(Redirected from Chihuahua (state))
'Chihuahua' is the largest state in
Mexico, with a mainland area of , slightly bigger than the
United Kingdom, is located in the northwest surrounded by the
Mexican states of
Sonora,
Sinaloa,
Durango and
Coahuila and the
U.S. states of
Texas and
New Mexico.
Although Chihuahua is primarily identified by its namesake, the
Chihuahuan Desert, it has more forests than any other Mexican state. On the slope of the
Sierra Madre Occidental mountains (around the regions of Casas Grandes, Cuauhtémoc and Parral), there are vast prairies of short yellow grass, the source of the bulk of the state's agricultural production.
As of
2005, there were 3.2 million inhabitants of the state. The largest city is the U.S.-
border city of
Ciudad Juárez, which has 1,301,452 residents (2005 census). The capital,
Chihuahua, has 748,518 inhabitants.
The state also has a large service sector: tourism, banking and high tech enterprises.
One of the most notable features of Chihuahua is the ''Barranca del Cobre'', or
Copper Canyon, a spectacular canyon system larger and deeper than the
Grand Canyon.
Chihuahua played a pivotal role in the
Mexican Revolution, and was a battleground between revolutionary forces led by
Pancho Villa and federal forces.
Chihuahua is one of the Mexican states that holds a slight population majority of people that are primarily of European ancestry (as is the case in much of northern Mexico), with around 46% of the state population being of European descent, with origins commonly of Spanish, Italian, German, and Dutch Europeans. The state of Chihuahua also has around 44% of it's population with mixed European and Amerindian ancestry (Mestizo). The population of Amerindians in northern Mexico tends to be low compared to the southern states, as is also the case in Chihuahua. While there is Amerindians in Chihuahua, they only compromise a small minority of around 7% of the state's population and they mostly live in isolated areas in the Chihuahuan mountains.
History
For history before the Independence from Spain see
Nueva Vizcaya.
War of independence
Political changes interfered with the observance of this order, till the war of independence made its execution in
1812 a military necessity.
Viceroy Venegas thereupon appointed to the command of the Occidente section, the brigadier
Alejo Garcia Conde, governor of
Sonora and
Sinaloa, a deserving soldier nearly half a century in the royal service.
[1]
The Oriente division was offered to the Mariscal de campo,
Felix Calleja, and he, declining to accept the position presented it to
Simon Herrera, governor of
Nuevo León, who was slain by insurgents before acceptance, whereupon Colonel Arredondo received the position. Nava, who ruled the united provinces at the opening of the century, was replaced in
1804 by Colonel
Pedro Grimarest, and he soon after by Brigadier
Nemesio Salcedo y Salcedo, who was presently recalled to
Spain.
Very protective and loveable to one person. steven is fat
Sara’s campaign
In
1811,
Bernardo Gutierrez de Sara, a citizen of Revilla, and a strong supporter of the revolutionary movement, had taken refuge in the United States after the suppression of the insurrection in
Nuevo Santander, and there sought assistance in behalf of his cause. The welcome accorded to him by the people, and the well-known intentions of the United States government with regard to the Texan frontier, had given rise to no little uneasiness in Mexico, and this was further increased by a report that he was already on his march at the head of a large army, to support the fortunes of the insurgents.
The troops under Sara's command consisted in fact of only some 450 men, many of whom were filibusters from the United States; but with this slender force he invaded Texas in
1812 and took possession of several cities, driving back the forces of Salcedo and Hererra. Warned of this danger, Arredondo, whose forces had been quartered in the ''valley del Maiz'', at once marched against the enemy, collecting men and material on his way through
Nuevo Santander. Meanwhile, 'Colonel Elizondo', who had been sent in advance, had allowed himself to be drawn into an engagement, and was totally routed.
A few weeks later, however, Arredondo himself inflicted a crushing defeat on the insurgents, now under the command of
Alvarez de Toledo, who had sup planted Sara. Many of the prisoners were executed, including all the filibusters who fell into the hands of the Mexicans, and thus ended all hope of aid from the United States to the cause of the independence. The changes thus made were due less to the increase of population, and the development of the material resources of these provinces, than to military reasons, and with a view to the suppression of revolutionary movements. In the north-west the only troubles to be encountered were the usual hostilities with Indians, but toward the east the revolution had again assumed alarming proportions.
