Mexican Revolution Key Terms

mestizo

A person of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in Latin America.

criollo

A person of Spanish descent born in the Americas.

La Reforma

A period of liberal reform in Mexico during the mid-19th century aimed at reducing the power of the military and the Catholic Church.

anti-clericalism

Opposition to the influence of religion and religious institutions in politics.

Benito Juarez

A Mexican lawyer and politician known for his role in La Reforma and serving as President of Mexico.

cientifícos

A group of Mexican intellectuals and politicians who supported modernization and the policies of Porfirio Diaz.

ejido

A communal landholding in Mexico, typically for agricultural purposes.

hacienda

Large estates or farms in Mexico that were often worked by peons.

rurales

Rural police in Mexico established under Porfirio Diaz to maintain order.

Yaquis

An Indigenous people from the Mexican state of Sonora, noted for their resistance to external control.

José Limantour

A Mexican politician and financial expert who served during the Porfirio Diaz presidency.

Porfirio Diaz

A Mexican general and politician who served multiple terms as President and was a key figure in the Porfiriato.

James Creelman

A journalist known for his interviews with Mexican leaders during the revolution, particularly with Porfirio Diaz.

Francisco Madero

A revolutionary leader who became the first president of Mexico following the ousting of Diaz.

Plan of San Luis Potosi

An armed rebellion plan issued by Francisco Madero against the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz.

Francisco “Pancho” Villa

A prominent Mexican revolutionary general known for his leadership during the Mexican Revolution.

Emiliano Zapata

A leading figure in the Mexican Revolution who championed land reforms and the rights of peasants.

Plan of Ayala

A plan advocated by Emiliano Zapata demanding land reform and aimed at Madero's government.

Pascual Orozco

A Mexican revolutionary general and leader during the early stages of the Mexican Revolution.

Victoriano Huerta

A Mexican general who usurped Madero's presidency and led a punitive regime.

Henry Lane Wilson

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico who played a role in the political events surrounding the Mexican Revolution.

Pact of the Embassy

An agreement that led to the ousting of Francisco Madero from the presidency.

Decena Trágica

The ten tragic days of violence in Mexico City that resulted in the assassination of Madero.

Venustiano Carranza

A leader in the Mexican Revolution who later became president and established the Constitution of 1917.

Plan of Guadalupe

A document issued by Carranza calling for the overthrow of Huerta and establishing a provisional government.

Alvaro Obregón

A general and revolutionary leader who later became President of Mexico.

constitutionalists

Fighters in the Mexican Revolution who sought to restore constitutional order against the Huerta regime.

Convention of Aguascalientes

A gathering during the Mexican Revolution where revolutionary factions sought to organize and unify.

Battle of Celaya

A decisive battle in 1915 between Pancho Villa's forces and those of Alvaro Obregón.

Punitive Expedition

A military campaign led by the United States against Pancho Villa after his raid on Columbus, New Mexico.

Convention of Querétaro

A meeting that resulted in the drafting of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico.

José Vasconcelos

A Mexican educator, politician, and cultural promoter known for his contributions to education and philosophy.

indigenismo

A Mexican social and political movement emphasizing the rights and culture of Indigenous peoples.

Plutarco Calles

A Mexican politician who served as President and later influenced Mexican politics during the 1920s and 1930s.

Cristero Rebellion

A violent conflict in Mexico during the 1920s stemming from opposition to anti-Catholic laws.

Constitution of 1917

The current constitution of Mexico that established significant social rights and reforms.

Lazaro Cardenas

The President of Mexico from 1934 to 1940, known for land reforms and nationalizing the oil industry.

Maximato

The period of control exercised by Plutarco Calles over Mexican politics from 1920 to 1934.

Porfiriato

The period of Porfirio Diaz's rule in Mexico, marked by modernization and political repression.

CROM

The Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers, an important labor organization founded in 1918.

PNR

The National Revolutionary Party, founded in 1929 as the institutional political party in Mexico.

Prom?

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