillas as successor
- Obregon calls for Carranza to be removed
- Carranza flees
- Adolfo de la Huerta becomes prov. Pres.
- Obregon’s election is certain outcome
- Reconstruction can begin
Election of 1920: No re-election clause
Puts forth Ignacio Bonillas as successor, manipulate the system to ensure election.
Obregon with support of labor party calls for Caranzza to be removed, institute provisional president. Quick coup shows unpopularity of Caranzza
May, Caranzza runs away with 5 million pesos. Slain in the mountains on May 21
Adolfo de la Huerta, General of Liberal Constitutionalist Army becomes prov. Pres. Obregon’s election is certain outcome.
Zapatists promised agrarian reform. Villa given Hacienda as thanks for his support. Assassinated in 1923.
Now reconstruction can begin.
million pop loss since 1910.
Constitution as blueprint
A generation of men who lust for power and wealth as result of war and military experience.
Ignacio Bonillas
Adolfo de la Huerta
Álvaro Obregón