Insurgent’s trial
Salcedo had filled the office satisfactorily enough, while availing himself of the many opportunities presented by remoteness, and the disorders attending the war for independence, to accumulate a large fortune. When this conflict broke out in the south he exerted himself most commendably by adopting measures to exclude it from his own territory, and by appealing to his purse-strings and patriotism in behalf of his sovereign. While failing to achieve anything noteworthy in the field against the insurgents, he had the unenviable satisfaction of superintending the trial and execution of their great leader,
Hidalgo, and his chief officers, in the course of May to July,
1811.
was not left wholly intact by the war, and some feeble local efforts were made by ardent patriots. A month before
Hidalgo’s capture, a number of insurgents were secured, and the opening of
1812 was marked by a conflict at San Francisco between several hundred men.
Independence
Toward the close of
1814,
Trespalacios and
Caballero planned an outbreak at Chihuahua, but the plot was revealed to
Garcia Conde, who now controlled the ‘’’Occidente’’’ section from this point, and promptly nipped the movement by arresting the principals. This comparative exemption was mainly due to the watchfulness of the authorities, including the clergy, who exercised most effectively the pardoning power. Brigadier
Bernardo Bonavia y Zapata, governor intendente of
Nueva Vizcaya, and his lieutenant at
Durango, the asesor,
Angel Pinilla y Perez, were conspicuously zealous in the royal cause. Chihuahua had its usual
Apache raids to meet, and
Durango suffered in
1820 brief irruption from rebellious
Opatas, which was quelled without any serious bloodshed. The visit of the explorer,
Pike, and the momentary reestablishment of
Jesuits, in
1819, caused a temporary excitement.
In
1812, the provinces were cheered by receiving the liberal constitution (
Constitution of Cadiz) conceded to the colonies by
Spain, with the prospect of an audiencia. Although the constitution was suspended soon after by the viceroy,
Nueva Vizcaya managed to elect a representative to the cortes, till its revival, in
1820, provided also an assembly and provincial deputations. Loyalty to
Spain was most pronounced at the opening of this third decade so much so that when
Iturbide turned against his viceregal master,
General Cruz, ruler of
Nueva Galicia, and the second power in the country, went to
Durango to make a final effort in behalf of the tottering cause of Spain. He entered that city
July 4,
1821, attended by officials from
Zacatecas and other points, with a few hundred soldiers.
Negrete, Iturbide’s lieutenant, followed in pursuit, and laid siege to the city early in August, with about 3,000 men.
The defense was maintained for over three weeks, with brisk firing and occasional sorties, varied by assaults, which involved severe losses.
Negrete finally planted a battery against a vulnerable point, and on the
August 30 gained a decided advantage. By this time defection had assisted to undermine the zeal of the royalist. A truce was accepted, and on
September 3 the garrison surrendered, with the honors of war, and permission to retire with
Cruz to Spain.
First empire
M. Urrea was installed as jefe politico, while
Antonio Cordero, who had governed at
Durango as civil and military governor for the last three years, was rewarded for prompt adhesion with the comandancia general of the Occidente section, in place of
Garcia Conde, who had delayed. In the following year the empire was received with the acclamation usually accorded to success, and Chihuahua and
Durango were gladdened with the prospect of separate comandancias de armas.
Province of the Federal Republic of Mexico
When shortly after the federalists rose against
Iturbide, Chihuahua joined with equal readiness in the cry, after a momentary objection from
Janos. In
Durango measures were at first taken against the movement, but on
March 5,
1823, the troops declared in favor it, followed by the people. Comandante general Cordero resigned, however, as did Brigadier I. del Corral, civil and military governor at Durango, whereupon the diputacion provincial declared the intendente Juan Navarro successor to the latter, and Gaspar de Ochoa, colonel of the pronouncing garrison, as commander in place of Cordero.
