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Date of Birth and background
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was born on August 8, 1879 in Anenecuilco, Mexico and died on April 10, 1919 in Morelos, Lomas de Barrillas, Mexico. He was known as a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution. He formed and commanded the Liberation Army of the South. -
Leadership
Zapata was orphaned at the age of 17. Throughout his youth years, he developed many leadership skills that later helped him be elected as the village council board president at his birth village, Anenecuilco. He campaigned for the rights of the villagers. -
Revolution Begins
Emiliano Zapata and Francisco Madero vs Porfirio Diaz. -
Revolution
Around the time of 1910, Mexican President Porfirio Diaz was being threatened by the candidacy of Francisco Madero, who lost the election to Diaz. -
Alliance
In Madero, Zapata saw an opportunity to promote land reform in Mexico, so he formed an alliance with him. in 1910, Zapata joined Madero's campaign against President Diaz, taking the role of El General Ejercito Libertador Del Sur ( liberation of the south). -
Capture of Cuautla
On May 1911, a six-day battle was happening which led to the capture of Cuautla. This battle was described as "six of the most terrible days of battle in the whole Revolution". After Diaz men withdrew, Zapata's forces took control of the town. As this battle was defeated, it is also paired with the defeat of the battle of Cuidad Juarez at the hands of Pancho Villa and Pascual Orozco. After this, Diaz realized that it was time to resigned. -
Zapata and Madero's disagreement
As Madero entered Mexico City in Victory, Zapata and Madero met up and Zapata told him to return misappropriated land to it's original landowners. Madero offered Zapata money for the land and Zapata rejected the offer. Relations between the two soured, and in the summer of 1911, madero appointed a governor who supported plantation owners' rights over those of the peasant farmers. -
Plan of Ayala
With the tensions between Zapata and Madero, Zapata proceeded to create the Plan of Ayala. This declared Madero incapable of fulfilling the initial and ongoing goals of the revolution. The plan promised to appoint a provisioned president until three could be legitimate elections and pledged to buy back a third of the (stolen) land held by the haciendas. Any hacienda the refused would have their land taken. Zapata developed the slogan "Tierra y Libertad" (" land and liberty"). -
Death of Madero
In 1913, General Victoriano Huerta assasinated Francisco Madero and Huerta took control of the country. -
Death of Zapata
Zapata died on April 10, 1919 in Morelos, Lomas de Barrillas, Mexico. To this day, he carries a legacy in Mexico for his agrarian reform movement. his followers were known as zapatismos.
