Misplaced Pages

#281718

116-455: Although there is great variability regarding candidacy for Brotherhood membership, usually novices come from Penitente families and ideally, only those of known background and conviction are chosen to undergo the initiation. New candidates express their desire for novitiate status by application to the Hermano Mayor, the secretary, or some other official of the morada of intention. After

232-588: A folklorist who influenced W. B. Yeats 's interest in Irish mythology . His father, Harry Sylvester, Sr., was heavily involved in politics during the 1920s and 30s, serving as a Republican in New York in a number of capacities. After graduating from Manual Training High School in Brooklyn, Sylvester went to Notre Dame in 1926. There, he played football for Knute Rockne . During his time as an undergraduate , he served

348-614: A constitutional convention to discuss their status in the new political order. It was a shrewd political move, but none accepted the invitation. However, it became clear to the Supreme Central Junta that keeping his overseas kingdoms loyal was imperative. Silver from New Spain was vital for funding the war against France. The body expanded to include membership from Spanish America, with the explicit recognition that they were kingdoms in their own right and not colonies of Spain. Elections were set to send delegates to Spain to participate in

464-686: A crisis of legitimacy of crown rule, since he had placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne after forcing the abdication of the Spanish monarch Charles IV . In Spain and many of its overseas possessions, the local response was to set up juntas , ruling in the name of the Bourbon monarchy . Delegates in Spain and overseas territories met in Cádiz —a small corner of the Iberian Peninsula still under Spanish control—as

580-409: A defense, sending out the Spanish general Torcuato Trujillo with 1,000 men, 400 horsemen, and two cannons—all that could be found on such short notice. The crown had established a standing military in the late eighteenth century, granting non-Spaniards who served the fuero militar , the only special privileges for mixed-race men were eligible. Indians were excluded from the military. Royal army troops of

696-702: A disproportionate impact on American-born priests, who filled the ranks of the lower clergy in New Spain. A number of parish priests, most famously Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos , subsequently became involved in the insurgency for independence. When the crown expelled the Jesuits from Spain and the overseas empire in 1767, it had a major impact on elites in New Spain, whose Jesuit sons were sent into exile, and cultural institutions, especially universities and colleges where they taught were affected. In New Spain there were riots in protest of their expulsion. Colonial rule

812-467: A fictionalized version of Mabel Dodge Luhan and her community of artists, whom Bain repudiates in favor of the provincial Catholics. Sylvester deals realistically with themes such as adultery and abortion in Dayspring , which earned the novel mixed reviews upon its publication. The story was inspired by his trips to New Mexico . Dayspring was Sylvester's first novel to attract international attention;

928-646: A fortified road between the port of Veracruz and Jalapa, the first major stopping point on the way to Mexico City. The rebels faced stiff Spanish military resistance and the apathy of many of the most influential criollos. Harry Sylvester Harry Ambrose Sylvester (January 19, 1908 – September 26, 1993) was an American short-story writer and novelist in the first half of the 20th century. His stories were published in popular magazines such as Collier's , Esquire , Columbia , and Commonweal . The most popular of his novels were Dearly Beloved (1942), Dayspring (1945), and Moon Gaffney (1947). He

1044-455: A household name, knew many of the prominent writers of the 20th century. He was a friend and correspondent of Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s; several letters to him from Hemingway appear in the latter's Selected Letters . He also regularly exchanged letters with J. F. Powers and Richard T. Sullivan . By mid-century, he was considered to be a very promising writer in Catholic circles, but he

1160-654: A key factor in Creoles considering political independence. Within the Spanish Empire there was an unofficial yet apparent racial hierarchy which affected the social mobility of those not at the top of society. White, Spanish-born Peninsulares were at the top where many occupied the highest levels of government. This was followed by Mexican-born pure Spanish descendants, who also occupied most government positions, and Creoles. Below this were indigenous groups, African Mexicans and mixed race Mexicans. Many Creole elites deeply resented

1276-582: A legitimate, representative, and autonomous government in New Spain, but not necessarily breaking from the Spanish Empire. Opposition to that proposal came from conservative elements, including the peninsular-born judges of the High Court ( Audiencia ), who voiced Peninsular interests. Iturrigaray attempted to find a compromise between the two factions, but failed. Upon hearing the news of the Napoleonic invasion some elites suspected that Iturrigaray intended to declare

SECTION 10

#1733114596282

1392-409: A major part of Mexican Catholicism, from preaching and restrictions on villagers to engage in processions around communal land to protect from unwanted spirits caused much outcry and prompted a multitude of legal battles between indigenous groups and the colonial regime through the separate indigenous courts. Not only this, but new laws essentially forcing indigenous groups to learn Spanish in schools and

1508-524: A member of the church to play Jesus every year. He'd carry a cross while his friends all whipped him with rawhide and cactus and then they'd crucify him. In recent years they just tied him to a cross and left him all day in the sun. A hundred years ago they did the job right, with nails." Mexican War of Independence Independence agreement [REDACTED]   Spanish Empire The Mexican War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de México , 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821)

1624-871: A murder. The novel Dayspring (1945) by Harry Sylvester depicts an anthropologist who studies the Penitentes and eventually joins them. Fray Angelico Chavez titled his book on New Mexico My Penitente Land . Percival Everett ’s novel The Body of Martin Aguilera (1997) features Penitente characters and rituals as part of a murder mystery set in northern New Mexico. Everett also utilizes Penitente characters for his short story "Warm and Nicely Buried" from his collection Damned If I Do (2004). Kirstin Valdez Quade ’s novel The Five Wounds (2022) takes place in New Mexico and heavily features Penitente characters and rituals. In