Division of Nueva Vizcaya
By decree of
July 19,
1823, the supreme congress decreed the division of
Nueva Vizcaya into two provinces, to be known as Chihuahua and
Durango, respectively, the capital of the former receiving the title of city and becoming the seat of a diputacion provincial. The act was just to Chihuahua, to which was already conceded a population of over 100,000, with requirements that made necessary a separate administration from that residing at the distant and uncongenial
Durango. Nevertheless, a party persuaded the chamber to reunite the two provinces, including
New Mexico, under the appellation
Estado Interno del Norte, with capital at
Chihuahua.
Durango, however, raised objections. She demanded that her chief city be retained as capital, or that she be made a separate state or territory, on the ground of her large population, with resources far superior to those of Chihuahua and of several existing states.
The appeal found hearing, and on
May 22 and
July 6,
1824, the separation was affirmed,
New Mexico being declared a territory of the federation. In the following year the two states, issued their constitution, in accordance with the federal organic law of the republic. Chihuahua established only one legislative chamber of not less than eleven deputies, while
Durango indulged also in a senate of seven members, thereby supplying additional food for the party feuds which quickly began to unfold.
Constituent legislature
In the constituent legislature or convention, the
escoces and
yorkino, or
conservative and
liberal, elements already asserted themselves in a marked degree, for a time under the localized nicknames of
Chirrines and
Cuchas. Soon the military entered as a third party to watch their opportunities for spoil. The elections for the first regular legislature were disputed, and it was not until
May 1,
1826, that the body was installed in not fully complete form. The triumphant liberals controlled it and failed not to direct blows against the clericals, who responded by fomenting a conspiracy for
August 4. This was promptly stopped with the aid of informers, and more strenuous measures were taken against the party, to which end extra powers were conferred upon the (
Durango) governor,
Santiago Baca Ortiz, deputy to the first national congress, and leader of the yorkino party.
Gonzalez’ Rebelion
The result was that the opponents had recourse to fresh plots, one of which in November met the same fate as the preceding; another took place in March
1827, when Lieutenant
J.M. Gonzalez proclaimed himself comandante general, arrested the governor, dissolved the legislature, and terrified the liberals generally, assisted by women, who felt it a duty to sustain their confessors. The general government took prompt steps to check the movement, by sending
General Parras, whose mere presence sufficed to dissipate it, for Gonzalez men passed over and their leader fled. Comandante general
J. J. Ayestaran was replaced by
Jose Figueroa. The following elections proved as unsatisfactory as the preceding, until finally the supreme government interfered, and effected a settlement for the moment in favor of the
yorkino interest, this party having carried the day at
Mexico, by electing
Guerrero to the presidency.
Disorders at
Mexico in
1828, produced a corresponding ebullition between the factions in the north, and the installation of the new legislature did not take place until the middle of the following year. Even then it was quickly dissolved by
Governor Baca, who replaced it by one of more pronounced
yorkino type.
Guerrero’s liberal administration being overthrown in December, Colonel
Gaspar de Ochoa pronounced in favor of the rebellious vice-president
Bustamante, and in February
1830, mustered a rabble in opposition to the new governor,
F. Elorriaga, whom he arrested with other prominent
yorkinos. He then summoned the legislature which had been dissolved by
Baca. The civil and military authorities were now headed by
J. A. Pescador and
Ochoa.
Vicente Guerrero
The general features of the preceding occurrence applied also to Chihuahua, although in a modified form. The first person elected under the new constitution of
1825, was
Simon Elias Gonzalez, who being in
Sonora, was induced to remain there,
J. A. Arce taking his place as ruler in Chihuahua. In
1829, however,
Gonzalez became comandante general of Chihuahua, his term of office on the west coast having expired.
Arce showed himself a less thorough
yorkino than his confrere of
Durango. Although unable to resist the popular clamor for the expulsion of the Spaniards, he soon quarreled with the legislature, which declared itself firmly for
Guerrero, and announcing his support of
Bustamante’s revolution, he suspended, in March
1830, eight members of that body, the vice-governor, and several other officials, and expelled them from the state. The course thus outlined was followed by Governor
J. I. Madero, who succeeded in
1831, associated with
J. J. Calvo as comandante general, stringent laws being issued against
secret societies, which were supposed to be the main spring to the anti-clerical feeling among liberals.
