Mexico and Central America Revolt

The slave revolt in Haiti frightened creoles in Spanish America

They wanted power but had no desire for social or economic changes that would threaten their way of life.

In 1810 a creole priest in Mexico, Father Miguel Hidalgo raised his voice for freedom

Father Hidalgo presided over the poor rural parish of Dolores

He appealed to the people, by asking them will they be free?

Father Hidalgo speech became known as "el Grito de Dolores" meaning "the cry of Dolores"

It called for Mexicans to firght for independence.

Father Hidalgo's army consisted of poor mestizos and Native Americans

At first some creoles supported the revolt.

But they rejected the caused when he made a plea to end slavery and make conditions better for Native Americans

The rebels had some early successes but they faced growing opposition.

Less than a year later Father Hidalgo was captured and executed

Father Morelos picked up the banner of revolution.

He called for wide-ranging social and political reform

He wanted to improve conditions for the majority of Mexicans, abolish slavery, and give the vote to all men.

In 1820 liberals forced the king of Spain to issue a constitution

This move alarmed Agustin de Iturbide a conservative creole.

Iturbide had been fighting the Mexican revolutionaries for years.

In 1821 he reached out to the Revolutionaries and in that year Mexico became independent.