1740-464: A regular sports editor and contributor to the school's weekly newspaper, Scholastic . During college, he also worked as a lifeguard in New York which would prove influential for some of his early short stories. He graduated in 1930 with a degree in journalism . Soon after graduating from college, Sylvester found work as a correspondent for the New York Evening Post and a reporter for

1856-416: A royal regiment during the rule of José de Iturrigaray , who was overthrown in 1808 by peninsular Spaniards who considered him too sympathetic to the grievances of American-born Spaniards. With the ouster of the viceroy, Allende turned against the new regime and was open to the conspiracy for independence. Hidalgo joined the conspiracy, and with Allende vouching for him rose to being one of its leaders. Word of

1972-455: A separate Mexican identity, though at the time this would have occurred only among elite Creole circles. Despite these murmurings of independence, serious challenges to Spanish imperial power before 1810 were rare and relatively isolated. One early challenge to crown authority came after the introduction of the New Laws in 1542 by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor . Under these laws, the grants of

2088-479: A standing military in the 1780s began to shift the political calculus since the crown could now use an armed force to impose rule. To aid building a standing military, the crown created set of corporate privileges ( fuero ) for the military. For the first time, mixed-race castas and blacks had access to corporate privileges, usually reserved for white elites. Silver entrepreneurs and large-scale merchants also had access to special privileges. Lucrative overseas trade

2204-528: A third novel in 1945, Dayspring , which follows the investigations of an atheist anthropologist named Spencer Bain. The story chronicles Bain's research into the Hermanos de Luz (or the Penitente Brotherhood ) and his subsequent conversion to Catholicism through the process. The fictional town in which the story takes place, Tarale, is based upon the real town of Taos , New Mexico. The novel also presents

2320-470: A thorough investigation of the petitioner's life and motives, he receives elaborate instruction in the Brotherhood's regulations and rituals. If he passes an examination on this material, he is allowed to present himself, together with a sponsor, at the morada door for the actual rite of initiation. Aspirants might apply for admission to the Brotherhood after mature thought, as a matter of course, or as

2436-584: A troubled young woman from New York. It was his most critically derided work. He was also a prolific writer of book reviews , publishing over 100 reviews for outlets such as Commonweal and the New York Times between 1931 and 1974. The publication of this final novel coincided with the beginning stages of his divorce from Rita in 1951, as well as his official repudiation of the Catholic Church. Rita died in 1978. He formally renounced his membership in

SECTION 20

#1733114596282

2552-581: A vision for a sovereign Mexico. Morelos was not ambitious to become leader of the insurgency, but it was clear that he was recognized by insurgents as its supreme military commander. He moved swiftly and decisively, stripping Rayón of power, dissolving the Supreme Junta, and in 1813, Morelos convened the Congress of Chilpancingo , also known as the Congress of Anáhuac. The congress brought together representatives of

2668-478: Is further emphasized to mandate December 12, the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, as a day to honor her. A provision of key importance to dark-skinned plebeians (point 15) is "That slavery is proscribed forever, as well as the distinctions of caste [race], so that all shall be equal; and that the only distinction between one American and another shall be that between vice and virtue.". Also important for Morelos's vision of

2784-538: Is now considered the father of Mexican independence. His uprising on 16 September 1810 is considered the spark igniting the Mexican War of Independence. He inspired tens of thousands of ordinary men to follow him, but did not organize them into a disciplined fighting force or have a broad military strategy, but he did want to destroy the old order. Fellow insurgent leader and second in command, Ignacio Allende , said of Hidalgo, "Neither were his men amenable to discipline, nor

2900-570: The New York Herald Tribune . Sylvester wrote mostly about sports, especially football and baseball . During this time, he traveled to Florida to follow the Brooklyn Dodgers . In 1936, he wed Rita Ryall Davis of Manhattan . They had four children together, John, Anne, Joan, and Clare. In 1933, Sylvester gave up a full-time job as a journalist in order to concentrate on his fiction writing. His first novel, Big Football Man ,

3016-426: The encomenderos were to be ended following the deaths of the current grant holders. The encomenderos ' conspiracy included Don Martín Cortés , son of Hernán Cortés , who was exiled, with other conspirators executed. Another challenge to crown authority occurred in 1624 when elites ousted the reformist Viceroy Diego Carrillo de Mendoza, 1st Marquess of Gelves , who sought to break up crime rackets from which

3132-460: The Atlantic Monthly (January 1948). In 1948, Sylvester arranged a collection of his short stories and published them under the title All Your Idols . According to the author's note, the book contains stories originally printed in various magazines including Collier’s , Esquire , Story magazine, Scribner’s magazine, Columbia magazine, Good Housekeeping , The Western Review (formerly

3248-642: The Catholic Church 's role in navigating such societal issues. Set in Southern Maryland , Dearly Beloved is "about a small group of Jesuit priests doing what we might call missionary work among the hard-drinking, amoral, fiercely color-conscious poor whites, and the Negroes." Sylvester conducted extensive research into the area, the Jesuits, and the concept of co-ops for this novel. He followed this up with

3364-548: The Cortes of Cádiz , and drafted the Spanish Constitution of 1812 . That constitution sought to create a new governing framework in the absence of the legitimate Spanish monarch. It tried to accommodate the aspirations of American-born Spaniards ( criollos ) for more local control and equal standing with Peninsular-born Spaniards, known locally as peninsulares . This political process had far-reaching impacts in New Spain during

