by Nola Dyck published August 2010

200 years ago, the battle cry sounded…

The Spanish army, led by Hernán Cortes, arrived on the shores of the Yucatan in 1519. In their plundering advance through Mexico, countless lives were lost in very brutal ways. They operated under a system of greed, oppression and the exploitation of natives. In the beginning the Aztec people lived with the bullying but in time, grew tired of it; they fought for their freedom and lost the war. For almost 300 years, the Mexican people existed under the domination of Spanish rule.

Then, on the night of September 15, 1810 church bells pealed in the small Mexican town of Dolores near Guanajuato. It was usually a summons for the parishioners of Catholic priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, to come together to worship. This particular evening, however, the parishioners would gather for a much different purpose: to hear El Grito de Dolores. It was and still is the battle cry for the Mexican War of Independence.

"El Grito de Dolores" translates to "the cry of pain." It was and still is the battle cry for the Mexican War of Independence. The precise text of El Grito has been lost over the years, but is said to have contained the phrase, "Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe! Death to bad government!" Miguel Hidalgo was a member of an educated group of Criollos (those of Spanish decent born in the Americas) in Querétaro. These men met secretly to discuss social and economic issues and their angst over Spanish rule. The independence movement was a result of these discussions. However, their plans were divulged to the central government and threats of arrests caused the group to break up. It was at this point Hidalgo called on his parishioners for their help.

The beginning of the fight to regain Mexico's Independence from the overbearing Spanish colonial authorities began at dawn on September 16, 1810. An angry group marched to the prosperous silver mining city of Guanajuato where local miners joined the group of renegades. The leading citizens and Criollos of the town locked themselves in a granary. (To this day, the granary is still on display.) They were discovered and either exiled or executed. It was the first battle of the war.

From Guanajuato, the insurgents marched through the country to Mexico City, gathering momentum as they went, but after some resistance, their campaign lost its zeal. The first setback in the beginning of the independence movement was the death of Hidalgo in 1811. He was killed by a firing squad, beheaded and his head placed on display atop the granary in Guanajuato as a warning to other would-be rebels.

His replacement was José Maria Morelos, who took charge of the political and military aspects of the movement. His strategy was to surround Mexico City and effectively sever communications to the coastal areas. In 1813, Morelos brought together a group of state representatives to discuss the proposed independent union. The major points in the document they created were, "popular sovereignty, universal male suffrage, the adoption of Roman Catholicism as the official religion, abolition of slavery and forced labor, an end to government monopolies and an end to corporal punishment." There was success in the beginning, but after six months, the colonial authorities broke Morelos' siege of Mexico City. He was arrested, and in 1815, met the same fate as Hidalgo.

From 1815-1820 the fighting continued, mainly by isolated groups of rebels. The movement had grown weak and was on the verge of collapse, and the Spanish Viceroy offered to pardon all insurgents who surrendered, thinking things were under control. . Ironically, a successful liberal rebellion in Spain precipitated the continuation of the pro-independence efforts in Mexico. In 1820, Spanish Viceroy Juan Ruiz sent a force under the leadership of Augustin de Iturbide to defeat the rebel army in Oaxaca. Iturbide was born in what is now Morelia to a Spanish father and a mother of Mexican origin. He was a restless youth, enrolling in the military in his teens, but was said to be a religious man of principle (in spite of the verve with which he persecuted the rebels fighting for Hidalgo and Morelos). He believed strongly in the defense of property rights and social privileges while at the same time felt slighted for his lack of wealth and promotion. While Iturbide was in Oaxaca, there was a coup in Spain against the new monarchy of Ferdinand VII. Iturbide saw this as an opportunity for the Criollos to take control of Mexico. An important step toward independence came when a group of local conservatives chose to revolt against the new liberal Spanish regime. At this point, Iturbide changed his allegiance and, along with rebel leaders, met to discuss the guidelines for the continuing struggle to independence.

From these discussions were born the three principles or 'guarantees' for an independent Mexico:

1. Catholicism would be the religion of state; no other faiths would be tolerated.
2. Mexico would function as an independent constitutional monarchy.
3. There would be equal treatment for Spaniards and Mexicans.

Iturbide convinced his troops to accept the document, now known as the Plan of Iguala. It pleased both patriots and loyalists and brought all factions together. He formed a new army, The Army of the Three Guarantees, and united rebel forces from all over Mexico; even the army he was sent to defeat joined forces with them. Finally, on September 27, 1821, the Treaty of Córdoba was signed into law, assuring Mexico's independence from Spain. Iturbide became the first Emperor of Mexico on May 18, 1822.

Throughout the years, El Grito has become an integral part of Independence Day celebrations. This moving reminder of Miguel Hidalgo's call to arms 200 years ago will be heard again on the evening of September 15, 2010 in public places all over Mexico. It ushers in an Independence Day of great national pride and history. Flags fly high, the military marches proudly and the people celebrate with thanks.

This year is a double celebration. Not only is this the Bicentennial of Mexico's Independence, it also marks the Centennial of the Revolution. President Calderon has proclaimed 2010 as "The Year of the Nation" and the country has been planning events for months to fully celebrate these two momentous occasions.

The federal government has a number of interesting events on the horizon. There's a Torch Run through all 31 states, and each state has a 'count-down' clock in its capital city. You may have noticed the blue 'Ruta 2010' signs along some roadways.  These signs mark routes used during the Independence and Revolution movements.  Each sign includes historical information telling why this route is significant.

Commemorative bills and coins will also be issued and with the emphasis on youth and clean living, a Bicentennial Olympics Festival will be held to encourage participation in sports as a way of life.

Locally, there will be parades and parties - lots of parties, with lots of music. Within the strains of the music, we hear the well-known refrain, 'Aaaii aii aii.'  Over time, this cry has become a celebratory remembrance of Mexican Independence Day and El Grito itself. Viva Mexico!