Wanderlust World Wanderlust World - Emphasis on reason and science. The Enlightenment encouraged people to question traditional authority and to seek out knowledge through reason and experimentation. This led many Mexicans to question the authority of the Spanish colonial government and to seek ways to improve their lives through science and technology.
- Belief in natural rights. The Enlightenment philosophers argued that all people are born with certain natural rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and property. This idea inspired Mexicans to fight for their independence from Spain and to establish a more just and democratic society.
- Support for representative government. The Enlightenment thinkers favored representative government, in which the people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. This idea led many Mexicans to support the idea of a constitutional monarchy, in which a king or queen would share power with an elected assembly.
- Desire for social and economic change. The Enlightenment inspired many Mexicans to work for social and economic change. They sought to abolish the system of slavery, to improve the status of women, and to provide more opportunities for education and economic advancement for all Mexicans.
- The French Revolution. The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a major inspiration for the Mexican independence movement. The revolution's ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity inspired many Mexicans to fight for their own freedom from Spanish rule.
These are just a few of the ways that the Enlightenment influenced the Mexican independence movement. The ideas of the Enlightenment helped to create a more informed, critical, and patriotic citizenry that was willing to fight for its freedom.