Mexican War of Independence: Part IFather Hidalgo’s March of 1810
In the early 1800’s there were 5 types of people: At the top were those that were
born in Spain and came to New Spain (Mexico); they were the most powerful, even
though they had fewest people. Next were the creoles, they were people of Spanish blood
that had been born in the colony. Next were the mestizos, they were people of mixed
blood – Spanish/Native American. Next were the Native Americans, and finally were
the slaves . The people that were from Spain had the most power, and the creoles had
some power - - the rest had none, even though they had the most people..
Father Hidalgo
A man named Father Miguel Hidalgo, a Catholic priest is the man that started the
movement for independence from the Spanish. He was a priest in the small town of
Dolores, New Spain. When he first arrived in 1803, he could not believe how poor the
people were there. All of the people there worked in the mines, they were all Native
Americans and mestizos. He convinced them to plant olives and grapes in the fertile soil
of the fields that surrounded the town to make more money.
However, when the Spanish found out that the people were planting grapes and
olives, they cut down and burned all of the fields. When Father Hidalgo asked the
Spanish why they did this, the Spanish told him that grapes and olives were grown in
Spain, and that if the people of Dolores wanted them they would have to buy them from
the Spanish, at a much higher price of course. Father Hidalgo realized that the people of
New Spain would never be able to stop being so poor as long as the Spanish were in
control.
In 1810, he climbed the steps of the church in Dolores and gave a famous speech
called “The Cry of Dolores”. He convinced the Native Americans and mestizos to fight
for independence from Spain. He began a march towards Mexico City, along the way
people from all over joined his march. They brought with them weapons from their
farms and mines and killed all of the Spanish they saw along the way.
When they arrived in Mexico City, Father Hidalgo’s army had grown to 90,000
people, mostly Native Americans and mestizos. They greatly outnumbered the 6,000
Spanish troops defending the city, but the Spanish had rifles and cannons and scared the
army away. The Spanish eventually caught Father Hidalgo and killed him. They put his
head in a cage to scare away others from trying to gain independence.
Even though Father Hidalgo’s march did not end in independence, it was clear
that many people of New Spain wanted independence, and that Father Hidalgo’s march
was not the end of the fight… just the beginning.
1.) What do you think was unfair about who had all of the power in the colony of New
Spain? Explain.
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2.) The Spanish would not allow the people of Dolores to grow their own olives and
grapes because they wanted the colonists to buy those things from them at a higher price.
Compare this economic system to what the British did to the 13 colonies.
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3.) From what you read, do you think that Father Hidalgo’s march was a failure or a
success? Explain.
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