Convention of Aguascalientes facts for kids
Photograph of Pancho Villa seated in the presidential throne, together with Emiliano Zapata
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| Native name | Soberana Convención Revolucionaria |
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| English name | Sovereign Revolutionary Convention |
| Date | October 10 – November 9, 1914 |
| Venue | Chamber of Deputies, later Morelos Theater |
| Location | Aguascalientes |
| Type | Convention |
| Cause | Mexican Revolution |
| Motive | Unity of revolutionary forces |
| Organised by | Conventionists |
| Participants | Villistas, Zapatistas |
| Outcome | Election of Eulalio Gutiérrez as President of Mexico, formation of the Conventionist Army and beginning of the civil war with the Constitutionalists |
The Convention of Aguascalientes was a very important meeting during the Mexican Revolution. It brought together different groups of revolutionaries who had just defeated Victoriano Huerta, a leader who had taken over the presidency. This meeting aimed to unite these groups and decide the future of Mexico. It took place in 1914, mostly in the city of Aguascalientes, which is how it got its name.
Contents
Why the Convention Happened
In February 1913, General Victoriano Huerta took control of Mexico in a sudden takeover called a coup d'état. But revolutionary groups fought against him. By July 1914, Huerta was forced to resign and leave the country.
Venustiano Carranza, who led the Constitutional Army, became the new leader. He wanted to talk about his government's plans with other revolutionary leaders. So, he called for a big meeting. He hoped this meeting would bring all the revolutionary groups together.
Where the Meeting Took Place
The first sessions of the convention were held in Mexico City. However, two important leaders, Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, did not want to attend a meeting in Mexico City. Zapata's group did not recognize Carranza's authority. Villa refused to go. Because of this, everyone agreed to move the meeting to the city of Aguascalientes. The convention met there from October 10 to November 9, 1914.
Key Leaders and Groups
The main goal of the convention was to solve disagreements among the four most powerful leaders who helped overthrow Huerta. These leaders were Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Venustiano Carranza, and Álvaro Obregón.
Before the convention, there was a debate about who could attend. Carranza wanted to include civilians (people who were not soldiers), as he had many civilian supporters. However, it was decided that only military leaders from the revolution could participate.
Growing Tensions Among Leaders
There were already strong disagreements between Carranza and Villa, who used to be allies. Zapata also did not like Carranza, and Carranza felt the same way about Zapata. It was clear that uniting these powerful groups would be difficult.
From the very beginning, Villa's supporters, known as the Villistas, had a strong influence on the convention. They often got their way. Zapata's supporters, called the Zapatistas, arrived later, on October 26.
What Happened at the Convention
When the Convention first met on October 10, 1914, the delegates declared themselves "sovereign." This meant they saw themselves as an independent decision-making body, not just a group that offered advice. Carranza did not agree with this idea of sovereignty. He did not attend the convention himself or send representatives.
The delegates decided not to make any major decisions until Zapata and his advisors arrived. When Zapata did come, he brought many men with military titles. However, many of them were actually civilians who had not led troops in battle.
There was an idea to combine all the revolutionary armies into one big army. This new army would replace the old Federal Army, which no longer existed after Huerta's fall. Some people liked this idea. But in reality, it was very hard to do. Each revolutionary army had formed and fought under its own specific leader, like Villa or Zapata.
The Outcome of the Convention
The convention elected General Eulalio Gutiérrez Ortiz as the temporary President of Mexico. His term was set for only 20 days. The convention also appointed Pancho Villa as the commander of the new Conventionalist Army.
After this, the Conventionalist Army began to fight against Carranza's Constitutionalist Army. This marked the start of a new phase of the civil war.
Following the meeting, Villa and Zapata, now working together, entered Mexico City on December 6, 1914. They led a large army of 60,000 men. Carranza and his supporters then moved to Veracruz. Later, Zapata returned to his home region of Morelos. This meant that the alliance between Villa and Zapata was mostly in name only.
See also
In Spanish: Convención de Aguascalientes para niños
