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The Mexican Revolution Day 6

Procedure: Lecture on the Constitution of Mexico, Group work on the Constitution of Mexico

Learning Goal: Understand and describe the contexts, content, and consequences of the Constitution of Mexico

Homework: Unit 3 in packet -- be ready for a reading quiz

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The Constitution of Mexico (1917)

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Journal #4

What purpose does a constitution serve?

  • Give rights to people?
  • Restrict power of government?
  • Give framework to government?
  • Plan economy (Article 27)
  • Restrict power of special interests/religion
  • Establish ethical standards for society

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Context is Everything

  • Constitutionalists (Carranza, Obregon) defeat Federalists (Huerta) militarily
  • Carranza elected president in 1916
  • Calls convention to write new constitution based on Constitution of 1856
    • Only his supporters allowed in
  • Life of avg Mexican at the time: not awesome

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Constitutional Convention 1917

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  • Diverse cross-section of revolutionaries
    • Far less religious than general population
  • Constitution – radical for era
    • Endorses land reform – Art. 27
      • Private property not absolute right
        • Fed gov’t can nationalize private, Church, & foreign investments
    • Workers’ rights – Art. 123
    • Increased Presidential power, but only 1 term
    • Restrictions on RC Church - Art. 3 & 130
  • Not popularly supported - Why?
  • IMPACT: Changes force future Mexican rulers to address working and peasant classes

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Article 3

  • Pushed by:
    • Carrancistas
  • Content:
    • Right to a free and secular education
      • Why so important?
    • Guaranteed elementary education
  • Effect:
    • Opposed by Catholic Church
      • Why?
    • Enforcement handled locally
      • Resulted in uneven education
      • Some places saw reduced access to education due to firing of Catholic teachers and shutting down of Catholic schools

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Article 27

  • Pushed by:
    • Zapatistas and Villistas
    • Inspired by Plan de Alaya
  • Content:
    • Private property not absolute right
      • Fed gov’t can nationalize private, Church, & foreign investments
    • Only Mexican citizens/companies may own Mexican land
    • Gov’t owns all subsoil and it’s contents - paved way for nationalization of oil
  • Effects
    • Significant land reform/gains by peasants (Cardenas)
    • Revolutionary leaders able to increase land claims (Obregon)

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Article 123

  • Pushed by:
    • Carrancistas
  • Content:
    • 8 hr work day
    • Equal wages based on

gender and nationality

    • Guaranteed overtime
    • Right to unionize
    • Right to strike
    • Paid maternity leave
  • Effects:
    • Most progressive legal working rights in Americas at time

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Article 130

  • Content
    • Separation of church and state
    • Prevention of priests being elected to office
    • Public registration of priests
    • Church property nationalized
  • Effects
    • Not enforced by Carranza as president

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Implementation and Effects

  • Unevenly and often belatedly enforced
  • Article 27
    • Revolutionary leaders see significant land gains
      • Obregon 150 ---> 3,500 hectares
    • But “the people”...not so much
  • Inspired other Latin American Constitutions
  • Massive improvement in status of women
    • Legalized divorce, paid maternity leave, equal pay
    • Right to vote in federal elections not realized until 1953
  • Huge pushback by Catholic Church
  • Increase in power of President
    • No VP, weak legislature