The dawn of September 16th, 1810, was an eventful day for Mexico and all Mexicans as they reclaimed their power and country. Miguel Hidalgo declared the beginning of Mexico’s Independence from Spain on this day.
This armed movement lasted 11 years, ending on September 27th, 1821, when the Trigarante Army led by Agustín de Iturbide and Vicente Guerrero arrived in Mexico City.
Before this time, Mexico was known as Nueva España, a colony under Spanish rule for 300 years. A colony ruled by a caste system oppressing Mexican natives and leading them to the start of revolts around the Nueva España territory.
After many years of dissatisfaction with how Nueva España was being ruled and the slow fall of the Spanish Monarchy, revolutionaries Priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Ignacio Allende, José María Morelos, and Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez joined forces to reclaim independence. On the eve of September 16th, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo gave the famously known “Grito de Dolores” in Dolores, Hidalgo, a small town a few hours away from San Miguel de Allende, in which all revolutionaries have signaled the start of a social revolution from which the country would be born as an independent, free and sovereign nation. This is how Hidalgo understood it when he explained that the new government, urged by Independence, would have as a fundamental obligation "the high goals announced by the prosperity" of Mexicans, as an obligatory premise to be able to begin our "regeneration," as Morelos pointed out.
The War of Independence was a massive popular revolution in which tens of thousands of indigenous people, people of African descent, mulattos, mestizos, peasants, miners and ranchers, men and women, swelled the insurgent ranks following the call of the priest Miguel Hidalgo and, in a few months, formed an army that mortally wounded the colonial regime and dismantled an oppressive and exclusionary social system. The struggle led by Hidalgo and continued by José María Morelos was a libertarian and just movement.
The men and women who, thanks to the movement that began in 1810, gave us homeland and freedom had evident values for which they fought and with which they wished to build a different Mexico.
For San Miguel de Allende, September 15th and 16th represent a weekend filled with celebration and joy. A firework spectacle can be enjoyed along with the traditional “Grito de Independencia” given by the Municipality President, representing the original speech Miguel Hidalgo gave on the dawn of September 16th, 1810. This is usually between 10 pm and 11 pm on September 15th and can be enjoyed from several of the San Miguel rooftops or at the Jardin Principal. During this celebration, San Miguel de Allende streets are colorfully decorated with green, white, and red flags. We highly recommend visiting this weekend if you want to enjoy Mexican culture. Remember that some streets may have closures, so don’t forget to ask our Concierge for the best tips and tricks to enjoy the most out of this weekend.
Some of the experiences you can enjoy around town:
After the Grito and the fireworks, come to Casa Arca and enjoy live Mariachi to keep celebrating Mexico.
If you want to know more about other celebrations in San Miguel de Allende, check out our post on La Alborada celebration, occurring at the end of September.
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