The "Porfiriato", which is what the period when General Porfirio Díaz was president of Mexico is called, lasted from 1877 to 1880 and from 1884 to 1911. Technically, it spanned from 1877 to 1911, but in 1980, it ceded power to General Manuel González , who was very close to him because he saw the discontent of the Mexican people. In that long period, there were many circumstances for which the Mexican people were simply not happy. Not only because the power was held by one person and his cronies. The new generation wanted to participate in the politics of our country because after a speech by President Díaz, they noticed that those in charge had a way of governing that was too "mature." But since all the positions were filled, something had to happen for there to be changes.
Main Characters
Porfirio Díaz
He can be considered the villain of the story since they wanted to remove him from power.
Francisco I. Madero
He created the Antireelectionist party in 1909. When his party began to gain traction, he was jailed by President Díaz. In prison, he wrote the Plan de San Luis, which was a call to arms to take the presidency from Díaz and establish fair, free, and democratic elections.
Emiliano Zapata
His ideals of "Land and Freedom" led him to proclaim, in 1911, the Plan de Ayala, a document that demanded that the owners of the haciendas return the land to the working class: the peasant.
Francisco Villa
One of the best known Mexicans, because he was always a rebel even against people with whom he fought on the same side. For example, I fight against General Huerta on Carranza's side and years later I fight against Carranza.
Venustiano Carranza
It was an integral factor in the 1917 Constitution, which we still use to this day.
Causes
Social inequality and wealth concentration.
Zero political freedom, with the same president for more than 30 years
Nor freedom of expression, since nothing could be said against the government.
The vast majority of the country was illiterate.
Much land had been taken from peasants and large estates were founded, which were large properties with few owners.
Horrible working conditions
Results
Resignation of Porfirio Díaz.
Distribution of estates.
Constitution of 1917.
Improvement of the employment situation.
Oil nationalization.
5 Fun Facts
1- "Las Soldaderas"
The role of women in the country became much more important during this period. They not only cared for wounded soldiers, but also trafficked in weapons and acted as spies.
2- Francisco Villa was a bit of a player
He was married at least 27 times and had 26 children.
3- El train tracks
One of Porfirio Díaz's biggest projects, the railway, ended up being one of the transports of the revolution.
4- Death Toll
This war left a million dead, although 300 thousand died in the war itself, the rest died from diseases such as smallpox, typhoid, malaria and Spanish influenza.
5- Al-Qaeda, the Japanese and Pancho Villa
What do these three have in common? They have been the only ones to attack the United States.