Mexican Revolution

The Mexican Revolution was a long period of civil war and political upheaval that began as an uprising against the dictator Porfirio Diaz, who had ruled for decades. Francisco Madero launched the revolt and became president, but he was overthrown and killed in a coup led by General Victoriano Huerta. Regional leaders such as Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Venustiano Carranza and Alvaro Obregon then fought Huerta and later each other, demanding land reform, social justice and political change. Hundreds of thousands of people died. The conflict produced the Constitution of 1917, with provisions on land, labour and the role of the church, and it shaped Mexican politics for decades.

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