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Porfirio Diaz's Regime
Porfirio Diaz had been the President of Mexico from 1876 up until 1911, and in that timespan had tried to modernize Mexico's economy by inviting foreign investors, especially the US, to take part in the rich resources Mexico had to offer. Social peace was prevalent, but death rates, poor housing, unemployment, and homelessness seemed to be the cost for that peace. The regime was strict, operating under the slogan "Pan o Palo," or "Bread or the club," leaving little room for peaceful resolution. -
Francisco Madero Steps in
Francisco Madero is released from prison by Diaz, who didn't view him as a significant threat to his continued rule. He was originally imprisoned because of his desire to actively run against Diaz in the upcoming presidential election, and end his presidential streak that was approaching its 7th term. Madero flees across the border into the US for a short time. -
Plan of San Luis Potosi
While Madero was in the US, he drafted the Plan of San Luis Potosi in San Antonio, Texas, which pointed out the rigged and fradulent nature of Diaz's election, as well as his past elections, and called for a mass uprising on Nov. 20th, 1910. -
Revolution Breaks Out
Madero's call for uprising is answered by a country willing to fight for change. Pascual Orozco and Pancho Villa, both revolutionary military leaders, launch an uprising in the Northern state of Chihuahua, while other revolutionary figures like Emiliano Zapata launch their own rebellions in the South, all fighting for separate but equal reasons, including agrarian, social, and political reform. -
Diaz Steps Down
After multiple defeats of the out of practice federal military at the hands of the rebel troops of Orozco, Zapata, and Villa, Porfirio Diaz finally agreed to step down from his long-held position as president, and he was exiled and quickly fled to Europe. He died in Paris, France, 4 years later. -
Madero Becomes President
Madero enters Mexico City after Diaz is exiled, and wins the presidential election by a landslide, in a ligitimate election. He promises land and social reform, but is slow to deliver, and his support of the hacienda system loses him major liberal support. He does does better the education system, but not much changes from how things worked under the Diaz govt, leaving some revolutionaries upset. -
The Plan de Ayala
Zapata grows tired of waiting for the agrarian reforms promised by Madero when he became president, and proclaims the Plan of Ayala, which details his plan to forceably reclaim hacienda lands from their wealthy owners and redistribute them to poor farm workers. Madero then faces pressure from the haciendados, who want Zapata put down before he causes them problems. -
Orozco Rebels Against Madero
Orozco became angered by the fact that Madero refused to recognize his efforts during the rebellio against Diaz to his expectations, as well as his failure to go through with the social reforms he proposed at the beginning of his presidency. Orozco resigned from the federal govt, and raises a rebellion against Madero, and Madero responds by turning to Victoriano Huerta to deal with Orozco and his forces. -
Huerta Puts Down the Secondary Rebellion
Orozco sends a train equippped with explosives to crash into a federal train full of soldiers, beginnig his rebellion against Madero. Huerta ends up capturing Pancho Villa, who is also rebelling against Madero, and almost sends him to death by firing squad before Madero amends it to imprisonment for life. Huerta is able to put down Orozco's rebellion by defeating his forces, and seizing Ciudad Juarez. Orozco is forced to flee to the US. -
La Decena Tragica
"The Ten Tragic Days" involved a mutiny against Madero which was organized by two generals, Ruiz and Mondragon, that lasted from Feb. 9th to the 19th. Felix Diaz, Porfirio's nephew, was freed from prison, but died during the initial assault on the Presidential Palace. Huerta is able to put down this uprising as well, which led Madero to appoint Huerta to commander of the entire federal military. -
Madero is Murdered
Huerta ordered the murders of Madero and his vice president, with the possible aid of US Ambassador Henry Wilson, who was involved with the coup d' etat against Madero. Huerta's regime ends up becoming more harsh and violent than Diaz's was, and much of the country is in distress. -
Carranza Steps Out Against Huerta
Venustiano Carranza, the Gov of Coahuila, announces his Plan of Guadalupe, which condemned Huerta to the murders of Madero and his vice president, and called for the nation to rally against him. Zapata and Villa take up arms with Carranza against Huerta as well, along with military general Alvaro Obregon. -
The Tampico Affair
In the oil town of Tampico, US sailors were ashore getting supplies when they were detained by Huerta's forces who were there fighting Carranza's forces who were nearing the town. The US Sailors were released soon after, but the commander of the US ship demanded a formal apology and the raising of an American flag along with a 21 gun salute. Huerta's forces refused, and US pres. Wilson ordered a fleet of US troops to be sent to Veracruz. -
Carranza Becomes President
Obregon's army, after the successful defeat of Huerta, enters Mexico City with Carranza, who is soon appointed President. During the Constitutional Convention of Aguascalientes, Eulalio Guiterrez is named as an interim president, but Carranza refuses to accpet that and essentially becomes a rebel. Villa and Zapata declare war on him. -
Villa's Assault on US Soil
Villa and his men raid the town of Columbus, New Mexico, in an attempt to get the US involved again in the Mexican Revolution. Because they assisted in the deposition of Huerta, Villa held out the hope that if he could get them involved again, they could help put Carranza out of power. -
Obregon Becomes President
Carranza is unable to run for reelection because of the "No Reelection Policy," and Obregon declares he will be running for president. Carranza puts his support behind someone he believes will become his puppet, and begins harrassing Obregon and his supporters, which leads Obregon to declare a rebellion against him. He had many supporters, and Carranza ends up fleeing with the entire treasury, but is killed before he escapes Mexico. The large-scale fighting of the Revolution is basically over.
