Special Sub-Topic: Mexican History Click Here To Play: Mexican History

He was a priest and is considered “The Father of the Nation”. He took an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe and raised the first “Cry of Independence”. He also raised a popular army, and so the revolution which ultimately led to independence began.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. He was born in Guanajuato in 1753. A "criollo" (of mainly Spanish descent), he became a priest in 1792 and came to practice his ministry in the parish of Dolores (now Dolores Hidalgo). Along with other liberals, he fought for the independence of Mexico in 1810. He was ambushed in 1811 and executed on July 30th of that same year.

When is regarded as Mexico’s date of independence?

September 16th, 1810. May 5th is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla ; September 27st, 1821 is the Proclamation of Independence (that is, 11 years after the fight for independence started) and November 20th, 1910 saw the beginning of the (internal) Mexican Revolution.

Who was México’s first Emperor? (Yes, we’ve had more than one!)

Agustín de Iturbide. Iturbide was crowned the (constitutional) Emperor of Mexico on July 21st, 1822 and forced to abdicate on March 19th, 1823. He went into exile and returned to Mexico on July 15th 1824, landing in Soto La Marina, Tamaulipas were he was arrested and shot in the small village of Padilla. Both Moctezuma and Cuitláhuac were Aztec emperors, not Mexican; and Maximilian of Habsburg was the second Emperor of Mexico - and he didn't last long either.

The war against the United States started (and ended) while he was President of México. (His followers were considered “mochos” or “conservatives”). Which of these was it?

Antonio López de Santa Anna. His followers were named "mochos" because he had lost a leg, so people called him "mocho", or "cut". Under his rule Mexico lost Texas, New Mexico and California.

On this date the French were defeated by the national Mexican army.

May 5th, 1862. This is the date of the famous "Battle of Puebla" or "Cinco de Mayo". Due to the large debts to several European nations that Mexico had gained from its independence, the Mexican American War and the internal revolts; France, Spain and England invaded the country. After realizing that France intended to add Mexico to its Empire, Spain and England withdraw leaving the French to install Maximilian of Habsburg as Emperor with the aid of Mexican conservatives. The French army (consisting of some 6,500 men) encountered resistance at the forts of Guadalupe and Loreto where they were defeated by the and largely untrained troops (4500 men) of General Ignacio Zaragoza thus putting an end – though only temporary - to the invasion.

He fought alongside Morelos during the War of Independence against Spain, supported Santa Anna and later became President of Mexico. His real name was Miguel Fernández Félix, but he changed it - to which of these?

Guadalupe Victoria. He was, in fact, Mexico's first President after the overthrow of Iturbide from the throne (from October 10th, 1824 to March 31st, 1829). A staunch republican, he urged the newly free country to elect a President rather than a king or emperor. Nevertheless, Iturbide (who became Emperor within months) wasn't pleased by these views and sent Victoria to prision. He escaped and started a rebellion against Iturbide.

This woman, born on September 8th, 1768, risked her status and privileges by actively participating in the conspiracy for independence holding meetings at her house. She is also known as "La Corregidora". Who was she?

Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. When her husband, the "corregidor", found out she had passed information to the insurgents, he kept her locked in their house.

The first warlike conflict between Mexico and France is known as the “War of the Cakes” and it originated as the result of a disagreement about a provisional clause in a treaty signed in 1827 in which the Mexican government was obliged to compensate foreign citizens living in Mexico whose interests were harmed. When did it end?

March 9th, 1839. This war was started by a French cake-baker who claimed a 60,000 pesos loss and the conflict worsened when a French soldier was shot in Tampico, Tamaulipas.

These two Mexican generals were shot alongside Maximilian of Habsburg by the liberals in Querétaro in June, 1867. Which?

Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía. They were shot in the grounds of "Cerro de las Campanas". For a nice historical novel set in this period of Mexican History, look for "Noticias del Imperio" ("News from the Empire") by Fernando del Paso.

During the U.S. and Mexico War this battle took place in which six young cadets lost their lives defendig their military academy. Which of these battles was it?

The Battle of Chapultepec. Their names were: Juan de la Barrera, Juan Escutia, Francisco Márquez, Agustín Melgar, Fernando Montes de Oca and Vicente Suárez