El Porfiriato

***1876-1910***

***The Beginning***

Porfirio Díaz, a mestizo of humble origin and leading general during Mexico’s war with the French (1867–73), became disenchanted with the rule of Juárez. In 1874 Díaz led an unsuccessful revolt against the reelection of Juárez, claiming that it had been fraudulent and demanding that presidents be limited to a single term in office. In January 1876 Díaz led another unsuccessful revolt, against Juárez’s successor, Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada. After then living in exile in the United States for about six months, Díaz returned to Mexico and decisively defeated government forces at the Battle of Tecoac on November 16, 1876. Having won support from a wide variety of discontented elements, Díaz took over the government and was formally elected president in May 1877.

As president, Díaz adopted a “policy of conciliation,” endeavoring to end political conflicts and inviting the adherence of all important elements, including the church and the landowning aristocracy. He also began building a political machine. Because he had opposed the reelection of Tejada, Díaz stepped down as president after the end of his term, but not until he had engineered the election of an ally, Gen. Manuel González, as his handpicked successor. Dissatisfied with González’s performance in office, Díaz again sought the presidency and was reelected in 1884.

**The Mexican Train (1884-1920)**

    In the 19th century, railroads were the symbols of economic progress and all countries wanted to build them. The construction of railways was one of the most important goals of the Diaz government and by 1910, Mexico boasted of having 10,000 miles (16,093 km) of the railroad, joining the country, facilitating the transport of goods and allowing residents of the areas rural people could leave the farms for jobs in the city.

***The Panama Buyout***

The early years of the 1900s and the late 1800s there was a project to build a canal just like the Suez in The Americas, this was a goal many countries wanted to get the land that was owned by Colombia. Diaz wanted to capitalize on the great relationship Mexico Had with its southern Neighbor. The French tried it out before and failed The race between The U.S.A and Mexico was on who had the land. When Panama was trying to break away from Colombia The U.S supported and Endorsed The Rebels While Mexico saw its Opportunity and Diaz Said "It is

imminent to help our southern neighbor in this crisis against the rebels and the American oppressors, who all that they want is to set the doctrine of dictatorship and interventionism to help their gains of imperialism just like the European powers". The government of Diaz sent the military and crushed the rebellion. The U.S wanted the territory and President Theodore Roosevelt invaded Colombia in 1902 and Mexico advised that if they give them the land then the U.S would sue for peace. So Colombian gave the land for about 30 million Dollars (modern days is 869,565,168.54 American Dollars). In the End, The war seemed endless Plus American troops were getting into Venezuelan territory and the Venezuelan government joined in the conflict and then America sued for peace. In The San Juan accords, The United States Gave them a shared island near Puerto Rico Which was divided. This started a regional cold war conflict between Venezuela And Colombia to see who could win industrially and military and take control of the region.

**The consequences of progress**

During his regime, President Porfirio Díaz and his administration (1876-1880, 1884-1911) modernized Mexico's economy and industry. International companies invested more than before in the mines that were in northern Mexico, while in the central and southern regions, other companies restructured farmland and made them more productive thanks to the use of new agricultural techniques and new machinery. Foreign investors built railroads thereby

contributing to an improvement in exports. As the country progressed, its banking system registered a capital increase. Mexico was able to pay its international debt and rebuild its infrastructure.

Mexico progressed economically for some, but many more were left out. The elites won in wealth and influence, but the majority of the population had to accept the new situation, working hard to survive. The arrival of new farms and businesses in rural areas caused the mestizo farmers and miners to become pawns and some indigenous peoples to become sharecroppers. wealthy Mexican landowners and companies hired foremen to monitor the work at their facilities. The Diaz government created rural policies (known as Rurales) and deployed

federal troops to maintain order throughout the country. The modernization of the country produced the growth of injustice and social inequalities. And if that was not enough most of the industry was kept in central states, the revolution which will change the level of power and industry the country produces.