Emiliano Zapata
Emiliano Zapata was a Mexican Revolutionary and rebel leader, famous for
leading the Mexican Revolution.
Emiliano was born on August 8th 1878 in Anenecuilco. He was born to a peasant family and orphaned at the age if 17. He became a parental figure to all of his brothers and sisters. When his neighbors land was being stolen by a nearby hacienda owner, he became very angry with the government. He tried to encourage the peasants to fight back against the injustices.In 1897 he was arrested for his protests about the haciendas stealing land. He later helped Francisco Madero overthrow the dictator Porfirio Diaz in an attempt to get the land back to the peasants. This marked the beginning of the Mexican Revolution.
Once Madero rose to power, Zapata demanded that all the land be returned to the peasants. They met in 1911 to discuss the new land reforms however, Zapata was
not satisfied with the pace at which this was going at. This led him to write his own reform called the " Plan of Ayala", which stated that all hacienda owners had to return the land they store from the peasants.
In 1914 a new leader, Venustiano Carranza, came to power. Unhappy with this, Zapata led a Liberation Army of over 25,000 people to the south of Mexico where Zapata and revolutionist Pancho Villa began to work together for a new president. However in 1917, Pancho's army was defeated, leaving Zapata alone in his battle against Carranza. Carranza fooled Zapata by having one of his emissaries invite him to a meeting where he was later assassinated.
Zapata's legacy still lives on however. People who fight for revolution in Mexico are commonly referred to as Zapatistas. He is thought
of as a revolutionary hero still to this day.
leading the Mexican Revolution.
Emiliano was born on August 8th 1878 in Anenecuilco. He was born to a peasant family and orphaned at the age if 17. He became a parental figure to all of his brothers and sisters. When his neighbors land was being stolen by a nearby hacienda owner, he became very angry with the government. He tried to encourage the peasants to fight back against the injustices.In 1897 he was arrested for his protests about the haciendas stealing land. He later helped Francisco Madero overthrow the dictator Porfirio Diaz in an attempt to get the land back to the peasants. This marked the beginning of the Mexican Revolution.
Once Madero rose to power, Zapata demanded that all the land be returned to the peasants. They met in 1911 to discuss the new land reforms however, Zapata was
not satisfied with the pace at which this was going at. This led him to write his own reform called the " Plan of Ayala", which stated that all hacienda owners had to return the land they store from the peasants.
In 1914 a new leader, Venustiano Carranza, came to power. Unhappy with this, Zapata led a Liberation Army of over 25,000 people to the south of Mexico where Zapata and revolutionist Pancho Villa began to work together for a new president. However in 1917, Pancho's army was defeated, leaving Zapata alone in his battle against Carranza. Carranza fooled Zapata by having one of his emissaries invite him to a meeting where he was later assassinated.
Zapata's legacy still lives on however. People who fight for revolution in Mexico are commonly referred to as Zapatistas. He is thought
of as a revolutionary hero still to this day.