The Porfiriato and the Mexican Revolution

1
The Porfiriato and the Mexican Revolution
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Pre-WWI Mexico

• The Profiriato
• Profirio Diaz comes to power and rules Mexico as
  a dictator. He controls Mexico by way for
  military support for 35 years.

3
Life During the Profiriato

• -Diaz promotes foreign investment in Mexico and
  gives other countries tax breaks in order to
  bring money into Mexico.
• -This brought development of better railroads and
  technology to Mexico but caused native Mexicans
  to be shut out of Mexican Markets and allows
  foreign investors to control the markets because
  they paid for them.

4
Taxes

• In order to protect foreign investments (mostly
  from the U.S., France, Britain, and Germany).
  Diaz removed taxes on their businesses, but
  continued to tax Mexican businesses.

5
Impacts on Mexico

• -90 of Mexicans do not own land and are in debt
  peonage.
• -increased number of Mexicans moving to the city.
  (Over Population)
• -Working and Middle class begin to rise up and
  protest in conditions.
• ex. Sanitation in Mexico City, 11-12 hour work
  days, inability for upward movement from Middle
  Class to Upper Class. Labor strikes are put
  down violently.

6
Mexican Revolution

• -(1910) Diaz encourages an alternative party
  because he felt he would not lose a fair election
  and this inspires Francisco Madero to run against
  him.
• -Diaz puts 1000s of Madero supporters and Madero
  in jail on election day. Madero only gets 176
  votes and everyone knows the election is a sham.

7
Madero

• Following the election Madero fled to the U.S.
  and declared himself the winner.
• He also writes the Plan de San Lois Potosí, which
  calls for Diaz to step down or military force
  against Diaz and his government.
• This begins the Mexican Revolution.

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• -Madero is then elected President after fighting,
  but his reforms anger some of his allies. (The
  U.S. supports Madero)
• -This causes Maderos general, Victoriano Huerta
  to overthrow Madero and become president. Madero
  is murdered soon after losing control of his
  presidency.
• -This begins a power struggle in Mexico that
  lasts until 1920.