3480-626: The Rocky Mountain Review ), and Commonweal . The collection received generally favorable reviews. Sylvester's final published novel, A Golden Girl , is set in Peru and is his least overtly religious work. Based upon his own travels to Latin America, the story follows a young American expatriate in Lima during the bullfight season, and the fallout he experiences after becoming romantically involved with

3596-415: The archbishop 's residence. A painting by Cristóbal de Villalpando shows the damage of the tumulto . Unlike the riot in 1624, in which elites were involved and the viceroy ousted with no repercussions against the instigators, the 1692 riot was instigated by plebeians alone and had an additional racial component. The rioters attacked key symbols of Spanish power and shouted political slogans, such as, "Kill

Penitentes (New Mexico) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3712-671: The tierra caliente (hot country) of southern Mexico and to a certain extent in northern New Spain. In 1816, Francisco Javier Mina , a Spanish military leader who had fought against Ferdinand VII , joined the independence movement. Mina and 300 men landed at Rio Santander ( Tamaulipas ) in April, in 1817 and fought for seven months until his capture by royalist forces in November 1817. Two insurgent leaders arose: Guadalupe Victoria (born José Miguel Fernández y Félix) in Puebla and Vicente Guerrero in

3828-470: The 1808–1809 food shortage may have been a contributory factor for popular resentment at the political regime. Various indigenous rebellions in the colonial era occurred but were generally local in nature, attempting to redress perceived wrongs of immediate authorities rather than throw off crown rule more broadly. They were not a broad independence movement as such. However, during the War of Independence, issues at

3944-526: The 1968 Richard Bradford novel Red Sky at Morning , set during World War II, he describes a morada: "...little wooden building with a cross on the roof. It looked very old and weathered, with no windows and a chain and padlock on the door." This makes the protagonist question whether the owner is a Penitente, whom he describes thus: "The Penitentes were a sort of outlaw branch of the Catholics who took everything very seriously, especially Good Friday. They'd pick

4060-546: The Archbishop included references and scenes of the Penitentes and their ritual. In the novel Brave New World , the Penitentes are shown in a video at a school, which causes the class to laugh at their rituals. They are also compared to savages in the 1946 foreword by Aldous Huxley . The 1936 roadshow exploitation film Lash of the Penitentes combines old footage of the Penitente's ritual flagellation with new footage about

4176-743: The Catholic church in 1954 and joined the Society of Friends . He remarried that same year and his second wife, Janet Hart Sylvester, joined the Quakers with Sylvester. He didn't publish a novel after 1950. But Sylvester did not completely give up writing; he took up work for the US Information Service for twenty years, retiring in 1971. During that time, he wrote scripts for the Voice of America radio broadcasts and regularly contributed to local newspapers. He spent

4292-506: The Church. In June 1946, Miguel Archibeque began his first term as the Brotherhood's first Hermano Supremo Arzobispal (Archiepiscopal Supreme Brother). His first term lasted 7 years and it was during this term in January 1947 that the Brotherhood was officially recognized and sanctioned as an organization by Archbishop Edwin V. Byrne . By this time, membership had declined markedly since the turn of

4408-421: The Congress of Chilpancingo, Morelos was captured 5 November 1815, interrogated, was tried and executed by firing squad. With his death, conventional warfare ended and guerrilla warfare continued uninterrupted. With the execution of Morelos in 1815, Vicente Guerrero emerged as the most important leader of the insurgency. From 1815 to 1821, most of the fighting for independence from Spain was by guerrilla forces in

4524-453: The Hidalgo and his forces surrounded Mexico City, a group of 2,500 royalist women joined under Ana Iraeta de Mier, to create and distribute pamphlets based on their loyalty towards Spain and help fellow loyalist families. Hidalgo's forces continued to fight and achieved victory. When the cannons were captured by the rebels, the surviving Royalists retreated to the city. Despite apparently having

4640-665: The Mexico City coup ousting Iturrigaray, juntas in Spain created the Supreme Central Junta of Spain and the Indies , on 25 September 1808 in Aranjuez. Its creation was a major step in the political development in the Spanish empire, once it became clear that there needed to be a central governing body rather than scattered juntas of particular regions. Joseph I of Spain had invited representatives from Spanish America to Bayonne , France for

4756-551: The Morelos called for the establishment of Catholicism as the only religion (but with certain restrictions), the abolition of slavery and racial distinctions between and of all other nations," going on in point 5 to say, "sovereignty springs directly from the People." His second point makes the "Catholic Religion" the only one permissible, and that "Catholic dogma shall be sustained by the Church hierarchy" (point 4). The importance of Catholicism

Penitentes (New Mexico) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4872-622: The Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence, is an important formal document in Mexican history, since it declares Mexico an independent nation and lays out its powers as a sovereign state to make war and peace, to appoint ambassadors, and to have standing with the Papacy, rather than indirectly through the Spanish monarch. The document enshrines Roman Catholicism the sole religion. Calleja restructured

4988-573: The Supreme Central Junta. Although in the Spanish Empire there was not an ongoing tradition of high level representative government, found in Britain and British North America, towns in Spain and New Spain had elected representative ruling bodies, the cabildos or ayuntamientos , which came to play an important political role when the legitimate Spanish monarch was ousted in 1808. The successful 1809 elections in Mexico City for delegates to be sent to Spain had some precedents. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

