José Natividad Macías Castorena (September 8, 1857 – October 19, 1948) studied at the

Seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

of León and the National Preparatory School. He also studied at the National School of

Jurisprudence Jurisprudence, also known as theory of law or philosophy of law, is the examination in a general perspective of what law is and what it ought to be. It investigates issues such as the definition of law; legal validity; legal norms and values ...

, where he earned his

law degree A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Some law degrees are professional degrees that are prerequisites or serve as preparation for legal careers. These generally include the Bachelor of Civil Law, Bachelor of Laws, an ...

in 1894. A

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

at the School of Jurisprudence in

Guanajuato Guanajuato, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato, is one of the 32 states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Guanajuato, 46 municipalities and its cap ...

, he moved to

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

in the early 20th century to practice

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

at the invitation of President Porfirio Díaz after defeating him in a

civil case A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. T ...

while defending Don Manuel Urquiza, a landowner from

Querétaro Querétaro, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Querétaro, 18 municipalities. Its capital city is Querétaro Cit ...

. He owned the Chichimequillas estate in the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

of Silao, Guanajuato. He authorized the construction of the first monument within his lands, preceding the current '' Cristo Rey'' temple on Cerro del Cubilete.

Biography

He served as a federal deputy in the last Porfirian

legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...

(1908–1910), where he befriended

Venustiano Carranza José Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (; 29 December 1859 – 21 May 1920), known as Venustiano Carranza, was a Mexican land owner and politician who served as President of Mexico from 1917 until his assassination in 1920, during the Mexican Re ...

. He became a federal deputy again for District 11 of

in the XXVI Legislature, affiliated with the Anti-Reelection National Party. He was imprisoned in Lecumberri when that legislature was dissolved by

Victoriano Huerta José Victoriano Huerta Márquez (; 23 December 1850 – 13 January 1916) was a Mexican general, politician, engineer and dictator who was the 39th President of Mexico, who came to power by coup against the democratically elected government of ...

. He joined the

constitutionalist Constitutionalism is "a compound of ideas, attitudes, and patterns of behavior elaborating the principle that the authority of government derives from and is limited by a body of fundamental law". Political organizations are constitutional to ...

movement, becoming the first Rector of the

National University A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. In the United States, the term "national university" connotes the highe ...

(''Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México''; UNAM). In

Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...

, the "First Constitutional Chief," entrusted him with drafting the Reform to the Mexican Constitution, which served as the basis for the Constitutional Congress of Querétaro to draft the Political Constitution of 1917. He was elected as a constituent deputy for the State of Guanajuato. In Querétaro, he led the Carrancista group along with and . He notably contributed to the drafting of Article 123 of the new constitution. During his first term as Rector of the UNAM, he reviewed the institution's budget and concluded on March 5, 1916, that higher education in faculties and schools should be tuition-free, with students paying five pesos per month. He headed the University and Fine Arts department. He supported the creation of the National School of Industrial Chemistry, a precursor to the Faculty of Chemistry of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, inaugurating its facilities in September 1916. In 1917, he assumed the Rectorship of the National University again, with his tenure marked by the establishment of

research laboratories A research institute, research centre, or research organization is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often implies natural ...

. In 1920, he accompanied President Carranza in his flight towards

, parting ways with him in the community of Aljibes, where the Carrancista convoy was attacked by Obregonista forces. He was taken prisoner and incarcerated again in Lecumberri. After months of captivity, he was released on the condition that he left the country. He traveled through Europe, and later settled in

San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...

, before eventually being able to return to the country. He presided over the Association of Constitutional Deputies. He spent his final years in

, where he died on October 19, 1948.

References

National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni Academic staff of the National Autonomous University of Mexico 19th-century Mexican lawyers 1857 births 1948 deaths People from Guanajuato 20th-century Mexican lawyers {{Mexico-law-bio-stub