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The History of Mexico

The rebel leader Francisco “Pancho” Villa is fourth from left in this photo. Villa was one of the most famous leaders of the Mexican Revolution between 1910 and 1920.

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The years that followed were still more troubled. Between 1913 and 1920, 10 different presidents ruled the nation, as revolutionary and government forces battled each other. Finally, in 1920, Álvaro Obregón became president. His government brought an end to the revolution and ushered in the modern era in Mexican history. The years since then, however, have been far from peaceful. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) controlled politics, but under their leadership, the gap between the rich and the poor continued to widen. In 1968, before the Summer Olympics

Álvaro Obregón

were scheduled to be held in Mexico City, the tension led to a student strike that quickly turned into a riot. Several students were killed, and international attention turned to Mexico’s problems. In 1970 the discovery of new oil reserves combined with the rising prices of oil to give Mexico’s economy a much-needed boost. However, the nation’s leaders again made foolish choices that plunged their country’s economy into still