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Madero nominated for elections
At a convention of anti-reelection clubs, which publicly denounced Diaz's return to power as well as the coming of a violent revolution, officially nominated Fransicso Madero as a presidential candidate. -
Porfirio Diaz is reelected
Porifirio Diaz wins presidency through a rigged election; he is generally unpopular. -
Madero flees Mexico
Jailed by Diaz, Madero escapes to San Antonio, Texas, after paying bail. -
Orozco defeats federal troops
After Diaz's reelection, Pascual Orozco, a so-called Maderista, gathered a rebel army and jointly with Pancho Villa attacked federal troops in several smaller battles in the northern state of Chihuahua. -
Plan of San Luis Potosí
Upon his return, Francisco Madero issues the "Plan of San Luis Potosí," calling for citizens to overthrow the Diaz administration and advocating democracy. The document marks the official beginning of the war, even though fighting had commenced long ago. -
Orozco rebels against Madero administration
Orozco, previous ally of Madero, takes a federal army of 6,000 men and begins a rebellion against the president. -
Treaty of Juarez
Madero and Diaz sign the treaty, which revokes Diaz's power as president, and establishes de la Barra, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs, as the Provisional President. -
Diaz resigns; goes into exile
After his resignation, Diaz departs for Paris from Veracruz. Madero doesn't take office until officially elected; Vice President Francisco de La Barra holds office in the meantime. -
Madero is inaugurated
After winning the elections, Madero is inaugurated "midst cheering crowds" - Pittsburgh Press -
Plan of Ayala
Emiliano Zapata issues the Plan of Ayala, in which he denounces the president, Francisco Madero, for acts of betrayal to the revolutionary ideas previously stated in Madero's Plan de San Luis. The Plan of Ayala rejected Madero as president, and called for the institution of Orozco as the new leader; it also wished to give lands back to the townspeople, as opposed to holding them in hacendados. -
Villa raises his own army
Orozco threatens Villa to get him to join his rebellion force, but Villa flees Chihuahua instead, and sets up his own forces. -
Villa takes Parral
Villa seizes northern city of Parral from troops led by Orozco, who takes it back 11 days later. -
Villa pardoned by Madero
Villa, who had recently joined forces with Madero's field commander, Victoriano Huerta, is arrested and sentenced to be shot for insubordination. He is, however, spared by Madero, and instead sent to jail at Santiago Tlatelolco in Mexico City. -
"Ten Tragic Days"
Over the course of ten days, starting on the 9th, a part of Madero's forces rebel against the president. Led by newly-freed Felix Diaz and Bernardo Reyes, an army of approximately 600 men attack the area of downtown Mexico City and inflict damage upon innocent civilians, unsuspecting soldiers and buildings. Thousands of standers-by were injured. Victoriano Huerta is sent to quell the rebellion. It officially ends on the 18th. -
Victoriano Huerta assumes presidency
The Pact of the Embassy, agreed upon by Felix Diaz and Huerta in the office of Henry Lane Wilson, consipred against Madero; the two agree to install Huerta as the new president. An announcement of this agreement on the 18th of February saw to the end of the fighting of the "Ten Tragic Days." -
Madero is executed
Along with his Vice President, José Pino Suárez, prisoner Madero is shot while being transported from one prison to another. Officially, the pair was accidentally killed during a rescue attempt; unofficially, Huerta ordered his troops to kill them.
