Texas History
Fort Burrows
4.4 - Mexican Independence
READ pgs 97-99
Main Idea:
In New Spain, the dream of an Independent Mexico united opposing forces. The nation of
Mexico was born.
Vocabulary:
republic- a society where citizens elect representatives to make laws
conservatives – people that want to limit new changes and keep their old ways
Setting the Scene:
To free their land from Spanish rule, Mexicans had to work together. In 1821, Agustin de
Iturbide ( a soldier ) and Vincente Guerrero ( a rebel ) brought powerful Mexican groups together
under the ‘Plan of Iguala’, which was a compromise between the peninsulares and criollos classes of
people.
Four Articles of The Plan of Iguala:
Article 1 – The Mexican nation is independent of the Spanish nation and of every
other nation, even on its own continent
Article 2 – Its religion shall be Catholic, which all its inhabitants profess
Article 3 – They shall be all united, without any distinction between Americans
(criollos) and Europeans (peninsulares)
Article 4 – The government shall be a constitutional monarchy
Mexico Works for Independence
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In 1814 a priest named José María Morelos y Pavón issued a declaration of independence for
Mexico from Spain
In 1814, Morelos y Pavón led a movement for freedom from Spain; drew up plans for a
Mexican republic
He won control of large areas of Southern New Spain
Most of his supporters were people from the lower classes
He was killed by government forces in 1815
It would be several years before Mexico’s rebel spirits would rise again
Spanish Events Influence Mexico
Peace in Spain
People rose up against King
 When French troops were driven from Spain, King
Ferdinand and demanded
Ferdinand IV took back his throne
representation in the
 For several years, people in New Spain seemed
government
willing to accept the old ways of royal rule
 He agreed and accepted the
 In 1816, the king cancelled the Constitution of 1812
Constitution of 1812
 That constitution limited his power and gave rights
 He became king again and took back
to the Spanish people
his promise and disregarded the
people’s Constitution
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Texas History
Fort Burrows
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Changes in Spain
Because of these changes,
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the upper class in Mexico
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feared that they too would
lose power
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They wanted Spain to leave 
them alone so they could
rule Mexico how they
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wanted
Spanish people demanded the return of the constitution
This forced the king to accept a new system of government in
Spain
Now, some of the power rested with the people
The upper classes in New Spain worried what would happen
if the common people gained too much power
These conservatives wanted to limit changes and keep the old
ways
Independent Mexico
The Plan of Iguala
 The conservatives’ leader, Agustín de Iturbide and rebel leader
Vicente R Guerrero agreed on the Plan of Iguala in 1821
 Mexico would become an independent nation
 Peninsulares (upper-class) and criollos (middle-class) joined together and would be equal to
declare their independence
 The Catholic Church would keep its power
 With this plan, Spain lost control of New Spain
 On August 24, 1821, the Treaty of Córdoba made Mexico an independent nation
Issues to Face
 The main issue that faced Mexico now was how to deal with the Texas territory and the United
States
 Their problem was once again to the North
1. What characteristic fits conservatives ?
A. they like to make changes
C. they rebel against existing rules
B. they don’t like changes and prefer the old ways
D. they will try anything once
2. What did the Treaty of Córdoba do ?
A. it made criollos and peninsulares equal
C. it gave more power to the people of Spain
B. it ended the mission-presidio system
D. it made Mexico an independent nation
3. How did Father Pavón keep the dream of Mexican independence alive ?
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4.
How did events in Spain lead to Mexican independence ?
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5. What challenges did Mexico face after independence ?
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