Background
After a decade of strife, Mexico won its independence from the Kingdom of Spain in 1821. After a failed attempt at a monarchy, Mexico adopted a new constitution, the 1824 Constitution. This new constitution established los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, or "the United Mexican States," as a federal republic, similar to the United States.
In 1833, General Antonio López de Santa Anna was elected to his first term as president and was, at the time of his election, in support of the federal republic. However, after some members of government angered Santa Anna's political allies, Santa Anna decided to start a centralized government. Santa Anna suspended the constitution, disbanded Congress and made himself the center of power in Mexico. This led to the eruption of a number of uprisings and secessionist movements throughout the country, the most successful being the Texas Revolution. Less successful secession movements were attempted by the Republic of Zacatecas and the Republic of Yucatán. At the same time there was activity inside the country of fillibusters, which sought to expand slavery in Mexico. Many of the caudillos that initiated and participated in the rebellion also participated in later violent secessionist movements.
Read more about this topic: Republic Of The Rio Grande
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