The Mexican RevolutionThere was a huge revolution in the country of Mexico starting in 1910, led by Porfirio Diaz, president of Mexico in 1910. In the 1860s Diaz was important for Mexican politics and then was elected president in 1877. Diaz said he would only be president for one year and then resign, but after four years he was re-elected president of Mexico. Porfirio Diaz and the Mexican Revolution had a huge impact on the country of Mexico, which is still felt today in some places. The first beginning of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 came one hundred years earlier when two priests, Miguel Hidalgo and Jose Morelos, led an opposition to the Spanish colonial officials who controlled Mexico at the time. On September 16, 1810, Hidalgo led the Indians of Mexico in a revolution directed against Spanish plantation owners in northern Mexico. He was motivated by the need for a new government and a relocation of the lands of both the church and the plantation owners. Hidalgo and the Indians, armed only with agricultural tools and weapons, marched towards Mexico City. While Hidalgo was marching towards Mexico City, Jose Morelos organized an attack force and began raiding Spanish plantations and cities. Hidalgo's army was defeated in 1811 and he was executed. Jose Morelos took control of the revolution and led the attacks until the Spanish captured and killed him in 1815. When Morelos died, so did the revolution of 1810. (www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mexicanrev.htm, Encarta 98) In 1876, Porfirio Diaz, an Indian general in the Mexican Army took control of the nation and continued to be elected until 1910. This new era was also one-sided and began the Mexican Revolution. The government ultimately allowed Mexico to fall into a dictatorship that gave way to a new powerful upper class. When Diaz came to power he had high hopes for Mexico's future and established a stable government that rid the nation of crime. The quality of life has improved in towns and cities. The way government worked was expanded when Diaz sent his strong governors into rural areas. The army was strengthened by using more professional methods of training soldiers. From this way of training was born a military police force called Rurales composed of thousands of soldiers. This police force maintained order and enforced the laws of Diazs. Even Diaz with......middle of paper......n Morelos. Zapata secured the city and then cut the road to Mexico City. A week later Diaz realized he was in trouble and fled Mexico for Europe. After leaving a provisional president and a large army led by General Victoriano Huerta. Soon after Diaz left Mexico, Zapata took Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos, and then went to Mexico City where he met Madero, where he was declared president. The victory, however, was only the beginning of the problems that were to come in Mexico. (www.tamu.edu.htm, Encarta 98) Although the Mexican Revolution ended shortly after, Mexico is still struggling to gain its rights from the government. Even today the Mexican army kills their own people and then takes over their lands, just like the government did in the 1800s. This is just the beginning of another revolution in Mexico. Porfirio Diaz and the Mexican Revolution had a huge impact on the country of Mexico that is still felt today in some places. Work cited Page1. www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mexicanrev.htm, Wallace L. Mckeehan 19972. Encarta 98, The Mexican Revolution. Don M. Coerver.3. www.eh.net/AEH/archived/0200.html. Gomez-Galvarriato, Aurora 1997