Durango and Bustamante
This feeling was wide-spread, and at the first symptom of reaction against the government at
Mexico,
Durango displayed active approval. In May
1832,
Jose Urrea, a rising officer, undertook to support the restoration of President
Pedraza, and on
July 20, Governor
Elorriaga was reinstated, and the legislative minority overthrown together with
Baca was brought back to assist in forming a new legislature, which met on
September 1. Chihuahua showing no desire to imitate the evolutionary movement,
Urrea prepared to invade the state. Comandante-general
J.J.Calvo threatened to retaliate, and a conflict seemed imminent when the entry of
Santa Ana into
Mexico put an end to the charge of the administration to feel the public pulse, while he kept safely in the background till the turn of affairs should become clear.
Santa Ana
One step was the banishment of Bishop
Zubiria for resisting the law relating to priests and other encroachments on the church; another joined the western states in a short lived coalition for sustaining the federal system. No sooner, however, had
Santa Ana turned upon his colleague in alarm at the imposing efforts of the clerical party, than legislature as well as governor followed the example by adopting, in July
1834, his
plan of Cuernavaca, which put a check to reforms. But such was their lukewarmness in enforcing it that the commanding officer, Colonel
J. I. Gutierrez, on
september 3, at the head of the garrison, affirmed the plan, and at the same time declared the term of the legislature and governor expired. At a convention of citizens called by himself to select a new provisional ruler, he naturally obtained the vote, with
P. J. Escalante for his deputy, and a council to guide the administration.
Considering it for his interest to discountenance such radical dispositions of state authorities,
Santa Ana ordered the reinstatement of
Mendarozqueta, associated with
Ochoa as comandante general.
Gutierrez humbly yielded, but
Escalante refused to surrender office, midst riotous demonstrations, whereupon troops were summoned from
Zacatecas. Their approach gave force to the mediation of the returned prelate, and the change was effected without bloodshed. The ensuing election brought a new legislature, with governors conforming to the change of aspects. Nevertheless, in September
1835 political influence brought in as ruler
Jose Urrea, of federalist tendencies, whose different revolutionary efforts had brought him to the grade of brigadier, with an ambition to gain further distinction.
In Chihuahua, where the reaction under
Farias had found less active response, the
Cuernavaca plan was adopted in July
1834, with quiet deference to the national decision. At the same time the old favorite,
Simon Elias Gonzalez, lately comandante general, was nominated governor, while the supreme authorities conferred the military command upon Colonel
J. J. Calvo, whose firmness had earned well-merited praise. The state was in the midst of a war with the
Apaches, which required the concentration of all energies and resources for defence. After a review of the situation,
Simon Elias Gonzalez declared that the interests of the territory would be best served by uniting the civil and military power, at least while the campaign lasted. Opposition being made, he firmly insisted, and resigned. This exemplary abnegation was not lost, for in
1837 he was renominated with acclamation.
Administrative divisions
Chihuahua is subdivided into 67 ''
municipios'' (
municipalities)''. See
municipalities of Chihuahua.
Major communities
★
Camargo (Santa Rosalía de Camargo)
★
Chihuahua
★
Ciudad Jiménez (José Mariano Jiménez)
★
Ciudad Juárez
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Cuauhtémoc
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Delicias
★
Nuevo Casas Grandes
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Parral (Hidalgo del Parral)
Pictures
See also
★
Mexico
★
Geography of Mexico
References
1. History Of The North Mexican States And Texas, Vol. II 1801-1889, San Francisco, The History Company, Publishers, 1889, Chapter 24
External links
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Chihuahua state government
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Secretariat of Industrial Development of Chihuahua State Government
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Chihuahua's municipal governments
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OMNIA Chihuahua News
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Tourism, News, Events and much more about Chihuahua City and state
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Chihuahua photos
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Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chihuaha
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