Miguel Hidalgo Y Costilla Summary

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

In 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla made a choice that transformed the route of Mexican history. The catholic priest, Hidalgo, demanded the arrest of native Spaniards in Dolores. He then rang the church bell like he normally does to call the Indians for mass. Hidalgo gave a message to the Indians and mestizos to fight back against the despised gachopines (native Spaniards) who had abused and oppressed Mexicans. The Mexican revolution had been ongoing since Napoleon's invasion in Spain however, Hidalgo's passionate declaration was a rapid, unplanned decision. He advised the Mexicans to take back the lands that were robbed from the Mexican people. Hidalgo’s call for these people to revolt was a sweeping change from the initial revolution plot planned by the criollos (Mexican-born Spaniards).

Assemblies of criollos across Mexico had been scheming to take over the authority of gachopines. After Joseph Bonaparte replaced King Ferdinand as leader of Spain, the criollos saw it as the perfect chance for Mexican independence. The movement entailed of a group of people in Querétaro. By asserting loyalty to the defeated King Ferdinand, the criollos sought to establish Mexico as an independent nation within King Ferdinand's Spanish empire. The gachopines, who maintained authority under Bonaparte's rule, would be forced out of Mexico. Hidalgo, the well-educated humanitarian with devoted ties to the Indians, was closely acquainted with the carollos. His actions irritated the Spanish viceroy who, as a disciplinary measure, cut down Hidalgo's trees and vines that he planted with the