Mexico and much of Central America were conquered from Mexico City. The Spanish took over the Indian lands and gave it all out among themselves. During the early contact with Indians, millions died from European diseases like measles and smallpox, because the natives had no cure for them. Central Mexico did not get its original population numbers until around 1900. Independence Along with other Spanish colonies in the New World, Mexico fought for and gained its independence in the early 1800s. On Sept. 16, 1810, in the town of Dolores Hidalgo, the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang his church's bells and got the local Indians to "recover from the hated Spaniards the land stolen from your forefathers . . ." This is now celebrated as Mexican Independence Day. Padre Hidalgo was hanged in July 1811. Hidalgo was succeeded by Jose Maria Morelos, another priest who was a better leader than his Padre Hidalgo was. Morelos made a national government, which on Nov. 6, 1812, declared that Mexico was to be independent from Spain. Morelos was executed by a Spanish firing squad in 1815, but his army, led by Vicente Guerrero, continued fighting until 1821. Because of weaknesses and the coruption of government in Spain, the revolution army gained strength. Agustin de Iturbide, an officer from the Spanish, joined forces with Guerrero and made the Plan of Iguala, which provided for Mexico's independence under a monarchy government called the Mexican Empire. I...