5104-538: The [American-born] Spaniards and the Gachupines [Iberian-born Spaniards] who eat our corn! We go to war happily! God wants us to finish off the Spaniards! We do not care if we die without confession ! Is this not our land?" The viceroy attempted to address the cause of the riot, a hike in maize prices that affected the urban poor. But the 1692 riot "represented class warfare that put Spanish authority at risk. Punishment

5220-414: The advantage, Hidalgo retreated, against the counsel of Allende. This retreat, on the verge of apparent victory, has puzzled historians and biographers ever since. They generally believe that Hidalgo wanted to spare the numerous Mexican citizens in Mexico City from the inevitable sacking and plunder that would have ensued. His retreat is considered Hidalgo's greatest tactical error and his failure to act "was

5336-528: The aristocrats and the king himself losing his head in revolutionary violence. The rise of military strongman Napoleon Bonaparte brought some order within France, but the turmoil there set the stage for the black slave revolt in the French sugar colony of Saint-Domingue (Haiti) in 1791. The Haitian Revolution obliterated the slavocracy and gained independence for Haiti in 1804. Tensions in New Spain were growing after

5452-637: The autocratic rule of Ferdinand VII in 1820, conservatives in New Spain saw political independence as a way to maintain their position. The unified military force entered Mexico City in triumph in September 1821 and the Spanish viceroy Juan O'Donojú signed the Treaty of Córdoba , ending Spanish rule. Following independence, the mainland of New Spain was organized as the First Mexican Empire , led by Agustín de Iturbide . This ephemeral constitutional monarchy

5568-501: The beginning of his downfall." Hidalgo moved west and set up headquarters in Guadalajara , where one of the worst incidents of violence against Spanish civilians occurred, a month of massacres from 12 December 1810 (the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe) to 13 January 1811. At his trial following his capture later that year, Hidalgo admitted to ordering the murders. None "were given a trial, nor

5684-499: The birthname William Lamport . Lamport's conspiracy was discovered, and he was arrested by the Inquisition in 1642 and executed fifteen years later for sedition . Today, there is a statue of Lamport in the mausoleum at the base of the Angel of Independence in Mexico City. In 1692, there was a major riot in Mexico City, where a plebeian mob attempted to burn down the viceroy's palace and

5800-474: The brotherhood in the latter part of the 19th century as a part of the "Americanization" of the Church in New Mexico, driving its membership underground, with some seeking refuge in Penitente Canyon . For this reason, Los Penitentes are sometimes described as a “secret society.” The modern embodiment of the Brotherhood began in the middle of the 20th century with the reconciliation between the Brotherhood and

5916-556: The capture of the insurgent leaders, he fled south on 26 March 1811 to continue the fight. He subsequently fought the Spanish in the battles of Puerto de Piñones , Zacatecas , El Maguey , and Zitácuaro . In an important step, Rayón organized the Suprema Junta Gubernativa de América (Supreme National Governing Junta of America), which claimed legitimacy to lead the insurgency. Rayón articulated Elementos constitucionales , which states that "Sovereignty arises directly from

SECTION 50

#1733114596282

6032-598: The century, but the Brotherhood continued to perform a modified form of religious rituals and to pursue its commitment to acts of community charity. In June 1953, Miguel Archibeque was replaced by Roman Aranda of Las Vegas, New Mexico . Aranda served for one year and was replaced by Archibeque in June 1954. Archibeque served the Brotherhood until 1960 when he was replaced by the third Hermano Supremo Arzobispal, M. Santos Melendez, of Mora, New Mexico , who continues to serve in this capacity. Willa Cather 's 1927 novel Death Comes for

6148-436: The clergy and clerics preached sermons against the insurgency. They were not organized in any formal fashion, more of a mass movement than an army. Hidalgo inspired his followers, but did not organize or train them as a fighting force, nor impose order and discipline on them. A few militia men in uniform joined Hidalgo's movement and attempted to create some military order and discipline, but they were few in number. The bulk of

6264-507: The collapse of royal government and the military triumph of forces for independence. Mexican independence from Spain was not an inevitable outcome of the relationship between the Spanish Empire and its most valuable overseas possession, but events in Spain had a direct impact on the outbreak of the armed insurgency in 1810 and the course of warfare through the end of the conflict. Napoleon Bonaparte 's invasion of Spain in 1808 touched off

6380-420: The consolidation of loans held by the Catholic Church. The 1804 Act of Consolidation called for borrowers to immediately repay the entire principal of the loan rather than stretch payments over decades. Borrowers were criollo land owners who could in no way repay large loans on short notice. The impact threatened the financial stability of elite Americans. The crown's forced extraction of funds is considered by some

6496-538: The conspiracy got to crown officials, and the corregidor Domínguez cracked down, but his wife Josefa was able to warn Allende who then alerted Hidalgo. At this point there was no firm ideology or action plan, but the tip-off galvanized Hidalgo to action. On Sunday, 16 September 1810 with his parishioners gathered for mass, Hidalgo issued his call to arms, the Grito de Dolores . It is unclear what Hidalgo actually said, since there are different accounts. The one which became part of

6612-408: The countryside were not pacified. From 1816 to 1820, the insurgency was stalemated, but not stamped out. Royalist military officer, Antonio López de Santa Anna led amnestied former insurgents, pursuing insurgent leader Guadalupe Victoria. Insurgents attacked key roads, vital for commerce and imperial control, such that the crown sent a commander from Peru, Brigadier Fernando Miyares y Mancebo, to build