Two days later, the two are buried. -
Wilson assumes US office
In the United States, Woodrow Wilson becomes the 28th president. -
Villa returns to Mexico; gathers army
Upon learning of Madero's death, Pancho Villa retunrs to Mexico, gathering troops on his way to San Andres. -
Plan of Guadalupe
The Plan of Guadalupe, drafted and proposed by Venustiano Carranza, accused Huerta of restoring a dictatorship and, in killing the in killing the previous leader, committed treason. Carranza declares that it is his duty to act as "First Chief of the Constitutionalist Army" and therefore he should rightfully succeed Madero. Pancho Villa, Felipe Angeles, Alvaro Obregon and Felipe Angeles are advocates of the document. -
The Battle of Jonacatepec
Emiliano Zapata, who wants to restore lands to the wronged peasants, attacks the city of Jonacatepec. A skilled guerrilla leader, he captures Jonacatepec after 36 hours of fighting and takes what weapons and ammunition he can find. He also takes opposing General Higinio Aguilar as prisoner; Aguilar later joins Zapata. -
Amendment to Play of Ayala
Zapata labels Huerta as an “usurper and unworthy to be the president of the Mexican Republic” in his addition to the original Plan. On the same day, Zapata becomes the official leader of the army opposing the president. -
Battle of Avilés
In the two-and-a-half hour Battle of Avilés between Villa and the federal army, the town is lost to the rebels. -
Battle of Torreón
During the three days of the Battle of Torreón, Villa’s army, Division of the North, of 8,000 fights the federal forces of 3,000 well-trained and well-equipped men. -
Villa becomes governor
Villa becomes a civil governor for the first time; he runs newly-acquired Torreón. -
Huerta dissolves Congress
Huerta’s second coup takes place during a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce in the capital. As his army takes 110 congressmen prisoner, the president assumes dictatorial powers. -
Zapata's "Victory Approaches"
In the manifesto “Victory Approaches,” Zapata recognizes the desire to unify the main rebel armies in the north, as well as the wish for their revolution to receive recognition by their neighbor, the United States. -
Huerta wins presidential elections
Bogus presidential elections are held. With the help of soldiers in Congress, Huerta emerges as president, even though he wasn’t an official candidate. -
Villa attempts to capture Chihuahua City
Villa’s attempt to take over Chihuahua City is thwarted by federal troops. -
Juarez falls to Villa
After three gruesome, yet inconclusive, days of battle, Villa is finally able to capture Juarez. He captures a coal train and takes 3,000 prisoners in the process. -
Battle of Tierra Blanca
After a series of mini-battles in the town of Tierra Blanca (just 35 miles south of Juarez) and the death of 1,000 federal troops, the enemy flees and Villa defeats General Jose Ines Salvador. -
Villa captures Chihuahua City
Villa’s Division of the North takes over Chihuahua City. -
Battle of Ojinaga – Villa wins
After his defeat, Salvador Mercado and his army escape across the Rio Grande to Texas. -
Villa re-attempts Torreón
Villa, alongside his right-hand man, General Felipe Angeles, attempt to recapture the city of Torreón, which the federal army had been able to reoccupy. -
Battle of Gómez Palacio
During the four days of the Battle of Gómez Palacio, Villa captures the city of Gómez Palacio, in the state of Durango. 1,000 men are left dead and 3,000 wounded. -
Zapata obtains Chilpancingo
Meanwhile, the town of Chilpancingo falls to leader Emiliano Zapata. -
Second Battle of Torreón
From March 26 to April 2nd, the two sides fight for the city of Torreón once again. Villa is victorious. -
American sailors are detained
The famed event in which American marines are detained occurs today. In the port of Tampico, sailors aboard the USS Dolphin are detained by Pablo González for half an hour. Even though he escorts them back to their boat and apologizes profusely, both the Admiral and the US President demand a more formal apology: they require that the US flag be raised and accompanied by a 21 gun salute. Huerta refuses, angering Wilson further. -
Wilson orders fleet to Tampico
Sure enough, Wilson sends the remainder of the US Atlantic Fleet to Tampico. -
Veracruz Incident
April 21st marks the beginning of an American occupation that is to last until November 14th. In what is known as the Veracruz Incident, American troops remain in the port of Veracruz. During the initial capturing, 19 people are killed, and 70 wounded. Overall, hundreds of Mexicans are injured. -
Villa resigns from Carranza's army
As a result of a falling-out back in March, Villa resigns from his position in Carranza’s revolutionary army. Carranza is pleased, and asks his generals to replace him; however, the next day, his armies announce that they aren’t happy with Villa’s resignation. -
Battle of Zacatecas
Tensions between Villa and Carranza continue to rise when Villa attacks Zacatecas, his long-time objective. In response, Carranza doesn’t allow supplies of coal and ammunition to reach Villa. -
Peace conference
During a peace conference in Torreon, Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata meet and discuss issues. -
Guadalajara is captured!
