Valentín Gómez Farías facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Valentín Gómez Farías
7th President of Mexico
In office 1 April 1833 – 16 May 1833
Vice President	Himself
Preceded by	Manuel Gómez Pedraza
Succeeded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
In office 3 June 1833 – 18 June 1833
Vice President	Himself
Preceded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
Succeeded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
In office 5 July 1833 – 27 October 1833
Vice President	Himself
Preceded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
Succeeded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
In office 16 December 1833 – 24 April 1834
Vice President	Himself
Preceded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
Succeeded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
In office 23 December 1846 – 21 March 1847
Vice President	Himself
Preceded by	José Mariano Salas
Succeeded by	Antonio López de Santa Anna
Vice President of Mexico
In office 1 April 1833 – 26 January 1835
Vice President	Himself (3 times) Antonio López de Santa Anna (3 times)
Preceded by	Anastasio Bustamante
Succeeded by	Nicolás Bravo
In office 23 December 1846 – 1 April 1847
Vice President	Himself Antonio López de Santa Anna
Preceded by	Nicolás Bravo
Succeeded by	Ramón Corral
President of the Senate of Mexico
In office 1 January 1825 – 31 January 1825
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Simón de la Garza
Cabinet positions 18th Minister of Finance In office 2 February 1833 – 31 March 1833 President Manuel Gómez Pedraza Preceded by Miguel Ramos Arizpe Succeeded by José María Bocanegra
Personal details
Born	(1781-02-14)14 February 1781 Guadalajara, New Kingdom of Galicia, New Spain (now Jalisco, Mexico)
Died	5 July 1858(1858-07-05) (aged 77) Mexico City, Mexico
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Isabel López ​ ​ (m. 1817; died 1858)​
Alma mater	Royal University of Guadalajara
Signature

Valentín Gómez Farías (born February 14, 1781 – died July 5, 1858) was an important Mexican leader. He served as the President of Mexico at different times. One of his main periods was in the early 1830s. He also led the country during the Mexican–American War in the late 1840s.

During his first time as president, he made big changes. These changes were based on liberal ideas. They aimed to reduce the power of the Roman Catholic Church and the army in Mexico.

Who Was Valentín Gómez Farías?

Early Life and Career

Valentín Gómez Farías was born in Guadalajara. His father was a rich Spanish merchant. His mother was from a powerful Mexican family.

He studied to become a medical doctor. Later, he became one of the most important liberal politicians in early independent Mexico. After Mexico became independent in 1821, Gómez Farías first supported Agustín de Iturbide. Iturbide wanted to be a constitutional monarch. But Gómez Farías stopped supporting him when Iturbide closed the new congress.

After Iturbide left power, Gómez Farías became active in the new Republic of Mexico's congress in 1824. He became a leader of the radical liberals, also known as puros. He also became friends with General Antonio López de Santa Anna.

His Time as President

From 1833 to 1836, Santa Anna was president. This was a good time for Mexican Liberals and Gómez Farías. Santa Anna often preferred to just have the title of president. He was not very interested in running the government.

So, the real work of leading the country fell to Vice-President Gómez Farías. He used this power to make many liberal changes. These changes mainly focused on the army and the Roman Catholic Church.

Important Reforms by Gómez Farías

Reducing Power of the Church and Army

Gómez Farías wanted to limit the special rights of the Church and the army. These rights were called fueros. They allowed members of the Church and army to be tried in their own special courts. Gómez Farías ended these special courts.

He also wanted to make education separate from the Church. Before, the clergy (priests) controlled most schools. He worked to change this. He also tried to reduce the Church's financial power.

Gómez Farías also tried to bring these changes to Alta California. He supported laws to make the Franciscan missions there less powerful. In 1833, he helped set up a colony called Híjar-Padrés. This colony aimed to increase non-mission settlements. It also helped protect Alta California from possible Russian plans.

To stop future coups (sudden takeovers of government) and limit the army's power, Gómez Farías reduced the size of the military. He also ended the fueros that protected military officers from regular laws and trials.

Changes in Education and Church Appointments

Gómez Farías's government first told Catholic priests to stick to religious topics in their sermons. They asked them to stop getting involved in politics.

Then, Gómez Farías and his main advisors, José María Luis Mora and Lorenzo de Zavala, pushed the Mexican Congress to pass new laws. One of the first laws was to make Mexican education secular. This meant it would not be controlled by the Church.

The Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico was closed and reorganized. Its teachers were mostly priests. These new secular schools were very important. They shaped the education and political views of the next generation of liberal leaders. This included future president Benito Juárez.

The government also declared that all Church appointments in Mexico would be made by the government. They would not be made by the Pope.

Later Reforms and Challenges

Gómez Farías's government made more changes. These included ending mandatory tithes (payments to the Church). They also took over some Church property and money.

These big changes caused problems. People who supported the old ways, like the Conservatives, the Church, and the Army, were very unhappy. They started a revolt called the Revolt of the Polkos. They wanted the liberal government removed.

Santa Anna, who was still president in title, watched these events. He then removed Gómez Farías and his government. Santa Anna often did this until the 1850s.

Santa Anna then formed a new government. This government was Conservative, Catholic, and Centralist. He forced Gómez Farías and many of his supporters to leave Mexico. They went to the United States. The new government ended the Constitution of 1824. It also undid the liberal changes Gómez Farías had made. A new constitution was created.

Return to Power During the Mexican-American War

Later, during the Mexican–American War, Santa Anna said he wanted to fight the foreign invasion. He said he no longer wanted to be president.

Gómez Farías stepped in to become president of Mexico during the war. But Santa Anna overthrew him again in the middle of the fighting.

Images for kids

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  Metro Gómez Farías, Line 1, Mexico City

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  Tomb of President Gómez Farías in the Panteón de Dolores of Mexico City

See also

In Spanish: Valentín Gómez Farías para niños