When Did Mexico Gain Independence?

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, revolution was in the air in Mexico. The United States declared its independence from its colonizer, England, in 1776, and won the struggle in 1783. France’s people revolted against the aristocracy, resulting in the first French Revolution in 1789 and continuing through 1799. The people of Mexico were colonized by Spain, and, by 1800, had been living under Spanish rule for 300 years. The treatment of people across ethnic lines and social classes was highly-structured, but unjust. Native-born peoples were denied leadership and property rights, yet leaders imported from Spain enjoyed wealth, homes, and power. The time had come for a change.

On August 24, 1821, the treaty was signed and Mexico was an independent nation under Colonel Agustin de Iturbide leadership as emperor; however, it had taken over twenty years to fully achieve the victory of independence from Spain.

Beginning the Fight for Mexican Independence

In the predawn hours of September 16, 1810, a Catholic priest who was also a Creole ordered the arrest of the Spanish people who lived in the town of Dolores. The priest’s name was Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. He rang the church’s bell to call the people to assembly. When the people arrived, he announced that revolution was starting. The people of Mexico would revolt against Spain. The announcement has come to be known as “El Grito de Dolores,” and it is reenacted through Mexico every September 15 and 16, the celebration of Mexican independence.

Hidalgo led the Mexican army for less than six months before he and some of the army were captured in the Battle of the Bridge of Calderon. By July of 1811, Hidalgo was executed, and his head was displayed as a deterrent to other Mexican rebels.  Rather than scare away the fighters, the execution of Hidalgo energized the rebels.

Leadership of the rebel army was taken up by Jose Maria Morelos. Under his command, Oaxaca and Acapulco were occupied by the revolutionary army, and leaders of revolution-friendly regions convened at the Congress of Chilpacingo.

Establishing the Mexican Declaration of Independence

On November 6, 1813, Mexico had declared independence when their Congress signed the Mexican Declaration of Independence, called the Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of North America. The document outlined a three-branched government that included executive, judicial, and legislative offices. The Congress decided to confiscate property belonging to Spaniards, but they also did away with slavery and the widely-used by derogatory class differentiations and labels. 

They selected the term “American” to represent all people born in Mexico regardless of ethnicity or other class distinction. During the meeting of the Congress, the leaders offered Jose Maria Morelos the title Generalissimo, but he wanted to be addressed as Servant of the Nation. Sadly, Morelos was captured by the local Spanish leadership, and executed for treason on December 22, 1813. Mexico endured many more years of fighting, and the revolution had stalled.

Spain Fights the Guarantees for Independence

Spain seized the opportunity to put down the rebellion in December 1820. They sent Colonel Agustin de Iturbide to fight the rebel armies. The assignment fell in conjunction with a coup against King Ferdinand VII of Spain. Iturbide’s assignment and the King’s removal led Iturbide to adopt the revolutionary ideas and meet with the leaders of the rebellion.

Iturbide recognized three principles, called "Guarantees," for Mexican independence:

• Mexico would be an independent monarchy governed by Ferdinand.
• All people would be given equal rights.
• The national religion would be Roman Catholicism.

Iturbide convinced his troops and the rebel troops to join together, and they enacted the Three Guarantees that led to independence.

Reasons for Mexico's Fight for Independence

Spain governed without much participation from native-born people in Mexico. Even Spaniards that were born in Mexico (referred to as Creoles) generally did not hold high political office. Those positions were filled by transplants from Spain. They also wanted to protect the Spanish monarchical line when Napoleon invaded Spain in 1807, but Spain rejected the idea. By 1810, the Creoles, Amerindians, and mestizos (people with Spanish and Amerindian ancestry) banded together to fight for their independence. The struggle would last until 1821.