The story of Mexico : the Mexican War of Independence / R. Conrad Stein.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-142) and index.

The cry of Dolores -- New Spain -- The Enlightenment -- Hidalgo -- The battle of the banners -- Guerilla warfare -- Morelos -- The Dream and the defeat -- The collapse of the Spanish Empire -- Iturbide and final independence -- Viva Mexico!

Since Hernando Cortes conquered the Aztec empire in the sixteenth century, Mexico had been ruled by the kingdom of Spain. They treated the once mighty land as a colony, exploiting its people and tightly controlling the affairs of the nation to keep it from growing strong. any talk of freedom or revolution was strictly barred by law. But as the philosphical movement called the Enlightenment swept through Europe, and revolutions toppled oppressive monarchies in America and France, the people of Mexico began to think of driving out the Spanish and establishing their own country as a very real possibility.