e of these--offspring of Spanish men and Indian or African women--became part of the freeborn population of the two countries, owing their allegiance primarily to Mexico, or to Cuba, rather than to Spain. However, there remained significant minority elites in both countries who traced their descent to Spain, married to their children to other Spanish or Spanish-descent individuals, and controlled both the economic; and political life of the colonies (Ruiz, 1968).
There were differences between the two countries, however, and these became more significant over time, partly explaining the history that was lived out during the 20th century. Hodges and Gandy (1983) noted that the Mexican revolution, which provided the model for much of the revolutionary activity in South and Central America (although not Cuba) may be partially explained by this early history. They note that the history of Mexico is characterized by extreme violence, starting with the massacre and rape of the population by the Spanish, and followed in the 19th century by the war against Mexico led by the United States, which cost Mexico half of its entire territory. This was immediately followed by the conquest of Mexico by France and a new type of rule by the Emperor Maximilian.
The struggle of the Mexican people, then, does not start with the revolution in 1910, but with the struggle for independence from the Spanish, then the battles with the United States and the French. These long-term struggles created alliances between different groupings including Indians and mestizos, peasants, workers, and the nascent middle class, which were to undergird the Mexican revolution.
Yet, the decisive influence in the Mexican revolution, according to Hart (1987), was the United States. The United States was an influence in two different ways, he noted. First, the United States was a primary influence as a causal factor in the revolution. Although Mexican society was ...