Causes Of The Mexican Revolution

The sparks of the Mexican Revolution began during the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz. Díaz would focus on the small number of wealthy people who owned lands, rather than on the impoverished people working these lands. Francisco I Madero was the one who called for rebellion against Díaz, who was forced to resign and flee Mexico on May 25, 1911 because of his poor leadership. Mexico had seen the rule of long-time dictator Porfirio Díaz crumble under the weight of scandal and abuse of power (Marcovitz 6). However, during that feud between Díaz and Madero, two rebels were fighting for social reform in North and South Mexico. Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata fought alongside Mexico’s peasants who were fighting for the land that they worked. These
Huerta almost had Villa executed but Madero did not allow it. Huerta accused Villa of phony reasons like stealing two horses and encouraging his men to disregard orders. Madero had lost trust in Villa and did not free him from prison. Villa pleaded to Madero through many letters he wrote himself. After no response from Madero and a refusal from the court on a motion proposed by Villa’s attorneys, Villa was forced to escape. His first attempt was flawed, even though Villa 4 had led prisoners and guards through his personality and money from the outside of prison. Later, one of Díaz’s nephews, Félix Díaz was also put in prison and he felt that by helping Villa he helped himself takedown Madero. Through his influences, he got Villa moved to Santiago Tlatelolco military prison in November 1912. Villa escaped from the prison almost too easily. He made friends with a prison clerk and got him to provide him with a hacksaw, machine oil, black wax and some clothing. Villa escaped on Christmas and him and the clerk fled to Toluca. Four years later, Villa was still wanted captured by many, this time by American forces and for a bigger case. On March 9, 1916 , Villa decided to invade Columbus, New Mexico. Pancho Villa’s army was very racist against Americans, shouting Muerte a los
Now, Villa just wanted land for his soldiers whom he strongly believed deserved it. Villa was offered a deal by General Eugenio Martinez to give up his life in politics to become a worker of the land in exchange for land. On July 27, 1920, Pancho Villa accepted these terms. He settled on a hacienda called Canutillo where he built stables warehouses, and even a school for the worker’s children. Villa stayed out of the spotlight until 1922, when he was seen as a leader with the capability to become a president of Mexico. However, he did not take interest in running for president.
A year later, on July 19, 1923, Pancho Villa was headed to a baptism in his car through the city of Parral. On his way to the baptism he was attempted murderer but was not harmed. When he came back, the same assassins shot fire at him once more. This time he was caused to lose control and crash into a tree. He was hanging from the side of his car where he was still shot 47 times. He was buried in the Parral Cemetery.
Needless to say, Pancho Villa’s death was devastating to many. A lot of people loved him and wrote as well as sang many ballads composed to him. The people did not seen him as the bandit, massacring, and violent man he was, but rather as a brave and clever leader. Pancho