![Bandera del Supremo Gobierno Mexicano](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Bandera_del_Supremo_Gobierno_Mexicano.svg)
The Congress of Chilpancingo ( es, Congreso de Chilpancingo), also known as the Congress of Anáhuac, was the first, independent congress that replaced the Assembly of Zitácuaro, formally declaring itself independent from the Spanish crown. It was held in
Chilpancingo
Chilpancingo de los Bravo (commonly shortened to Chilpancingo; ; Nahuatl: Chilpantsinko) is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Guerrero, Mexico. In 2010 it had a population of 187,251 people. The municipality has an area of in ...
, in what is the modern-day Mexican state of
Guerrero
Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...
, from September 1813 to November 1813. It was here where the first
national constitution was ratified. It was composed of representatives of the provinces under its control and charged with considering a political and social program which it outlined in a document entitled ''
Sentimientos de la Nación
''Sentimientos de la Nación'' ("Feelings of the Nation"; occasionally rendered as "Sentiments of the Nation") was a document presented by José María Morelos y Pavón, leader of the insurgents in the Mexican War of Independence, to the National ...
'' (Feelings of the Nation) which expressed the sentiment of
Creole Nationalism
The term Creole nationalism or Criollo nationalism refers to the ideology that emerged in independence movements among the Criollos (descendants of the European colonizers), especially in Latin America in the early 19th century. Creole nationali ...
. According to historian D. A. Brading, "Creole patriotism, which began as the articulation of the social identity of American Spaniards, was transmuted into the insurgent ideology of Mexican nationalism."
Ignacio López Rayón
Ignacio López Rayón (July 31, 1773 in Tlalpujahua, Intendancy of Valladolid (present-day Michoacán), New Spain – February 2, 1832 in Mexico City) was a general who led the insurgent forces of his country after Miguel Hidalgo's death, d ...
assumed leadership of
Miguel Hidalgo
Don Miguel Gregorio Antonio Ignacio Hidalgo y Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte Villaseñor (8 May 1753 – 30 July 1811), more commonly known as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla or Miguel Hidalgo (), was a Catholic priest, leader of the Mexican ...
's remaining forces in
Saltillo
Saltillo () is the capital and largest city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and is also the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. Mexico City, Monterrey, and Saltillo are all connected by a major railroad and highwa ...
after receiving news of
his capture and fled south towards
Zitácuaro
Zitácuaro, officially known as Heroica Zitácuaro, is a city in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The city is the administrative centre for the surrounding municipality of the same name, which lies at the extreme eastern side of Michoacán and bor ...
where he would meet with
José María Morelos
José María Teclo Morelos Pérez y Pavón () (30 September 1765 – 22 December 1815) was a Mexican Catholic priest, statesman and military leader who led the Mexican War of Independence movement, assuming its leadership after the execution of ...
. Lopez would go on to establish and become President of the Assembly of Zitácuaro along with Morelos. Weak administrative power and losing the
battle of Zitácuaro
The Battle of Zitácuaro was a battle of the War of Mexican Independence that occurred on 2 January 1812 in the area around Zitácuaro, Michoacán. The battle was fought between the royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown and the Mexican r ...
, would lead to the establishment of a new governmental body.
On September 13, 1813, the Congress, with Morelos present, endorsed Mexico's
declaration of independence
A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...
from Spain, established the Catholic religion and drafted a Constitution, creating the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. The Congress declared respect for property but confiscated the goods of the Spaniards. It abolished slavery and all class and racial social distinctions in favor of the title "American" for all native-born individuals. Torture, monopolies and the system of tributes were also abolished. Morelos was offered the title Generalissimo with the style of address "Your Highness", but he refused these and asked to be called ''Siervo de la Nación'' (Servant of the Nation).
After some military defeats, the Congress met again in
Apatzingán
Apatzingán (in full, Apatzingán de la Constitución) is a city and municipal seat of the municipality of Apatzingán in the west-central region of the Mexican state of Michoacán.
Geography
The Municipality of Apatzingán is located in the Ti ...
, and on October 22 promulgated the ''Decreto Constitucional para la Libertad de la América Mexicana'' (Constitutional Decree for the Liberty of Mexican America). This established a weak executive and a powerful legislature, the opposite of what Morelos had called for. He nevertheless conceded that it was the best he could hope for under the circumstances.
On November 6, the deputies to the Congress signed the first legal document where the separation of the New Spain with respect to the Spanish rule is proclaimed. The name of this document is
Acta Solemne de la Declaración de Independencia de la América Septentrional (Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of Northern America).
See also
*
Creole nationalism
The term Creole nationalism or Criollo nationalism refers to the ideology that emerged in independence movements among the Criollos (descendants of the European colonizers), especially in Latin America in the early 19th century. Creole nationali ...
*
History of democracy in Mexico
The history of democracy in Mexico dates to the establishment of the federal republic of Mexico in 1824. After a long history under the Spanish Empire (1521–1821), Mexico gained its independence in 1821 and became the First Mexican Empire l ...
*
*
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...
*
Constitution of Apatzingán
The Constitution of Apatzingán, formally ''Decreto Constitucional para la Libertad de la América Mexicana'' ("Constitutional Decree for the Liberty of Mexican America"), was promulgated on October 22, 1814 by the Congress of Anahuac gathered in ...
*
Sentimientos de la Nación
''Sentimientos de la Nación'' ("Feelings of the Nation"; occasionally rendered as "Sentiments of the Nation") was a document presented by José María Morelos y Pavón, leader of the insurgents in the Mexican War of Independence, to the National ...
*
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...
Notes
{{Reflist
References
*Guedea, Virginia (February 2000) "The Process of Mexican Independence" ''The American Historical Review'' 105(1): pp. 116–130.
*
Vazquez, Josefina Zoraida (March 1999) "The Mexican Declaration of Independence" ''The Journal of American History'' 85(4): pp. 1362–1369.
Mexican War of Independence
1813 in New Spain
September 1813 events
October 1813 events
November 1813 events