Revolt of the Polkos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Revolt of the Polkos |
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| Part of Mexican–American War | |||||||
 Plaza and Cathedral in Mexico City, 1847 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
.svg){kind=small} Mexico (Rebels) |
Mexico (Government) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Matías Peña y Barragán José Mariano Salas Pedro María de Anaya |
Valentín Gómez Farías Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna |
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The Revolt of the Polkos was a major event in Mexico City during the Mexican–American War in 1847. It was a rebellion by local militias who wanted to remove President Valentín Gómez Farías from power. The revolt started on February 27, 1847, and was successful.
This was the second time Mexico experienced a successful rebellion during the war. President Gómez Farías himself had become president after Mariano Paredes was overthrown in August 1846. This was also the second time Gómez Farías served as president. He had been president before in 1833 and tried to make some big changes that affected the church.
To pay for the war, the government decided to sell church lands in January 1847. This idea caused a lot of trouble. Some people worried it was like the anti-church actions from 1833. Others, even some who supported the government, wondered if it was a good idea during a war. People started protesting across the country. The main revolt in Mexico City, known as the Revolt of the Polkos, began on February 27. The term Polkos was used for the middle-class people who were part of these militias.
Meanwhile, General Santa Anna was returning to Mexico City after the Battle of Buena Vista. He heard about the revolt on his way. He decided to get involved and ended up supporting the rebels. This led to Gómez Farías being removed from office. Pedro María de Anaya then became the new president.
Contents
Why Did the Revolt Happen?
Mexico's Leaders and the War
The Mexican-American War began when Mariano Paredes was president. After Mexico lost many battles, American troops moved deep into the country. Paredes was overthrown in August 1846. Jose Mariano Salas became the temporary president.
Salas helped bring back the Constitution of 1824. This constitution supported a federal system, which meant power was shared more evenly. Many people wanted this old constitution back after a difficult time under a central government. Santa Anna, a powerful general, said he supported the federal system. He was invited back to Mexico to help with the war.
New elections were held in December 1846. Santa Anna and Valentín Gómez Farías won and decided to share power. They had worked together before in 1833. During that time, Gómez Farías had tried to make big changes that affected the church, and Santa Anna eventually turned against him.
The Government's Money Problems
The government was struggling to pay for the war. There were also problems with corruption in the finance department. This made people lose trust in the government.
In January 1847, a plan was introduced to take 15 million pesos from the church. This would be done by taking over and selling church lands. This idea worried many people, especially those who feared Gómez Farías was trying to weaken the church again, like he did in 1833.
The head of Congress, Pedro María de Anaya, approved the plan. President Gómez Farías also approved it with the support of his finance minister. They tried to make sure no one cheated the system. People who rented church lands were told to pay the government instead of the church.
Public Reaction to the Plan
Many local governments did not like the new law. States like Queretaro, Puebla, and Guanajuato asked Congress to cancel it. The state of Durango refused to follow the law. Queretaro even suggested a different way to raise money for the war. People who lived on church lands also did not want to follow the new rule.
A newspaper called El Monitor Republicano was surprised by the government's decision. It pointed out that in 1833, Gómez Farías's attempt to take church lands led to his government being overthrown.
The Minister of Relations, José Fernando Ramírez, resigned because he disagreed with the plan. It was also hard to find people willing to buy the church lands. On January 26, President Gómez Farías created a special group to sell the church lands. Officials who refused to help were fined. The government also tried to stop corruption in the finance department.
Protests started in Mexico City as early as January 15. But the government insisted on going ahead with its plan. Garrisons (military groups) in Oaxaca and Mazatlan also spoke out against the government. Just like in 1833, rebels started calling for Santa Anna to take over the government.
Even some government officials opposed the law. Liberal Deputy Mariano Otero protested it. The new finance minister, José Luis Huici, refused to sign it.
The Rebellion Begins
The Spark of the Revolt
President Gómez Farías noticed that some national guard members in the capital were not loyal to him. He tried to move them to different places so they wouldn't be a threat. He wanted to move the Independence Battalion, a militia of middle-class professionals, away from the University of Mexico, which was near the National Palace.
On February 24, Gómez Farías sent his own son with troops to remove the Independence Battalion from their temporary barracks. This action angered the battalion members because it threatened their jobs and families. This led to protests and some members of the battalion were arrested.
The "Polkos" Rise Up
On February 27, five national guard battalions rebelled against the government. They released a statement criticizing the government for causing division instead of uniting the country during the war. They also demanded a way to fund the military that everyone agreed on.
This event became known as the Revolt of the Polkos. The young, middle-class men in these militias were known for dancing the polka, which is how they got their nickname. General José Mariano Salas, who had helped overthrow President Mariano Paredes earlier, joined the rebels.
General Matías de la Peña Barragán, the rebel leader, met with Valentin Canalizo to discuss a solution. Peña Barragán insisted that Gómez Farías be removed from office. The talks failed, and the revolt continued.
Santa Anna's Return and Decision
Meanwhile, news arrived that Santa Anna had won the Battle of Buena Vista. In reality, the battle was more of a draw. Santa Anna was heading back to Mexico City to prepare defenses against Winfield Scott's forces, who had just landed at Veracruz.
When Santa Anna was near San Luis Potosi, he heard about the rebellion against Gómez Farías. On March 10, he arrived in San Luis Potosi. He sent letters to both Gómez Farías and Peña Barragán, ordering them to stop fighting. They both agreed to wait for Santa Anna to arrive and decide what to do.
On his way to the capital, Santa Anna met with representatives from both sides. They all tried to convince him to support their cause. On March 21, members of Congress, including Mariano Otero and José María Lafragua, offered Santa Anna the presidency. He continued to meet with different groups and was congratulated for his "victory" at Buena Vista. Ignacio Trigueros became the new governor of the federal district, and Pedro María de Anaya was named the new military commander.
In the end, Congress decided to get rid of the vice president's job, which removed Gómez Farías from office. Pedro María de Anaya was then named the new president of Mexico.
See also
In Spanish: Rebelión de los Polkos para niños
