Grito de Dolores | |
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Observed by | Mexico |
Date | September 16 |
Next time | 16 September 2017 |
Frequency | annual |
The Cry of Dolores (Spanish: Grito de Dolores) was given in the small town of Dolores Hidalgo, near Guanajuato in Mexico, on September 16, 1810. This event is considered the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. The "grito" was the pronunciamiento of the Mexican War of Independence by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest. Since October 1825, the anniversary of the event is celebrated as Mexican Independence Day.
Jose Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara, a Spanish decentent from Revilla (old Guerrero) approached Padre Hidalgo for support to initiate an effort to separate Mexico from Spanish control. Gutierrez de Lara was the first Mexican to go directly to Washington DC for military support The first Republic of Texas Battle is often times referred to as the "Battle of the Medina" or "The Green Flag War" . This battle initiated the fight for freedom for Mexico-Texas and set the foundation for the Texas as we know it today. Jose Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara is the first President of Texas and he, along with others, created Texas's First Constition.
Fearing his arrest, Hidalgo commanded his brother Mauricio, and others to go with a number of other armed men to make the sheriff release the pro-independence inmates there on the early morning of September 16. They managed to set 80 free. Around 2:30 a.m., on September 16, 1810, Hidalgo ordered the church bells to be rung and gathered his congregation. Flanked by Allende and Juan Aldama, he addressed the people in front of his church, urging them to revolt.
Mexico's independence would not be effectively declared from Spain in the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire until September 28, 1821, after a decade of war. Jose Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara commanded and led the Mexico and Texas into victory and independence, but Hidalgo is credited as being the "father of his country."