6728-497: The death of his brother Joaquín in 1803, Hidalgo, who was having money problems due to debts on landed estates he owned, became curate of the poor parish of Dolores. He became member of a group of well-educated American-born Spaniards in Querétaro . They met under the guise of being a literary society, supported by the wife of crown official ( corregidor ) Miguel Domínguez, Josefa Ortíz de Domínguez , known now as "La Corregidora". Instead

6844-451: The elites profited and curtail opulent displays of clerical power. The viceroy was removed following an urban religious riot of Mexico City commoners in 1624 stirred up by the elites. The crowd, which was mostly Catholic , was reported to have shouted, "Long live the King! Long live Christ! Death to bad government! Death to the heretic Lutheran [Viceroy Gelves]! Arrest the viceroy!" The attack

6960-610: The four corners of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas of Guanajuato as a grim warning to those who dared follow in their footsteps. Warfare in the northern Bajío region waned after the capture and execution of the insurgency's creole leadership, but the insurgency had already spread to other more southern regions, to the towns of Zitácuaro, Cuautla, Antequera (now Oaxaca) towns where a new leadership had emerged. Priests José María Morelos and Mariano Matamoros , as well as Vicente Guerrero , Guadalupe Victoria , and Ignacio López Rayón carried on

7076-432: The government as a communal vessel. Leading up to the crisis in 1808 both Creole and Mexican-born Spaniards, and indigenous and mixed groups had come to dislike the colonial regime for different reasons. The Napoleonic invasion of the Iberian Peninsula destabilized not only Spain but also Spain's overseas possessions. The viceroy was the "king's living image" in New Spain. In 1808 viceroy José de Iturrigaray (1803–1808)

SECTION 60

#1733114596282

7192-399: The image of Guadalupe on their hats. Supporters of the imperial regime took as their patron the Virgin of Remedios, so that religious symbolism was used by both insurgents and royalists. There were a number of parish priests and other lower clergy in the insurgency, most prominently Hidalgo and José María Morelos , but the Church hierarchy was flatly opposed. Insurgents were excommunicated by

7308-517: The independence war and beyond. Pre-existing cultural, religious, and racial divides in Mexico played a major role in not only the development of the independence movement but also the development of the conflict as it progressed. The conflict had several phases. The first uprising for independence was led by parish priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla , who issued the Cry of Dolores on 16 September 1810. The revolt

7424-500: The insurgency had spread beyond its original region and leadership. Hidalgo was a learned priest who knew multiple languages, had a significant library, and was friends with men who held Enlightenment views. He held the important position of rector of the Seminary of San Nicolás, but had run afoul of the Inquisition for unorthodox beliefs and speaking against the monarchy. He had already sired two daughters with Josefa Quintana. Following

7540-551: The insurgency on a different basis, organizing their forces, using guerrilla tactics, and importantly for the insurgency, creating organizations and creating written documents that articulated the insurgents' goals. Following the execution of Hidalgo and other insurgents, leadership of the remaining insurgent movement initially coalesced under Ignacio López Rayón , a civilian lawyer and businessman. He had been stationed in Saltillo , Coahuila with 3,500 men and 22 cannons. When he heard of

7656-517: The insurgency together. Morelos formulated his Sentiments of the Nation, addressed to the congress. In point 1, he clearly and flatly states that "America is free and independent of Spain." On 6 November of that year, the Congress signed the first official document of independence, known as the Solemn Act of the Declaration of Independence of Northern America . In addition to declaring independence from Spain,

7772-526: The insurgency, the Sentimientos de la Nación ("Sentiments of the Nation") (1813). One clear point was political independence from Spain. Despite its having only a vague ideology, Hidalgo's movement demonstrated the massive discontent and power of Mexico's plebeians as an existential threat to the imperial regime. The government focused its resources on defeating Hidalgo's insurgents militarily and in tracking down and publicly executing its leadership. But by then

7888-408: The lack of social mobility this brought as only Peninsular-born Spaniards could occupy the highest levels of government. This contributed to their reasoning behind backing the move for independence, to achieve power. They did not wish to overthrow the status quo entirely, as this would threaten their lucrative position in Mexican society. Instead, they wished to move up the social ladder, unable to under

8004-606: The last 40 years of his life in the Washington, DC area. His wife, Janet, died on September 20, 1987. In letters to Cort, Sylvester expressed deep grief over the loss of Janet and the difficulty he had after her passing. Sylvester spent the last five years of his life at the Friends Nursing Home in Sandy Spring, Maryland . He died after a long battle with Parkinson's disease on September 26, 1993. Sylvester, though no longer

8120-419: The literary publishing house, Rich & Cowan, released an edition of the book in 1949. His fourth novel, Moon Gaffney , was published in 1947. Moon Gaffney's story centers on a young man torn between his political ambitions and his religious ideals. Sylvester dedicated Moon Gaffney to a group of "good Catholic radicals," including John C. Cort and Dorothy Day . Like his novel, Dearly Beloved , Sylvester

8236-419: The local level in these rural areas were so widespread as to constitute what some historians have called "the other rebellion". Finally, before the events of 1808 upended the political situation in New Spain, there was an isolated and abortive 1799 event called the Conspiracy of the Machetes , perpetrated by a small group in Mexico City seeking independence. In the early 19th century, the Age of Revolution

8352-565: The members discussed the possibility of a popular rising, similar to one that already had recently been quashed in Valladolid (now Morelia ) in 1809 in the name of Ferdinand VII . Hidalgo was friends with Ignacio Allende , a captain in the regiment of Dragoons in New Spain, who was also among the conspirators. The "Conspiracy of Querétaro" began forming cells in other Spanish cities in the north, including Celaya , Guanajuato , San Miguel el Grande , now named after Allende. Allende had served in

