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September 16th
Independence Day
After Christopher
Columbus “discovered” America, the Spaniards carried out expeditions to
find gold and riches from these faraway lands. In 1521, about 500
Spanish soldiers arrived in Mexico, headed by : Hernán Cortés.
At this time, the Aztecs had built a great empire that ruled over all Mesoamérica. So the Spaniards decided to conquer them.
The indigenous nations that were under the Aztec rule
were tired of the physical
and economic hardships imposed upon them by this empire. They thought
that by helping the Spanish defeat the Aztecs, they would
be better off. So they decided to aid the Spaniards.
This is how the Conquest of what is now Mexico began. 500 Spanish
Soldiers added by thousands of native Indians attacked the Aztecs. On the
13th of August 1521, Cuauhtémoc, the last
Aztec emperor was captured. The indigenous allies of the Spaniards
raided Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec
empire.
They didn’t know it at the time, but they had been liberated from
one oppressor and fallen in the hands of a much more powerful
authoritarian. This was the beginning of three centuries of Spanish rule.
The new colony was named Nueva España, New Spain.
The years that followed were devastating. The conquerors brought
with them diseases unknown to the new world. The epidemics that broke out
as well as the merciless workload imposed upon the natives dramatically
diminished the Indian population. There were approximately 20 million
Indians inhabiting this territory before the Conquest, and after just one
century of Spanish rule there were only 1 million left!
Colonial society was highly stratified. Spaniards born in Spain,
occupied the higher echelons, followed by Criollos, those
born in Mexico from Spanish parents; Mestizos, the mix-
blood offspring of Spaniards and Natives; Indios, Native
Indians; Negros, African slaves. Each socio-ethnic group
had different rights and duties. The privileged were the peninsular
Spaniards. Discontent steadily grew, especially amongst the
Criollos, who were always treated as second-class subjects of the
Spanish Crown. It is the Criollos that were the spark
that ignited the Independence movement.
In 1808, Napoleon invaded Spain, and decided to impose his brother José Bonaparte, as king of Spain (1808-1810). The
Criollos thought that this was the perfect time for them to seek
their independence form Spain.
Influenced by the concepts of liberty, equality and democracy
proposed by the French philosophers Rousseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire,
and by the war of Independence of the United States, they decided to start
a revolt. Their plan was to start the war on the October 2, 1810.
Unfortunately, their plans were discovered in early September. The
movement was in trouble. They had two alternatives; either abandon their
plans, or move faster and start the revolt immediately. Fortunately for
our country they decided upon the second alternative.
In the early hours of September 16, 1810, father Hidalgo,
accompanied by Iganacio Allende and , Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
rang the bell of his little church in Dolores, calling everyone to fight
for liberty. This was the beginning of the War for Independence, which
lasted on and off for 10 years.
Every year on the night of September 15th, the President of Mexico
comes out on the balcony of the National Palace and rings the very same
bell that Father Hidalgo rang at that time in his church in Dolores. Then
the President repeats some of Hidalgo's words, starting with: "Mexicans,
Long Live Mexico!" (¡Mexicanos, que Viva México!). The crowd gathered in
the Zócalo or Main Square, answers; "¡Viva!", as he waves the flag from
the balcony. After this, there are fireworks, music and a great fiesta
that lasts into the night. This ceremony is repeated in cities and towns
all over the country. The Governor, or the Municipal President gives the
Cry of Dolores (or Grito de Dolores, as its called in Spanish). In foreign
lands, the Ambassador or Consul is in charge of the act. The next morning,
on September 16th, most cities in Mexico have a big parade.
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