Mexico and U.S.

Question 1

1820s - 1850s

Answer 1

US: Cotton farming expanding to Texas in 1820s

MX: economy in shambles (wars for independence - large debts; expelled all Spaniards

1823: US farmers won permission settle in Texas (with slaves)

Understanding: those admitted would become responsible citizens of MX and obey her laws

Friction developed: new settlers maintained strong attachment to their native US (oppposed MX laws)
—obligatory conversion to Catholicism and the Spanish-language only” law

Andrew JAckson: applied heavy pressure on MX to sell TX

MX clamped down - forbade importation of slaves

Question 2

Political Precursors

Answer 2

US: relative to MX, high political stability (since independence, orderly peaceful transition of power every four years)

MX: government changed hands almost every year; at least 50 presidencies between 1820-1860 (won via military coups)

1835: Mex govt sent troops to enforce Mexican law - war!

War between MX

Question 3

Polk and Manifest Destiny 1845

Answer 3

newly installed US Pres. James K. Polk - campaigned on expansionist platform - annexed TX to US (joint resolution of Congress - 28th state) - manifest destiny

Gen. Santa Anna repudiated claims of U.S. government - vowed his intention to reconquer former province

Question 4

After annexation

Answer 4

people of TX made extravagant claims about southwestern boundary - everything down to Rio Grande

Question 5

Pres. Polk sent diplomatic emissary John Sidell to MX

Answer 5

Claim area between Nueces and Rio Grande

Question 6

MX Constitutional Convention

Answer 6

attempt establish liberal democracy in 1853 - still autocratic
MX Conservatives vs Liberals
Liberal govt. installed leader: Benito Juarez (Abe Lincoln)

Question 7

1857: first step toward democratic governance: constitution - laid basis for liberal government (federalism and capitalist principles)

Answer 7

Capitalist principles: sell off Indian communal lands; prohibit worker guilds; property taxes on church land
Expanded political liberties
Separation of Church and state (remove some church privileges)

Question 8

War of the Reform (1858-1861)

Answer 8

Reformists win debts

Limit economic problems: Juarez suspended payments on MX foreign debts to Europe (Britain, France, and Spain acted quickly and condemned action - sought debt repayment)
France wanted more than debt repayment (conquest)

Question 9

5/5/1862

Answer 9

France: 65000 troops; MX 2500 troops

Question 10

Unfortunately, Cinco de Mayo a fleeting victory for MX

Answer 10

Following in Napoleon’s footsteps, Napoleon III sent 30,000 troops to conquer MX in 6//1863

Question 11

Black Flag Decree (1865)

Answer 11

Anyone caught bearing arms within a 24 hr period, will be shot on sight.
Led to execution of thousands of Mexican soldiers (Alamo moment)
US civil war had ended

Question 12

US sent thousand of tons of surplus war material along with US soldiers to fight against French rule

Answer 12

Maximilian, in turn, recruited 2,000 soldiers (former confederate soldiers)

Question 13

12/1867 Mexican electorate re-elected Juarez (back to normal)

Answer 13

His return ushered in first-extended period of Mex-US friendship since Mex independence was declared.

Question 14

Porfirio Diaz’ Opposition to Lerdo

Answer 14

Diaz opposed Tejada - no presidential reelection
pro-Diaz generals penned cartoons about Lerdo
Ex-celibate Lerdo, a young man under Jesuit eyes, was now satirized as a glutton, an erotomaniac, a nicotinmaniac, as a “great general”

Question 15

1910-2024

Answer 15

1910 Diaz mentioned he might step down

Question 16

Madero

Answer 16

A wealthy landowner; radical who opposed re-election of the president, much as Diaz himself had once advocated

Question 17

Madero put together a coalition of supporters from various opposition parties

Answer 17

Frightened Diaz, prompted Diaz to have Madero arrested and imprisoned on charges “of fomenting rebellion and insulting the President of the Republic”

Question 18

Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) similar to a civil war

Answer 18

Madero had assembled a coalition of opposition parties from different social classes to support him

Question 19

Emiliano Zapata

Answer 19

Group from the south,peasants

Wants to eliminate large land holding, redistribute the land to Zapata’s peasant supporters

Madero believed in enforcement of property rights but with a democratic government (social democrat)

Madero was a large landowner–believed in equality opportunity through public education, not structural change

Question 20

Pancho Villa

Answer 20

Led second army: lacked clear, coherent program

Believed in radical social views that attempted to nationalize large land holdings (especially in northern Mexico) and institute widespread primary school program

Pro-US early on

Question 21

Venustiano Carranza

Answer 21

Led third army (known as constitutionalists)

Less revolutionary than first two groups

Question 22

Alvaro Obregon

Answer 22

Led a fourth group from the “Northwest Group” (allied with Carranza against Villa and Zapata

Question 23

Victoriano Huerta

Answer 23

most successful in gaining power
Backed by US

Question 24

Henry Taft and Woodrow Wilson

Answer 24

Taft administration took public stand against Madero government and in staging the coup

Wanted restoration of government more sympathetic to US economic interests

US policy would change with asscension of Wilson (3/1913)

Wilson, an idealist and a moralist, was more or less concerned about the foreign investor, more about the welfare of Mexican people

Question 25

Wilson refused to recognize the Huerta government

Answer 25

no sympathy with those who seek to seize government to advance their own personal interests and ambitions

Question 26

Carranza chooses radical delegates

Answer 26

Delegates held a Constitutional Convention, which led to:

land reform

limits to poweres of the Church

labor rights–many of which had not been granted in many Western democracies

restrictions on foreign ownership of proprty

Question 27

Constitution adopted and Carranza elected President and took office (5/1917)

Answer 27

However, he had little interest in implementing radical policies

Concerned with appearance supporting interest of groups

Question 28

Obregon ushers in a relatively peaceful era

Answer 28

Does not apply foreign restrictions and is recognized by US as president

Was elected for a second term–then assassinated before taking office

Question 29

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (1928)

Answer 29

dominated and monopolized politics at the national and state and local level in Mexico until 2000

Question 30

Lazaro Cardenas

Answer 30

important changes with land reform

His govt was mobilizing and organizatin working class in labor unions; central component of his political based

Instrumental in founding Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM) in 1936

Question 31

Creation of the CTM and increase in labor activism and militancy went together with Cardenas main economic objective, namely economic nationalism

Answer 31

Beginning in 1934, serious labor troubles with oil workers that led to a major strike

(strike settled by govt arbitration)

3/1938: Supreme Court upheld Board of Arbitration decisions

Foreign companies refused to implement the decisions

Question 32

To Mexican Govt, issue of sovereignty; to oil companies, question of protection of property rights

Answer 32

Roosevelt remained faithful to Good Neighbor Policy

Leads to PMEX

Cardenas also raised spending on social programs and infrastructure

Question 33

PRI two main factors

Answer 33

dinosaurs and technocrats

Question 34

12/1944: Zedillo instituted a peso devaluation, subsequently led to the peso losing half of its vakue

Answer 34

Foreign and powerful domestic interests promptly took their capital out of Mexico; reverberations throughout hemisphere

Leads to Tequila Effect

Question 35

Tequila Effect

Answer 35

capital flight throughout LA

Divisions within PRI led to electoral defeat - political opening under Zedillo - victory for PAN (Vicente Fox) - democracy

Question 36

Mexico since 2000