8468-451: The mid-eighteenth-century Bourbon reforms . With the reforms the crown sought to increase the power of the Spanish state, decrease the power of the Catholic church , rationalize and tighten control over the royal bureaucracy by placing peninsular-born officials rather than American-born, and increase revenues to the crown by a series of measures that undermined the economic position of American-born elites. The reforms were an attempt to revive

8584-403: The missionaries with an equal number of priests, depriving many secluded communities of a resident clergyman. Accordingly, many of those small communities could expect only a once-yearly visit from a parish priest. The men in those communities eventually came together in the absence of a priest and dedicated themselves to the purpose of providing mutual aid, community charity and to memorialize

8700-461: The movement. The religious character of the movement was present from the beginning, embodied in leadership of the priest, Hidalgo. The movement's banner with image of the Virgin of Guadalupe , seized by Hidalgo from the church at Atotonilco, was symbolically important. The "dark virgin" was seen as a protector of dark-skinned Mexicans, and now seen as well as a liberator. Many men in Hidalgo's forces put

8816-421: The new nation was equality before the law (point 13), rather than maintaining special courts and privileges ( fueros ) to particular groups, such as churchmen, miners, merchants, and the military. The Congress elected Morelos as the head of the executive branch of government, as well as supreme commander of the insurgency, coordinating its far-flung components. The formal statement by the Congress of Chilpancingo,

8932-512: The official record of accusation against Hidalgo was "Long live religion! Long live Our Most Holy Mother of Guadalupe! Long live Fernando VII! Long live America and down with bad government!" From a small gathering at the Dolores church, others joined the uprising including workers on local landed estates, prisoners liberated from jail, and a few members of a royal army regiment. Many estate workers' weapons were agricultural tools now to be used against

9048-496: The people, resides in the person of Ferdinand VII , and is exercised by the Suprema Junta Gubernativa de América . The Supreme Junta generated a flood of detailed regulations and orders. On the ground, Father José María Morelos pursued successful military engagements, accepting the authority of the Supreme Junta. After winning victories and taking the port of Acapulco , then the towns Tixtla, Izúcar, and Taxco, Morelos

9164-408: The political and economic fortunes of the Spanish empire, but many historians see the reforms as accelerating the breakdown of its unity. This involved often removing large quantities of wealth that had been obtained in Mexico, before exporting to other parts of the empire to fund the many wars the Spanish were fighting. The crown removed privileges ( fuero eclesiástico ) from ecclesiastics that had

9280-499: The port of Veracruz and the capital, Mexico City. To avert that strategic disaster, which would have left the capital cut off from its main port, viceroy Venegas transferred Calleja from the Bajío to deal with Morelos's forces. Morelos's forces moved south and took Oaxaca, allowing him to control most of the southern region. During this period, the insurgency had reason for optimism and formulated documents declaring independence and articulating

9396-469: The professional army were supplemented by local militias. The regime was determined to crush the uprising and attempted to stifle malcontents who might be drawn to the insurgency. Ignacio López Rayón joined Hidalgo's forces whilst passing near Maravatío , Michoacan while en route to Mexico City and on 30 October, Hidalgo's army encountered Spanish military resistance at the Battle of Monte de las Cruces . As

9512-523: The rebels to flee north towards the United States, perhaps hoping they would attain financial and military support. They were intercepted by Ignacio Elizondo , who pretended to join the fleeing insurgent forces. Hidalgo and his remaining soldiers were captured in the state of Coahuila at the Wells of Baján ( Norias de Baján ). When the insurgents adopted the tactics of guerrilla warfare and operated where it

9628-413: The regime. Some were mounted and acted as a cavalry under the direction of their estate foremen. Others were poorly armed Indians with bows and arrows. The numbers joining the revolt rapidly swelled under Hidalgo's leadership, they began moving beyond the village of Dolores. Despite rising tensions following the events of 1808, the royal regime was largely unprepared for the suddenness, size, and violence of

9744-612: The result of a vow or promesa (religious promise). It is also thought that the eldest son of a Penitente father "automatically" joined the Brotherhood at the age of eighteen to honor and obey his parents. The Brotherhood began in the early 19th century. Following Mexican independence from Spain in 1821, Church authorities in Mexico withdrew the Franciscan , Dominican and Jesuit missionaries from its provinces, replacing them with secular priests . They failed, however, to replace

9860-449: The royal army in an attempt to crush the insurgency, creating commands in Puebla, Valladolid (now Morelia), Guanajuato, and Nueva Galicia, with experienced peninsular military officers to lead them. American-born officer Agustín de Iturbide was part of this royalist leadership. Brigadier Ciriaco de Llano captured and executed Mariano Matamoros , an effective insurgent. After the dissolution of

9976-566: The royal army remained loyal to the imperial regime, but Hidalgo's rising had caught them unprepared and their response was delayed. Hidalgo's early victories gave the movement momentum, but "the lack of weapons, trained soldiers, and good officers meant that except in unusual circumstances the rebels could not field armies capable of fighting conventional battles against the royalists." The growing insurgent force marched through towns including San Miguel el Grande and Celaya, where they met little resistance, and gained more followers. When they reached

