Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Miguel Hidalgo is known as “the Father of Mexican Independence.” He was the Catholic priest that started the Mexican Independence. His first step was ringing his church bell and then telling the people to rebel against the Spaniards. On that date, he marked the first Mexican Independence Day.

Miguel was born in May 8, 1753 in the "Corralejo Hacienda," in Guanajuato Mexico, where his father, Cristobel Hidalgo, was the manager. He was the oldest of four sons. The Hidalgo family were Creoles, native Mexicans of Spanish descent. After attending the colleges of St. Francisco Xavier and San Nicolás in Valladolid (now Morelia), Hidalgo earned his degree in theology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. "Hidalgo became a Roman Catholic priest and a professor at the famous seminary of San Nicolás, where he wrote two treatises concerning theology." After service in two other parishes, he went to Dolores (now Dolores Hidalgo) in 1808.

On September 16, 1810, Hidalgo rang his church bell. Once the parishioners assembled, he delivered the legendary "Grito de Dolores" he cried, "Death to the Spaniards! Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe! Long live Mexico!" Riding an emotional high, Hidalgo took an image of the Virgin on canvas and placed it on a stick to lead the rebellion. More than 20,000 of the region's poor and oppressed indians and mestizos followed him.

Hidalgo encouraged his people to drive out the foreign rulers and led his untrained soldiers against Spanish troops. For a short time, Hidalgo's forces were successful, but they could not stand up against the well-trained and well-equipped Spaniards. "On January 17, 1811, Hidalgo fled to the North with only the remnants of his rebellious followers. A royalist officer captured Hidalgo in Chihuahua, where he endured a military and ecclesiastical trial. The courts defrocked him and sentenced him to death by firing squad. After three rifle volleys failed to kill him, the commander ordered two soldiers to walk up to Hidalgo and shoot him in the heart." Hidalgo died on July 30, 1811.

Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821. The largest celebration takes place in the national capital, Mexico City. Thousands of people gather in the city's Constitution Plaza, the Zocalo, to listen to the president recite the "Grito de Dolores" from the balcony of the National Palace. After the speech, the president rings a bell to signal the start of the celebrations as people cheer. The festivities continue through the following day, September 16.