Conspiracy of the Machetes facts for kids

The Conspiracy of the Machetes (which means La Conspiración de los Machetes in Spanish) was a secret plan to rebel against Spanish rule in a place called New Spain in 1799. New Spain was a huge area controlled by Spain, which included what is now Mexico. Even though this plan didn't succeed and wasn't a big threat, it still worried the Spanish rulers. This event happened just 11 years before the start of the Mexican War of Independence, so many people in modern Mexico see it as an early step towards their country's freedom.

Who Started the Conspiracy?

The main person behind this secret plan was Pedro de la Portilla. He was a Criollo, which means he was of Spanish descent but born in America. Pedro worked in a tax office in New Spain. He wasn't rich or famous.

In 1799, Pedro gathered about twenty other young men. These men were also not powerful. Some were guards in the city squares. Others worked in jobs like clock-making or with silver. All of them were either friends or family of Pedro. They met secretly in a house in Mexico City.

Why They Wanted to Rebel

At their meeting, the group talked about how Criollos were treated. They felt that Criollos (people born in America) were not treated as well as Peninsulares (people born in Spain). The Peninsulares often had more power and better jobs. The word Gachupines was sometimes used as an insulting term for Peninsulares.

The group decided they wanted to fight back. Their goal was to get rid of the Peninsulares and free their country from Spanish control.

The Secret Plan

The conspirators had a bold plan. They wanted to free prisoners from jails. Then, with the help of these freed prisoners, they would attack the viceroy's palace. The viceroy was the highest Spanish official in New Spain. By taking over the palace, they hoped to capture important officials and get money.

After that, they planned to declare Mexico independent from Spain. They would then start a war against Spain. Their goal was to either kill or force out all the Peninsulares.

To start this uprising, they had very few resources. They had about 1,000 pesos (a type of money), two pistols, and around 50 cutlasses and machetes. They hoped to inspire a large uprising under the protection of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Because they planned to use machetes, their secret plot became known as the Conspiracy of the Machetes.

If their rebellion succeeded, they wanted the people of Mexico to decide what kind of government they should have. It seems they liked the idea of a Congress, similar to the one that had recently been set up in the United States.

How the Plan Was Discovered

During their second meeting, one of Pedro's cousins, Isidoro Francisco de Aguirre, became worried about the plan. On November 10, 1799, he went to the Spanish authorities and told them about the conspiracy.

The viceroy, Miguel José de Azanza, ordered the arrest of all the conspirators. He wanted them arrested quietly, without telling the public why. This was to prevent people from getting excited and possibly joining the rebellion.

All the conspirators were caught. They spent many years in prison while their trial went on. The trial lasted a very long time, and some of them even died in prison. Pedro de la Portilla, however, lived long enough to see Mexico finally become independent many years later.

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In Spanish: Conspiración de los machetes para niños