Working under Carranza, military commander Alvaro Obregón captures Guadalajara. -
Huerta resigns; flees to Spain
Huerta submits his resignation as provisional president to the Chamber of Deputies and flees Mexico, going into exile in Spain. -
Zapata advances on Milpa Alta
Although Huerta resigned, Zapata continues to attack. He moves on Milpa Alta, a town which he captures two days later. -
Ratification to the Plan of Ayala
Zapata changes the Plan of Ayala to declare that the revolutionary campaign shall not end until all members of the old regime are removed from the government, and replaced by leaders devoted to the Plan. -
Federal army is handed over to Obregón
Obregón is afforded complete control of the federal army by the War Department at Teoloyucan. -
Federal army is disbanded
Obregón officially disbands the Federal Army as stated in the Treaty of Teoloyucan. -
Villa speaks at Press Conference
At a press conference, Villa declares that he will retire if Carranza would as well. -
Carranza writes about retiring
In a letter, Carranza writes that he will only retire if both Zapata and Villa retire as well. -
Eulalio Gutiérrez is elected president
In Carranza versus Eulalio Gutiérrez, the latter is elected president by the anti-Carranza members of the Convention. -
Villa and Zapata collaborate
Zapata and Villa’s first meeting is remembered even today. They agree to cooperate and work together to dispose of Carranza. A joint-occupation of Mexico City is scheduled for December 6th. Together, they have about 60,000 men. While the two don’t meet ever again, they maintain correspondence regarding the movement of “the enemy.” -
Plan of Guadalupe
Carranza issues a decree revising the Plan of Guadalupe to include land reform, electoral reform, workers' rights. -
Obregón vs. Villa
Obregón begins a campaign against Villa's forces. -
Roque González Garza succeeds Gutiérrez
Upon realizing that he has managed to anger all the revolutionaries, Interim President Gutiérrez flees from the capital and remains in a small village named Doctor Arroyo. Confusion sets in when 29 year old Roque González Garza is named political leader. -
1st meeting of the Revolutionary Convention
The Revolutionary Convention has its first session in Cuernavaca. -
President Garza attempts to resign
President Garza wishes to resign, but members of the Convetion persuade him to stay. -
Villa suffers defeat
Villa suffers his first major defeat at the hands of Obregón in Celaya, near Queretaro. After two battles at the same place, Villa suffered losses in the form of 32 cannons, 51 rifles and 1,000 horses gone, and 3,000 dead soldiers as well as 6,000 disappeared men (allegedly taken prisoner). (April 4-15) -
Villa suffers second defeat
In his second major defeat, Villa loses the Battle of Leon, which had been raging since the end of April. Villa doesn’t give up, and goes to Chihuahua to plan. It is debated whether Obregón lost his right arm during this battle, on the 3rd of June, or much earlier, on the 3rd of April. -
Cházaro succeeds Garza
President Garza is replaced by Francisco Lagos Cházaro, who had been the governor of Veracruz. -
Carranza assumes some form of power
Carranza moves to live in the National Palace. -
US & other nations recognize Carranza administration
The Carranza government is officially The United States and six Latin American nations recognize the Carranza government. -
Massacre at Santa Isabel, Chihuahua
Infamously, Villa raids a train which runs from Chihuahua City to the Cusi mines, at Santa Isabel, and his men kill seventeen American miners aboard. -
Huerta dies
Huerta passes away in El Paso, Texas. -
Villa attacks Columbus, NM
During another raid, Villistas attack a US garrison in Columbus, New Mexico, which contained approximately 600 men. Apparently, about nineteen Americans were killed, while around 100 of Villa’s men died. -
US troops pursue Villa
Infuriated, President Wilson orders Brigadier General John J. Pershingto cross the Mexican border at Columbus and, which 10,000 US soldiers, pursue Villa. -
Victory at Morelos
The campaign in Morelos is declared as victorious when General Pablo González Garza writes to Alvaro Obregón, who is Carranza's War Secretary. Throughout May, the federal army exiles about 1,300 Morelenes and sends them north. -
Pablo Garza rampages through Tlatizapán
In the village of Tlatizapán, during the middle of June, General Pablo González Garza raped, pillaged and had 286 people, including 112 women and 42 children, executed. In September, he isn’t quite finished. He retunrs to Tlaltizapán and has another 180 citizens killed. -
Battle of Xochimilco
In one of the heaviest battles that year, Zapata and his army attack a Xochimilco pumping station which supplies Mexico City with water. -
Radical new constitution
Carranza announces a new constitution, the Mexican Constitution of 1917. Before it had been the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857. The new constitution (of 1917) is still in effect today. -
Venustiano Carranza is elected president
Elections, held in every state except Morelos, declare Carranza as the new official president of Mexico. -
Carranza is inaugurated
After the fair elections, Carranza is inaugurated as president of Mexico. -
Zapata is assassinated
Emiliano Zapata is assassinated at Chinameca on orders of Carranza. -
Obregón rebels against Carranza
Obregón announces another manifesto that declares a rebellion against Carranza. -
Carranza flees Mexico
During his escape, he abandons his train on May 14. -
Carranza is killed
In the village of Tlaxcalantongo, Puebla, Carranza is assassinated. -
Adolfo de la Huerta is provisional president.
To replace the recently deceased Carranza, Adolfo de la Huerta is inaugurated provisional president. -
Obregón becomes president
At last, Obregón is elected president, and is inaugurated on November 30.
