Emiliano Zapata and the Mexican Revolution

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A. Plan of Investigation The purpose of this investigation is to examine Emiliano Zapata’s contribution to the Mexican revolution and to what extent he successfully accomplished his goals. This can be answered by analyzing the dilemma Mexico was facing, the formation and actions of Zapata’s army, his Plan de Ayala, the removal of Huerta and Carranza from office, and the Mexican constitution. The investigation will cover the time from when the Mexican revolution started (1910) to the presidency of Lázaro Cárdenas (1940). Zapata’s Plan de Ayala and the Mexican Constitution are used as primary sources. Other books discussing the history that took place during the revolution and biographies of Zapata are used as secondary sources. B. Summary of Evidence Profirian Mexico From 1910 to 1920 Mexico faced a time of political and social upheaval: the Mexican Revolution. At the time, Porfirio Diaz was and had been dictator of Mexico for 35 years. Majority of the land was distributed among the wealthy and Campecinos (peasants) were deprived of their lands .As a result about 95% of rural population did not own land and Mexico was owned by less than 1,000 families (Burns 196). The hacienda owners became rich and the campecinos lost their economic independence. Campecinos now worked in the haciendas or migrated to work on unhealthy sugarcane plantations (Gonzales 1). Emiliano Zapata rebelled against the government and created a movement to overthrow Diaz. Zapata demanded land and seized haciendas for himself and his people and unleashed a new force among the mobs of angry peasants (Burns 197). He was named the leader of his village, Anenecuilco, Morelos (Womack 7). He recruited an insurgent army to support the cause of the Revolution by defending peasants from injustice, regain their land, and overthrowing Diaz (Womack 64). “Tierra y Libertad”:Liberation

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