Benito Juárez was born to an indigenous family in San Pablo Guelatao, Oaxaca, in 1806. In the city of Oaxaca, he lived with his sister who was a servant at the house of Don Antonio Maza. He studied at the Santa Cruz Seminary, the only secondary school in Oaxaca. .
Jua'rez later studied Law at the Instituto de Ciencias y Artes. He became a member of Oaxaca Town Council in 1831, and a local congressional representative in 1833. For some time, he worked as a lawyer, defending indigenous communities. After General Paredes Arrillaga was removed from the presidency, Juárez became a federal representative, and was responsible for approving the loan that Gómez Farías had requested from the Church (1847) to finance the war with the United States of America. .
As Governor of his home state (1847), Juárez sought to establish a balanced economy and carried out numerous public works: roads, the reconstruction of the Government Palace, the foundation of high schools; he commissioned a geographic chart and a map of the city of Oaxaca; he reorganized the National Guard and left the Treasury with a surplus. .
When Santa Anna returned to power, many liberals, including Juárez, were expelled from Mexico. Juárez went to New Orleans, where he continued his political activities as he did different jobs to make a living. Meanwhile, the Ayutla Plan was proclaimed in Mexico; this document urged that Santa Anna no longer be recognized as president. .
After Santa Anna had fallen from power, Juan Alvarez became President and appointed Juárez Minister of Justice and Public Education (1855). In this position, Juárez issued the Law on the Administration of Justice and the Organic Law on the Tribunals of the Nation, of Districts and of Territories (the Juárez Law), which abolished the so-called fueros or privileges enjoyed by the military and by members of the clergy, over and above all other people.
