The Mexican Independence Project

Interviews
To:
Dr. Christon I Archer; Dept. of History; University of Calgary
Dr. Jaime E. Rodriguez, O; Dept. of History; University of California, Irvine
Dr. Eric Van Young: Dept. of History; University of California, San Diego

From: Severo Perez
A history of Mexican Independence is such a complex subject that I’m terrified to even begin a discussion. I’d like to begin by offering a “hook,” some event that gives us an entry to the history that can be expanded on to reveal the larger story. So far I find only one moment in the story of independence that allows us this potential, and that moment is Iturbide’s entry into Mexico City at the head of the Army of the Three Guarantees. After eleven years of insurgency and counterinsurgency here were three things that the different factions could agree upon, at least for the moment. All Three Guarantees would be abandoned, some sooner than later, but each tells a part of what had brought the new nation to that moment in history.

The first guarantee reconfirmed the Roman Catholic Church as the national religion. This guarantee played out as an important demand of independence not necessarily because the population was highly religious, but partly because the Spanish Monarchs were in part perceived as anticlerical, the French as godless, and the British and the new United States as Protestant. Unquestionably, Mexico was Catholic—but imbued with a streak cultural uniqueness engendered by the Virgen de Guadalupe.

The second guarantee was for the newly independent Mexico to become a Constitution monarchy. Not a democratic republic, but a monarchy with a set of agreed upon principals for governing the nation, and based on a document called the Constitution of Cadiz of 1812 that was to become the predecessor to the first Mexican constitution. The third guarantee recognized equality for Mexicans and Spaniards. This guarantee addressed the racial and social differences of the time--differences that provoked so much conflict and destruction. How did the indigenous rebellions play a part in the total story? Iturbide’s moment of glory is a place to start. In September 1821, eleven years after the rebellion begun, Mexico was born as an independent nation, and for a brief moment all the possibilities of equality and democracy were imaginable. While the traditional heroes of independence will still be part of the story, where ever possible the focus will be on the people who lived through it all. I’d certainly like to know more about people like Guadalupe Victoria and how he went from law student to insurgent, to insurgent leader, to supporter and then foe of Iturbide, and first president of the Mexico.

Notes
From: Eric Van Young
Thanks for the nice long message about the status of the project. I am sorry I have not responded sooner, but I have been going back and forth to Mexico City to do research, give lectures, etc., and these past several days I was on the east coast visiting my kids in New York and Baltimore. I am going to Mexico again for the last two weeks in October. The Spanish translation of my book, The Other Rebelion, came out early this past summer from the Fondo de Cultura Economica, and that has required a certain amount of giving interviews in the newspapers, radio, and TV in Mexico--exhausting, but interesting. As for hooks on which to hang the film, I guess Iturbide's entry into Mexico City would serve nicely, since you could then work back from that into the late colonial period and then forward into the decade of Independence itself. Other key points might be the executions of Hidalgo, Allende, et. al., in 1811; or the Constitution of Apatzingan. They would all give you a slightly different entry into the theme. I like your interest in centering the story on the lives of ordinary people, for reasons that you may remember from our planning discussions several years ago. All best--Eric

From:  Christon I. Archer
Iturbide's entry into Mexico City would be obvious, but I am not certain that it is the best way to "hook" the audience. He has such a negative reputation today among many Mexicans and his victory in some respects represented the counter-revolutionary side and a long period under the rule of former royalists! I would go for the trial and execution of Morelos as the hook since this would hook the Mexicans and at the same time interest other viewers. That way you could illustrate thew horrors of war right at the beginning and then go back to the first outbreak of the Hidalgo insurgency and to the emergence of different views. You might follow Iturbide's career as a tenacious royalist and pick up one or two of the important insurgent leaders. It would be illustrative for a modern audience if you showed how the two sides fought for years--and then illustrated the weakness of counterinsurgency--including exhaustion, economic disasters, and Spain's growing inability after 1816 to prosecute the war in New Spain. Essentially, the royalist side held on, but became quite exhausted. Jaime will want the constitutional side represented as I am certain that he has mentioned to you frequently--and I agree since the 1812 Constitution for the1824 and 1857 Constitutions provide understanding for the 19th century. Eric's work is rich with regional and local examples of how the insurgents functioned. Anyway, the story of the people can and will come out strongly in all of this. I think that all of us on your equipo can offer the sort of material that you are looking for in the project.
 
best regards,
 Chris
PS: I just returned from the Reunión de Historiadores Mexicanos etc. in Vancouver. The week before I was an organizer of the Canadian Assn. of Latin American and Caribbean Studies here in Calgary.

Cesar Martinez: Artist

Interviews

Coming soon

Notes

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