9781422275764

republic formed under constitutional rule; Guerrero went on to serve as the republic’s second president. Even at this early stage of democracy, political conflict sprang up between conservative and liberal groups, weakening and dividing the young country. Conservatives, mostly Creoles, wished for a strong central government and the maintenance of traditional privileges. Meanwhile, liberals wanted decentralization of the government, less influence from the Catholic Church, and social reforms intended to promotemore equality among free peoples. As in most democratic republics around the world, this tug-of-war between liberals and conservatives persists to this day, shaping modern politics. Santa Anna assumed the presidency in 1833 and remained in power for over 20 years. Political turmoil and foreign wars depleted Mexico’s economic resources and military strength during this time. Some conflicts, such as the war for the independence of Texas in 1836 and the Mexican War with the United States from 1846 to 1848, vastly reduced the size of Mexico’s territory. Santa Anna was exiled in 1855, and the liberal Zapotec leader, Benito Juárez, took over. Juárez worked to reframe the Constitution in 1857, limiting the power of the army and the Catholic Church. The new Constitution also recog- nized civil marriages and called for a number of freedoms for citizens, including freedom of speech, assembly, and the press. Conservatives opposed the new Constitution, and a three-year civil war bankrupted Mexico and forced Juárez to stop repaying debts owed to France, Britain, and Spain in 1861. All three European countries subsequently sent troops to Mexico. Britain and Spain withdrew their forces soon after, but French troops re- mained. France’s emperor, Napoleon III, took the opportunity to establish a French monarchy in Mexico, ordering an invasion in 1862. The French were defeated at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, but the Mexican army, despite being bolstered by this early victory, could not hold off the French.Mexico City was captured, andMexican forces scattered, resorting to guerilla warfare against the French. The monarch put on the throne of Mexico, Archduke Maximilian of Austria, tried to rule with benevolence but proved weak.The United States pressured Napoleon III to withdraw troops from Mexico in 1866, leaving Maximilian to fend for himself. He was captured and executed by Mexican republican forces in 1867. Juárez resumed his role as president of the Mexican republic and immediately set to work improving the country’s infrastructure and establishing the foundations of industry. He also introduced public ed- ucation institutions, providing access to education for many mestizos and Amerindians.

Nations in the News:

12