PATRIA

Key Concepts:

• Revolución Liberal (Liberal Revolution)
• Dictadura de Santana (Dictatorship of Santana)
• Constitución del 57 (Constitution of 1857)
• Guerra de Reforma (Reform War)
• Intervención Francesa (French Intervention)
• Imperio de Maximiliano (Maximilian's Empire)
• Leyes de Reforma (Reform Laws)
• Chinacos (Guerrilla fighters)
• República Itinerante (Itinerant Republic)

1. The Liberal Revolution and the Fall of Santana (1854-1867)

• The period between 1854 and 1867 was marked by significant upheaval in Mexico, including the Liberal Revolution, the fall of Santana's dictatorship, the Constitution of 1857, the Reform War, and the French Intervention.
• Antonio López de Santana, also known as "15 uñas" (15 nails), due to missing a leg and a finger, was a central figure. He was called back by conservatives and installed his eleventh presidency in 1852, declaring himself dictator in 1854.
• The consolidation of Santana's dictatorship led to a conspiracy in the state of Guerrero, with Juana Álvarez publishing a manifesto denouncing the dictatorship. Ignacio Comonfort and other military leaders joined the uprising.
• Santana reacted quickly, leading an army of 5,000 men to combat the rebels. However, the insurrection persisted, leading Santana to resign and leave a successor in the presidential office.

2. The Men of the Reform and Benito Juárez

• The men of the Reform knew that changing the country was more than just removing the dictator.
• Benito Juárez, a Zapotec-speaking orphan, became a lawyer and governor of Oaxaca. He was imprisoned and deported to New Orleans for defending communities against corrupt priests.
• In New Orleans, Juárez worked in a cigar factory and a printing press, developing a fondness for tobacco.
• After the Revolution of Ayutla, Juárez returned to Mexico, determined to build a country that was more than just the removal of a dictator.

3. The Constitution of 1857 and the War of Reform

• The Revolution of Ayutla led to Santana's exile, and the young journalist Zarco became a popular agitator, organizing masses to prevent a "gatopardo" succession (everything must change so that everything stays the same).
• The debate for the Constitution of 1857 took place in one of the halls of the palace.
• On February 5, 1857, the Constitution was read and the national sovereignty was sworn.
• In late 1857, President Ignacio Comonfort staged a coup, attempting to ignore the newly approved liberal constitution. Vice President Benito Juárez opposed the coup, leading to two governments: one conservative and one liberal, resulting in the Reform War.

4. The Economic Power of the Church and the Laws of Reform

• The Reform War was financed by the wealth of the clergy, who owned between 33% and 50% of the houses in Mexico City and charged for baptisms, funerals, and marriages.
• Generals from the Santana era, very conservative and religious, led the offensive against the Republic.
• Juárez moved to Veracruz, making it the capital of the Republic, and initiated a debate to enact more radical Reform Laws.
• The Reform Laws dismantled the economic control of the clergy, removing their role as the bank for the conservatives. These laws polarized the war.

5. Military Campaigns: Veracruz and Guadalajara

• Miramón attempted to break the Veracruz stronghold but failed due to the city's reinforced defenses and artillery.
• After Miramón's defeat in Veracruz, the liberals focused on Guadalajara, which had a strong conservative garrison led by General Castillo.
• The battle of Guadalajara was bloody, with 7,500 artillery projectiles fired and 700,000 kilos of gunpowder used. The liberals eventually took Guadalajara.

6. The Battle of Calpulalpan and the Triumph of the Republic

• The decisive confrontation of the Reform War took place in San Miguel Calpulalpan.
• González Ortega, a key figure in the liberal army, found the keys to break the conservative army.
• The battle involved 20,000 men, with the republican army slowly integrating.
• The conservatives lost 4,000 men, and Miramón retreated to Mexico City. Calpulalpan opened the door to Mexico City.
• On December 23, Juárez received the message of González Ortega's victory in Calpulalpan, marking the triumph of the Republic in the Reform War.

7. Foreign Debt and the Tripartite Intervention

• The debt originated in the Santana era with loans from English commercial houses.
• The English, Spanish, and French powers signed the London Agreements and decided to come armed to collect the debts.
• Juárez tried to mediate and managed to deactivate the alliance. The English and Spanish withdrew, but the French embarked on a colonial adventure.

8. The French Intervention and the Battle of Puebla (May 5)

• The French army, considered the best in the world, invaded Mexico.
• General Lorencez, the French general, wrote that the French had such superiority over the Mexicans in race, organization, morality, and elevation of sentiments that he was the master of Mexico with his 6,000 soldiers.
• Before the Battle of Puebla, General Zaragoza told his troops that they were facing the best army in the world but that they were the best sons of Mexico.
• Zaragoza had only two days to rebuild the defenses of the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe.
• After three unsuccessful charges, the French were forced to retreat, and the Mexicans defeated the best army in the world.

9. The Second Battle of Puebla and the Siege

• After the victory of May 5, the French retreated to Orizaba. The next chapter took place at Cerro del Borrego, where the Mexicans were defeated due to a surprise attack.
• The French used the 10-month respite to bring 35,000 men under the command of Forey to attack Puebla again.
• The second battle of Puebla was a complex siege that lasted over 60 days.
• The French decided to besiege Puebla, and the city was fortified in a hexagon of seven points.
• After two months of fighting, González Ortega surrendered the plaza due to lack of supplies and ammunition.

10. Juárez's Response and the Itinerant Republic

• After the fall of Puebla, Juárez ordered the flag to be lowered and shouted "Viva Mexico," which was echoed by 10,000 people.
• Juárez stated that if a fort was taken, others would remain, and if all was lost, the tombs would be the homeland.
• The Republic continued to exist while the carriage of Juárez kept rolling.

11. Maximilian's Empire and the French Withdrawal

• Mexican conservatives conspired to create a monarchy in Mexico with a European emperor.
• Napoleon III saw the possibility of creating a puppet government in Mexico.
• Maximilian and Carlota were offered the crown in Mexico.
• Juárez continued his journey north, establishing the new capital of the Republic in Paso del Norte.
• The French abandoned Mexico after a long war of resistance.

12. The Fall of Maximilian's Empire and His Execution

• After the French withdrawal, the focus shifted to defeating Maximilian's empire.
• Maximilian decided to personally lead the army to Querétaro.
• The battle was a siege, with brutal fighting for control of key promontories.
• Maximilian was betrayed by Colonel Miguel López, who opened the door to the convent of the Cruz.
• Maximilian was captured and sentenced to death along with Miramón and Mejía.
• On June 19, Maximilian was executed on the Cerro de las Campanas.

13. The Return of Juárez and the Miracle of the Liberal Revolution

• On July 12, Juárez triumphantly entered Mexico City.
• Juárez stated that he had only fulfilled the duties that any citizen in his state and position would have done.
• Despite all the challenges, Mexico was able to achieve the miracle of the Liberal Revolution due to a generation that assumed the weariness of the population and created a structure of values of dignity, honesty, and courage.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The video transcript details the tumultuous period in Mexican history from 1854 to 1867, encompassing the Liberal Revolution, the Reform War, the French Intervention, and the Second Mexican Empire. It highlights the key figures, battles, and political maneuvers that shaped the nation. The ultimate triumph of the liberal forces under Benito Juárez, despite facing overwhelming odds, is presented as a "miracle" born from the dedication, courage, and vision of a generation committed to building a new and just nation. The transcript emphasizes the importance of the Reform Laws in dismantling the power of the church and the resilience of the Mexican people in resisting foreign intervention.