10092-591: The spirit of the penance and the Passion of Christ. They gathered in meeting houses known as moradas . Los Penitentes were perhaps best known for their songs of worship, called alabados , and for their ascetic practices, which included self- flagellation in private ceremonies during Lent , and processions during Holy Week which ended with the reenactment of Christ’s crucifixion on Good Friday . Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamy and his successor, Jean Baptiste Salpointe , unsuccessfully attempted to suppress

10208-400: The taxation of Cofradias or Confraternities negatively affected the literacy and living standards in villages. The ruling white Spanish elite and the majority of the country had very different views not only in culture and religion but on the role of government and social relations, with many elites viewing the government as a tool for progressing their own power, while indigenous groups saw

10324-424: The town of Guanajuato on 28 September , they found Spanish forces barricaded inside the public granary, Alhóndiga de Granaditas . Among them were some 'forced' Royalists, creoles who had served and sided with the Spanish. By this time, the rebels numbered 30,000 and the battle was horrific. They killed more than 500 European and American Spaniards, and marched on toward Mexico City. The new viceroy quickly organized

10440-423: The unspoken racial hierarchy of the regime. Religious tension is arguably one of the biggest contributions to tension before the French invasion of Spain in 1808. Many Creoles, Mexican Spaniards and the majority of indigenous, mixed and African groups in Mexico practiced Mexican Catholicism while the ruling Peninsulares preferred Modern Catholicism . Mexican or traditional Catholicism often worshiped through

10556-474: The upper hand, with military stalemate continuing until 1821, when former royalist commander Agustín de Iturbide made an alliance with Guerrero under the Plan of Iguala in 1821. They formed a unified military force rapidly bringing about the collapse of royal government and the establishment of independent Mexico. The unexpected turn of events in Mexico was prompted by events in Spain. When Spanish liberals overthrew

10672-492: The use of relics, symbols and artifacts where they believe the Holy Spirit existed in the physical form of the artifact, and was a mix of traditional indigenous forms of worship and Catholicism. This contrasted with the view of modern Catholicism that many Peninsulares shared, where God was worshiped through divine artifacts and relics, but there was no religious presence within the physical artifact. Laws prohibiting Lay preachers,

10788-513: The viceroy, and imprisoning him along with some American-born Spanish members of the city council. The peninsular rebels installed Pedro de Garibay as viceroy. Since he was not a crown appointee, but rather the leader of a rebel faction, creoles viewed him as an illegitimate representative of the crown. The event radicalized both sides.  For creoles, it was clear that to gain power they needed to form conspiracies against Peninsular rule, and later they took up arms to achieve their goals. Garibay

10904-491: The viceroyalty a sovereign state and perhaps establish himself as head of a new state. With the support of the archbishop, Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont , landowner Gabriel de Yermo , the merchant guild of Mexico City ( consulado ), and other members of elite society in the capital, Yermo led a coup d'état against the viceroy. They stormed the Viceregal Palace in Mexico City, the night of 15 September 1808, deposing

11020-441: The village of Tixla, in what is now the state of Guerrero . Both gained allegiance and respect from their followers. Believing the situation under control, the Spanish viceroy issued a general pardon to every rebel who would lay down his arms. Many did lay down their arms and received pardons, but when the opportunity arose, they often returned to the insurgency. The royal army controlled the major cities and towns, but whole swaths of

11136-404: Was Hidalgo interested in regulations." Hidalgo issued a few important decrees in the later stage of the insurgency, but did not articulate a coherent set of goals much beyond his initial call to arms denouncing bad government. Only following Hidalgo's death in 1811 under the leadership of his former seminary student, Father José María Morelos , was a document created that made explicit the goals of

11252-437: Was accused of pushing anti-clerical views after publication. During his lifetime, Moon Gaffney was the most popular of his novels, to the point that the novel was translated into Polish by Maria Kłos-Gwizdalska and printed in 1955, with French and Italian translators also approaching Sylvester for permission to bring his work to Europe. Sylvester declined all translation requests, except for that of Klos-Gwizalska. The book

11368-608: Was already underway when the 1808 Napoleonic invasion of the Iberian Peninsula destabilized not only Spain but also Spain's overseas possessions. In 1776, the Anglo-American Thirteen Colonies and the American Revolution successfully gained their independence in 1783, with the help of both the Spanish Empire and Louis XVI 's French monarchy. Louis XVI was toppled in the French Revolution of 1789, with

11484-516: Was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico 's independence from the Spanish Empire . It was not a single, coherent event, but local and regional struggles that occurred within the same period, and can be considered a revolutionary civil war . It culminated with the drafting of the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire in Mexico City on September 28, 1821, following

11600-504: Was asked to turn John Steinbeck's script for Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat (1944) into a short story. This version was published in Collier's in 1943, with Steinbeck and Hitchcock both receiving writing credits. He is remembered primarily as the author of Dayspring and a friend of Ernest Hemingway. Sylvester was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1908. His grandfather was Jeremiah Curtin ,

11716-527: Was besieged for 72 days by royalist troops under Calleja at Cuautla . The Junta failed to send aid to Morelos. Morelos's troops held out and broke out of the siege, going on to take Antequera, (now Oaxaca ). The relationship between Morelos and the Junta soured, with Morelos complaining, "Your disagreements have been of service to the enemy." Morelos was a real contrast to Hidalgo, although both were rebel priests. Both had sympathy for Mexico's downtrodden, but Morelos

11832-482: Was effective, such as in the hot country of southern Mexico, they were able to undermine the royalist army. Around Guanajuato , regional insurgent leader Albino García  [ es ] for a time successfully combined insurgency with banditry. With the capture of Hidalgo and the creole leadership in the north, this phase of the insurgency was at an end. The captured rebel leaders were found guilty of treason and sentenced to death, except for Mariano Abasolo , who

