For close to two hundred and ninety years Spain ruled Mexico. During this time Spain plundered Mexico.
At the same time a new race of people was developing in Mexico. These.
people, mestizos, are a mixture of Spanish and Indian descent. These mestizos were not considered to be.
any better than an Indian in Spanish society. Mestizos, being neither white nor Indian, greatly resented the.
attitude of superiority that the Spanish had, while not identifying with the Indian population. Because of.
this lack of identity, mestizo violence characterized much of colonial society. Thus, a tradition of violence.
developed early in Mexico's history (Suchlicki, 40). .
While the Indians and mestizos of Mexico struggled to survive, another class of people, Creoles, was.
developing in the New World. The Creoles were Spanish, but born in the New World. Many of the.
Creoles did well and prospered in this new society, yet they were excluded from the colonial.
governments. This practice of excluding Spanish born in the New World from government positions, one.
of many of the Bourbon Reforms, was meant to prevent any rebellions and restore order in the colonies.
Spain feared that these Creoles would become disloyal to the crown because they had no attachment to.
Spain. This policy of exclusion promoted resentment and frustration among the Creoles and would come.
to the forefront in the early part of the nineteenth century. In fact, These changes introduced by Spain set.
off almost everyone in the colony. Many Creoles joined the fight against Spain initiated by the.
Indian-mestizo population, beginning with the Declaration of Mexican Independence by Father Miguel.
Hidalgo in 1810. The ensuing fight resulted in Independence for Mexico, which was recognized by Juan.
O'Donoju, the last Spanish Viceroy, in 1821. Even though the struggle for Independence was successful,.
the seeds of revolution had now been planted in Mexico. This seeds of revolution began to grow during.