|
|
|
|
|
Guanajuato History |
| Home >> Mexico Destinations >> Guanajuato >> Guanajuato History |
|
The first populist uprising in Mexican history resulted in a march from Dolores Hidalgo upon the capital of the state and the subsequent burning of the granary which held all the "gachupines" (approximately 500 men, women and children from Spain or of pure Spanish descent) by peasants of pure Amerindian or mixed (Mestizo) descent who had been put to work in very harsh conditions. When Miguel Hidalgo, the leader of the Mexican Independence movement, was caught and executed, his head was displayed on one corner of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas. The three other corners also displayed heads of three other revolutionary leaders as a warning to residents of Guanajuato. The Alhóndiga is now a state museum and on each corner of the building, there is a plaque with each man's name written in bold letters.
According to some historians, this incident (seen as a horrifying caste revolt) provided the incentive for the ruling class of New Spain to declare its independence from Spain in order to keep the caste system intact, thereby rejecting moderate concessions to the lower classes that had been a part of the original upper class platform for revolting. Subsequently, it would take another 100 years (1910) until the next populist revolution would occur and actually take hold creating the first socialist country in the world pre-dating the Bolsheviks by seven years. Some historians do not, however, relate the two uprisings or agree that the granary's burning had a significant effect on Mexican independence from Spain. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
