The first Mexican constitution and the war of independence

Abstract

The Mexican War of Independence has two stages: the first begins on September 16, 1810, with the uprising led by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and ends on December 22, 1815, with the execution of Father José María Morelos y Pavón (although it could formally be extended to June 9, 1818, with the dissolution of the Junta of Jaujilla). This first stage is characterized as a truly popular, anti-Spanish, and traditionalist movement. After Hidalgo's death, Father José María Morelos y Pavón emerged as the undisputed leader of the emancipation movement. He had a clear vision of his objective: to establish a new nation. Inspired by the revolutionary winds blowing through the Hispanic world at the time, it became essential to draft a constitution as the fundamental and supreme law to create a Liberal and Democratic State governed by the rule of law, independent of the Cádiz Constitution, whose validity was not recognized. This is precisely what Morelos did. He first convened a constituent congress, the Congress of Chilpancingo, on September 13, 1813. From this congress came the much-anticipated constitution, the Decree for the Liberty of Mexican America, issued on October 22, 1814. Although it was never fully implemented, it is considered Mexico's first constitution. This paper focuses on that topic.