page_title: History of democracy in Mexico
section_title: Liberals and conservatives, 1857-1876
hierarchical_section_title: History of democracy in Mexico / Liberals and conservatives, 1857-1876
caption_attribution_description: Español: Bandera utilizada en la primera etapa del porfiriato.
context_page_description: The history of democracy in Mexico dates to the establishment of the federal republic of Mexico in 1824. After a long history under the Spanish Empire, Mexico gained its independence in 1821 and became the First Mexican Empire led by royalist military officer Agustín de Iturbide. Three years later, a federal republic was created under the Constitution of 1824. However, the republic was truncated by a series of military coups, most notably that of politician-general Antonio López de Santa Anna. Santa Anna held immense sway over the fledgling Mexican democracy until 1855, when he was ousted by liberal politicians.
  The liberals drafted and ratified the Constitution of 1857, which enshrined rights such as universal male suffrage and eliminated Church and army privileges. The overthrowal of Santa Anna, however, led to widespread dissatisfaction among conservative Mexicans and led to a twenty-two-year conflict and two wars between conservatives and liberals. In 1862, on the invitation of Mexican conservatives, Maximilian Habsburg was crowned Emperor of Mexico after a successful French invasion of the country.
context_section_description: The removal of Santa Anna created a short period of democracy, truncated by renewed fighting between the liberal and conservative factions, and was then reinstated at the end of the Reform War. The democracy was cut short yet again by a French invasion that re-established an empire.
caption: Flag of the Restored Republic
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