11948-545: Was in office when Napoleon's forces invaded Iberia and deposed the Spanish monarch Charles IV and Napoleon's brother Joseph was declared the monarch. This turn of events set off a crisis of legitimacy.  Viceroy Iturrigaray had been appointed by Charles IV, so his legitimacy to rule was not in doubt. In Mexico City, the city council ( ayuntamiento ), a stronghold of American-born Spaniards, began promoting ideas of autonomy for New Spain, and declaring New Spain to be on an equal basis to Spain. Their proposal would have created

12064-399: Was in the hands of family firms based in Spain with ties to New Spain. Silver mining was the motor of the economy of New Spain, but also fueled the economies of Spain and the entire Atlantic world. That industry was in the hands of peninsula-born mine owners and their elite merchant investors. The crown imposed new regulations to boost their revenues from their overseas territories, particularly

12180-448: Was massive and not well organized. Hidalgo was captured by royalist forces, defrocked from the priesthood, and executed in July 1811. The second phase of the insurgency was led by Father José María Morelos , who was captured by royalist forces and executed in 1815. The insurgency devolved into guerrilla warfare, with Vicente Guerrero emerging as a leader. Neither royalists nor insurgents gained

12296-596: Was mostly known for his critical views of the Catholic hierarchy, earning him the ire of many. By the time of his death in 1993, he was largely forgotten. The University of New Mexico , University Libraries, Center for Southwest Research has a collection of bibliographic material and book reviews by and about Sylvester (and Willa Cather ). However, his complete papers are housed in Georgetown University Library's Special Collections, and include correspondence, manuscripts and three unpublished novels, Watch in

12412-462: Was not based on outright coercion, until the early nineteenth century, since the crown did not have sufficient personnel and firepower to enforce its rule. Rather, the crown's hegemony and legitimacy to rule was accepted and ruled through institutions acting as mediators between competing groups, many organized as corporate entities. These were ecclesiastics, mining entrepreneurs, elite merchants, as well as indigenous communities. The crown's creation of

12528-589: Was of advanced years and held office for just a year, replaced by Archbishop Lizana y Beaumont, also holding office for about a year. There was a precedent for the archbishop serving as viceroy, and given that Garibay came to power by coup, the archbishop had more legitimacy as ruler. Francisco Javier Venegas was appointed viceroy and landed in Veracruz in August, reaching Mexico City 14 September 1810. The next day, Hidalgo issued his call to arms in Dolores. Immediately after

12644-470: Was of mixed-race while Hidalgo was an American-born Spaniard, so Morelos experientially understood racial discrimination in the colonial order. On more practical grounds, Morelos built an organized and disciplined military force, while Hidalgo's followers lacked arms, training, or discipline, an effective force that the royal army took seriously. Potentially Morelos could have taken the colony's second largest city, Puebla de los Angeles , situated halfway between

12760-464: Was overthrown and a federal republic was declared in 1823 and codified in the Constitution of 1824 . After some Spanish reconquest attempts , including the expedition of Isidro Barradas in 1829, Spain under the rule of Isabella II recognized the independence of Mexico in 1836. There is evidence that even from an early period in post-conquest Mexican history, some began articulating the idea of

12876-424: Was released that same year. The novel, a bildungsroman , revolves around the young football star Sebastian as he navigates the complexities of college life. Sylvester drew upon his own experiences playing for Notre Dame for the story. Dearly Beloved , his second novel and the first of his religious trilogy, was published in 1942. This novel deals with issues of racism and economic inequality, looking particularly at

12992-534: Was reprinted in 1976 by Arno Press, which briefly revived interest in Sylvester's work. While traveling and researching for his novels, Sylvester wrote short stories to support his wife and children. This sometimes meant laying aside his larger works, something that continually bothered Sylvester. He would later detail this problem in a speech, "Problems of the Catholic Writer," which was later printed as an essay for

13108-409: Was sent to Spain to serve a life sentence in prison. Allende, Jiménez, and Aldama were executed on 26 June 1811, shot in the back as a sign of dishonor. Hidalgo, as a priest, had to undergo a civil trial and review by the Inquisition . He was eventually stripped of his priesthood, found guilty, and executed on 30 July 1811. The heads of Hidalgo, Allende, Aldama, and Jiménez were preserved and hung from

13224-407: Was specifically against Gelves, seen as a bad representative of the crown, rather than against the monarchy or colonial rule itself. In 1642, there was a brief conspiracy to unite American-born Spaniards, blacks, Indians and castas against the Spanish crown and proclaim Mexican independence. The man seeking to bring about independendence called himself Don Guillén Lampart y Guzmán, an Irishman with

13340-487: Was swift and brutal, and no further riots in the capital challenged the Pax Hispanica." Food shortages almost a century later, due to a growing population and severe droughts, led to two food riots in 1785 and 1808. The first riot was more severe, but both culminated in violence and anger at officials of the colonial regime. However, there is no direct link between these riots and the independence movement of 1810, although

13456-466: Was there any reason to do so, since he knew perfectly well they were innocent." In Guadalajara, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe suddenly disappeared from insurgents' hats and there were many desertions. The royalist forces, led by Félix María Calleja del Rey , were becoming more effective against disorganized and poorly armed of Hidalgo, defeating them at a bridge on the Calderón River , forcing

#281718