Aquiles Serdán facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aquiles Serdán
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| Born | November 2, 1876 |
| Died | November 18, 1910 (aged 34) |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Parent(s) | Manuel Serdán (father) |
Aquiles Serdán Alatriste (born November 2, 1876 – died November 18, 1910) was a brave Mexican leader. He was born in Puebla, Mexico. He strongly supported the Mexican Revolution, which was a big fight for change led by Francisco I. Madero.
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Who Was Aquiles Serdán?
Aquiles Serdán was an important person in the early days of the Mexican Revolution. He believed Mexico needed a fairer government. He worked as a shoemaker, just like his father.
His Family's Fight for Change
Aquiles came from a family that cared deeply about politics and making Mexico better. His grandfather, Miguel C. Alatriste, was a strong supporter of liberal ideas. He even served as the governor of Puebla in 1857. During a time when French forces invaded Mexico, Alatriste fought against them. He was captured and sadly executed.
Aquiles's father, Manuel Serdán, also wanted change. He helped start the Mexican Socialist Party. He also wrote a document called La Ley del Pueblo (The Law of the People). This document asked for big changes in how land was owned in Mexico. Manuel Serdán disappeared, and many believe he was murdered by the authorities.
Joining the Revolution
Aquiles Serdán read a book by Francisco I. Madero called The Presidential Succession of 1910. In this book, Madero talked about the problems Mexico faced under President Porfirio Díaz. Madero called for fair elections.
Serdán started writing to Madero. He then organized a group in Puebla called the Anti-Reelectionist Club. This group was against President Díaz staying in power for so long. Most members were textile workers. Aquiles became a revolutionary, actively working against Díaz's government. Because of his actions, Díaz's government arrested him. He was in prison from October to December 1909.
Standing Up to the Government
Aquiles Serdán worked hard to help Madero win the 1910 presidential elections. But Madero was arrested, and the elections were unfair. Serdán then left Mexico and went to the United States.
After the unfair elections, Díaz and Ramón Corral were declared the winners. Serdán famously said that the fight was not over for those who wanted change.
When Madero escaped from jail in 1910, he created a plan called the Plan of San Luis Potosí. This plan called for a rebellion across Mexico on November 20, 1910. Serdán quickly returned to Puebla to organize the revolution there. He and his brother Máximo bought weapons and gathered people to join their cause. His sister, Carmen Serdán, traveled to Texas. She got 20,000 pesos to help fund the rebellion.
The Final Battle
The Díaz government found out about the Serdán family's revolutionary plans. On November 18, 1910, the Puebla police chief and his men came to the Serdán family home. A big fight broke out.
Aquiles, his brother Máximo, his wife, his mother, and his sister Carmen, along with nine other men, bravely defended their house. Aquiles had hoped that the people of Puebla would rise up and join them, but they did not. The government forces fought hard, and Aquiles Serdán was killed. When Madero heard about Serdán's death, he said, "It does not matter. They have shown us how to die." This meant that Serdán's bravery would inspire others.
How He Is Remembered
Aquiles Serdán is remembered as a hero of the Mexican Revolution. In 1932, a municipality in northern Mexico, Aquiles Serdán, Chihuahua, was renamed in his honor. There is also a subway station in Mexico City called Metro Aquiles Serdán.
His house on Santa Clara Street in the center of Puebla is now a museum. It has been kept just as it was on the day he was killed.
See Also
In Spanish: Aquiles Serdán para niños
