The Mexican Revolution

Question 1

Alvaro Obregón

Answer 1

Condensed - Served as the military leader for Carranza; eventually overtook the presidency from Carranza near the end of the revolution
Importance - Was the person who defeated both Zapata and Villa; ended the violent part of the revolution, switched to political focus

Question 2

Article 3 (of 1917 Constitution)

Answer 2

Condensed - Provided modern public education in Mexico from Mexican gov’t
Importance - Secularized education in Mexico

Question 3

Article 27 (of 1917 Constitution)

Answer 3

Condensed - Forbids foreign land ownership in Mexico (limiting Catholic Church land acquisition)
Importance - Further weakened the Catholic Church, stopped the issue of foreign interests taking over Mexico, which was a major cause of the revolution

Question 4

Article 123 (of 1917 Constitution)

Answer 4

Condensed - provides industrial labor rights: right to unionize, maternity leave, and 8 hour workday
Importance - reminder that even though the revolution begins in rural areas, it also takes hold in urban industrial centers; the gov’t has to recognize urban concerns

Question 5

2nd Battle of Celaya

Answer 5

Condensed - Obregón defeats villa in 1915 battle
Importance - allows Carranza to move into the mexican presidency, Villa’s power is significantly reduced

Question 6

Constitution of 1917

Answer 6

Condensed - new constitution under carranza including social and land rights
Importance - still the Mexican constitution today

Question 7

Creelman Interview

Answer 7

Condensed - 1908 interview with Diaz, where he says that he will allow 1910 elections and he will not run
Importance - spark of the revolution bc it opens the door for Madero to challenge the presidency

Question 8

El Porfiriato

Answer 8

Condensed - the mexican regime under Porfirio Diaz
Importance - their reliance on positivism and their belief in social darwinism causes the disentailment acts and brings in foreign influence which generates animosity fueling the revolution

Question 9

Emiliano Zapata

Answer 9

Condensed - leader of the peasant revolution from the southern state of Morelos, mostly interested in land distribution and land ownership rights
Importance - He becomes a central figure in the revolution and his perspective becomes included in the constitution.

Question 10

Francisco Madero

Answer 10

Condensed - Was an advocate for social justice and democracy and challenged Diaz in the 1910 elections; President in 1911 but couldn’t mix democratic ideals (change) with old-guard politics (things should be done through gov’t), leading both sides to fight him; executed by Huerta and the army.
Importance - He led the initial united revolutionary movement against Diaz, then challenged by the Mexican people because his process proved to be too slow by Mexican peasants.
Leads first political phase of revolution

Question 11

Gendarmeria, Rurales, and Federales

Answer 11

Condensed - military/police forces that support the Portfiriaro. Gendarmeria guard the capital, Rurales keep rural population in check w gov’t policy, Federales are the federal police force in major cities and borders
Importance - centralized organized militaristic forces, and are able to keep the public in check for several decades of Diaz’ leadership

Question 12

General Victoriano Huerta

Answer 12

Condensed - The general of the Porfirian army that executed Madero and named himself the new president of Mexico.
Importance - triggers the 2nd political phase of the m.r. (rising against huerta) and triggers US entrance into the revolution bc it goes against Wilson’s policy of moral diplomacy

Question 13

Henry Lane Wilson

Answer 13

Condensed - american dollar diplomacy ambassador to Mexico when Huerta takes power
Importance - creates confusion in US policy when Wilson says we don’t do dollar diplomacy anymore

Question 14

Pancho Villa

Answer 14

Condensed - leader of the peasant revolutionary movement, from the state of Chihuahua , interested in wealth redistribution
Importance - untrained but most brilliant military mind of MR, specifically calvary

Question 15

PEMEX

Answer 15

Condensed - 1938, the Mexican president proclaims all oil operations in Mexico are owned by the Mexican government
Importance - nationalizes oil. gov’t takes control of a major economic resource, taking it out of the private sector, causes worry in US over free market

Question 16

Punitive Expedition

Answer 16

Condensed - The American military force sent into Mexico to capture/kill Villa after his raid on Columbus; eventually withdrew to go fight in Europe without getting rid of Villa
Importance - Showed a failure in moral diplomacy, creates an anti-American sentiment, and was the last major US intervention in the revolution

Question 17

Tampico Incident

Answer 17

Condensed - diplomatic skirmish that brought Huerta’s gov’t into conflict Wilson’s moral diplomacy policy
Importance - leads to American invasion of Veracruz

Question 18

Venustiano Carranza

Answer 18

Condensed - upper class person that opposes the dictatorship of Huerta, forms his own hired army to defeat Huerta
Importance - defeats Huerta and becomes the following president, calls for the creation of the Constitution of 1917

Question 19

Zimmerman Telegram

Answer 19

Condensed - Telegram from German ambassador intercepted by U.S. government that asked Mexico the form an alliance to invade the United States and reclaim territory.
Importance - triggers American entrance into WW1

Question 20

Magonistas

Answer 20

Condensed - The intellectual/academic component of the Mexican Revolution, centralized in Baja California
Importance - Help to shape the policy of the government that followed the revolution