The Long Nineteenth Century and Pre-Revolutionary Thoughts

How did the idea of heritage in land develop throughout the 19th century and lead up to the Revolution of 1910?

Another major event contributing to the feelings of heritage in land before the Agrarian movement gained traction was the Mexican American War. It began as an attempt to populate the Northern territory of Texas. To entice potential American immigrants, there were very few standards that had to hold up to, including being Roman Catholic and being of good moral character. Additionally, any land in Mexico could be purchased for as low as ten cents per acre, compared to $1.25 in the US.[1] There were additional enticements for any potential immigrants who purchased land, but the biggest perk that would American settlers discovered was that land in Northern Mexico was good for growing cotton. As time passed, the problems in Texas grew out of control and several laws were passed, including the emancipation proclamation of 1829. As slavery was not common throughout the rest of Mexico, it was clear the target was Texas.[2] After more laws passed that excluded Texas from decision-making in Mexican government, Texas tried to cede from Mexico and form their own country, the Lone Star Republic.

However, U.S. interests in Texas and other Northern Mexican territory caused a full-scale war to break out. The consequences would result in the U.S. gaining half of Mexican territory in exchange for $18.25 million paid to Mexico. This was known as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Additionally, the U.S. promised to protect any Mexican citizens and their property; however, the U.S. fall woefully short of its promise. [3] In the perspective of the Mexican people, it would seem as though their country welcomed American immigrants with the promise of land and economic freedom. Then the American immigrants wanted more than what the Mexican government could give, and the Americans betrayed the agreement from when they entered Mexico. The results of this treaty would further increase the fledgling resentment that Mexico held towards the U.S., which would increase in the years after the French Intervention, or the Porifirato.

For several decades – from 1822 to 1864 – there would be more than two dozen different rulers of Mexico, including those appointed by the French after their intervention in 1962. Despite the instability of the Mexican economy and government at during the first few years of the 1860s and previous decade, it would appear that many Mexicans did not appreciate the interference. It was decided by Queen Isabella II of Spain, Queen Victoria of Great Britain, and Emperor Napoleon III of France on October 31, 1961 that they would jointly occupy Mexico to collect on the debt owed to them.[4] By the middle of the next year, French troops would be the only ones left to continue the invasion. Though the French were initially defeated, they succeeded and installed a new government and proxy ruler, Ferdinand Maximilian. The response to his arrival in Veracruz was dismal and the two years he ruled had little changed in the instability of Mexico. It would not be until Porfirio Diaz, who fought in the French Intervention, assumed control in 1876 that there would be a period of relative peace and stability.[5]

During this time of instability and constant changing of government, the land of Mexico underwent some changes, aside from the reduction as a result of the Mexican American War. There was a redistribution of ‘Indians’ to some 5,000 villages across Mexico. The land of the villages was separated into different types of plots, though all were of poor quality and used communally.[6] These villages made up a small percentage of the land in Mexico, with the majority of the percentage being haciendas and Church property in 1854. Two years later the Church property was divvied up and put up for sale. However, indigenous people were stilled considered lesser at this time and were purposely withheld from any chances of obtaining any form of wealth, through land or otherwise.[7] Additionally at this time, any persons of mixed heritage would have been treated roughly the same, maybe a step above. With the redistribution of land ignoring those who could be considered peasantry and instead focusing on those who already owned land, the resentment and helplessness would contribute to the proposed plans for land reform.

With the economic instability of the 1870s and earlier decades, Porfirio Diaz had his work cut out for him when it came to industrializing Mexico. In the early years of the Porfiriato – the period of time Diaz was in control – Diaz increased the number of railroads built, as well as revived silver mining. Additionally, the discovery of oil fields drew foreign interests. However, with the loss of lands due to the railroads, there were more than fifty agrarian related protests that could be connected to a new or projected railroad. These protests, in conjunction with the renewed foreign interests, would be the formation for much of the calls for reform in the Revolution of 1910.

​

​

Full citations and bibliography can be found on the About Me page.

​

[1] Deeds, Meyer, and Sherman, The Course of Mexican History, 254.

[2] Deeds, Meyer, and Sherman, The Course of Mexican History, 254-255.

[3] Deeds, Meyer, and Sherman, The Course of Mexican History, 263-264.

[4] Deeds, Meyer, and Sherman, The Course of Mexican History, 290.

[5] Deeds, Meyer, and Sherman, The Course of Mexican History, 321.

[6] Luis González y González, “Liberals and the Land,” In The Mexico Reader: History, Culture, Politics, ed. Gilbert M. Joseph and Timothy J. Henderson (London: Duke University Press, 2002), 243.

[7] González, “Liberals and the Land,” 247.