discuss the major political, social, and cultural changes that occurred from Mexican Independence to 1910 (before the Mexican Revolution. Warning: do *NOT* conflate the Wars of Independence with the Mexican Revolution. Doing so will result in a failing grade).
Make sure to address the following questions somewhere in the content of your essay:
- What were the major challenges facing the country in the wake of the wars for Independence? Evaluate how the country’s leaders met–or failed to meet–these challenges and discuss what that meant for national development.
- To what extent did a unified national identity and national culture form during this period? How important do you think achieving a truly “national” identity/culture (as opposed to a collection of regional identities/cultures) is to national development as a whole? Put another way: can a nation unify politically, develop its economy, and achieve social cohesion without a strong national identity?